Peach Upside-Down Cake is the perfect dessert to showcase the delicious sweet fresh peaches of summer.
You will love this new twist on the classic Pineapple Upside-Down Cake that features fresh peaches. Also check out my Blackberry Upside-Down Cake for another version of the delicious upside-down cake.
The upside-down cake, which was so popular in the ’50s and ’60s, is again gaining in popularity. No wonder – it is still wonderful! Use your old cast-iron frying pan. The heavy pan keeps the butter from burning, and the handle makes it easy to flip the cake upside down when it is done.
History: According to most historians, the late 1800s were when the term “upside down cake” first began appearing. Up until that time, this type of cake was referred to as skillet cakes. This was because ovens have not always been common or reliable, skillet cakes were born of practicality. Cakes were made in the popular cast-iron skillets on top of the stove. Inverting a cake to reveal a topping was very popular as far back as the Middle Ages. The first upside-down cakes were not even made with seasonal fruits such as apples and cherries.
Learn How To Season A Cast-Iron Pan.
Check out the Basic Rules For Baking or here for Secrets of a Successful Cake. Also check out more great Cake Recipes and Cast-Iron Cooking Recipes.
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
- 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice, fresh-squeezed
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup butter
- 2/3 cup firmly-packed brown sugar
- 6 to 7 fresh peaches, peeled, pitted, and sliced*
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
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Prepare Peach Topping (see below).
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In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add egg, milk, and vegetable shortening; beat 2 minutes. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract; beat 2 minutes. Pour cake batter over prepared Peach Topping, spreading evenly with a spatula to reach the sides of the pan.
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Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cake is done when the internal temperature registers approximately 190 to 200 degrees F. on your cooking thermometer.
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Remove cake from oven. Let cake cool, on a rack, for 10 minutes.
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Run knife around edge of pan to loosen; cover with a cake plate and invert. Gently remove the cake pan (be careful, as the fruit and topping is still quite hot and will burn).
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Serve warm. Also delicious served with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
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In a 10-inch cast iron frying pan or a 9x2-inch cake pan over low heat, melt butter. Stir in brown sugar until well blended. Remove from heat.
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Arrange peach slices in a layered circular pattern on top of sugar mixture until bottom of pan is fully covered. Sprinkle with chopped nuts.
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Set aside until ready to pour the prepared cake batter on top.
* To slice peaches, carefully cut the peaches in half from top to bottom and gently twist them to separate the halves from the pit. Remove the pit. Lay the peaches halves flat on a cutting board and slice into wedges about 1/4-inch thick.
I get many readers asking what cooking/meat thermometer that I prefer and use in my cooking and baking. I, personally, use the Thermapen Thermometer. Originally designed for professional use, the Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer is used by chefs all over the world. I only endorse a few products, on my web site, that I like and use regularly.
You can learn more or buy yours at: Super-Fast Thermapen Thermometer.