I love upside down cakes; they are all about the fruit! This one is loaded with fresh Ontario peaches, this year they are especially sweet and fragrant, the addition of ginger and cinnamon makes them that much more flavourful. The cake is good at room temperature but best slightly warm soon after it comes out of the oven
- 3 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 4-5 medium peaches
- 1 stick (113 grams) butter, at room temperature plus more for the pan
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 3 eggs, room temperature
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
- 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- ½ cup all-purpose flour plus more for the pan
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup toasted sliced almonds
For garnish: sliced almonds or icing sugar
Preheat the oven to 350F, line a 9 inch springform pan with parchment paper, butter and flour the sides, wrap the springform pan with aluminum foil, set aside.
To prepare the peaches, bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan, make an X cut on the peaches and drop them in the boiling water, leave for about 30 seconds, remove and place them in an ice bath (a bowl filled with cold water and ice), peel and slice the peaches into half moons.
Meanwhile melt butter in a skillet, turn off the heat, add the brown sugar and toss the peach with the butter and sugar mixture. Arrange the peach slices on the bottom of the springform pan.
In the bowl of an electric mixer cream the butter and sugar until light, add the eggs 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition, add the sour cream, vanilla extract and ginger, mix again. In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon. Add the dry mixture and mix until just combined, fold in the almonds with a spatula and spoon the batter over the peach slices. Bake until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean, let it cool for about 15 minutes in the cake pan and then turn it upside down onto the serving platter, remove the parchment paper carefully. Garnish with almonds or icing sugar or both and serve warm or at room temperature.
