Menu

Peach Upside Down Cake

  • July 15, 2022

I don’t know about you, but when peaches are in season here in New Jersey, you won’t find any other fruit that’s as delicious, in my opinion. They’re juicy, full of fragrant flavor and plentiful — although this year, I’ve found that the cost has risen significantly (but what hasn’t?). In addition to eating them in my morning oatmeal, and just out of hand, I had to bake with some of them, and the combo of brown sugar, butter and peaches is hard to resist in this upside down cake. The recipe comes from Cake By Courtney but I skipped the vanilla and added Amaretto liqueur instead. The almond flavor is subtle, but detectable and adds even more reason to dig in for a second or third slice.

The cake has a fine crumb and tender bite to it, and it’s good the second day too, but like most fruit-topped cakes, it’s best eaten the day it’s made, especially fresh from the oven. A scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side would be most welcome too.

Click here to connect with me on Instagram and find out what’s cooking in Ciao Chow Linda’s kitchen each day (and more)

Save Print
Peach Upside Down Cake
Author: 
 
Ingredients
  • FOR THE PEACHES
  • 2 cups (300 g) peeled and sliced peaches about 3 small to medium size peaches
  • juice of half a small lemon
  • 1 teaspoon (2.4 g) cinnamon
  • 3 tablespoons (42.4 g) butter
  • ⅓ cup (73 g) brown sugar, packed
  • 1 teaspoon Amaretto liqueur
  • FOR THE CAKE
  • ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ¾ cup (150 g) sugar
  • 2 eggs room temperature
  • 1½ cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon (6 g) baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon (3 g) salt
  • ¾ cup (180 g) buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon Amaretto liqueur
Instructions
  1. FOR THE PEACHES
  2. Stir together the sliced peaches, lemon juice, cinnamon and Amaretto liqueur.
  3. Set aside.
  4. Melt the 3 tablespoons of butter in a cast iron skillet on medium heat.
  5. Once the butter is melted, add the ⅓ cup brown sugar.
  6. Cook, stirring frequently, until the sugar has completely melted. Add the sliced peaches and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, just until the peaches soften a bit.
  7. Set aside.
  8. FOR THE CAKE
  9. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  10. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  11. Set aside.
  12. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
  13. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  14. Stir in the Amaretto liqueur.
  15. Gradually add in the dry ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk, starting and finishing with the dry ingredients.
  16. Mix on low speed until just combined.
  17. Gently spread the batter in the cast iron skillet over the peaches.
  18. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs on it.
  19. Loosen the edges of the cake with a knife, then using oven mitts on both hands, place a serving platter over the pan and invert onto the serving platter.
 

Upside Down Pear Gingerbread Cake

  • January 7, 2019

 

I’ve made dozens and dozens of gingerbread cookies, and baked and decorated many gingerbread houses when my kids were little, but a gingerbread cake? Well, I’d never made one, and if truth be told, had never eaten a slice of one until a few years ago. It wasn’t a flavor that I’d grown up with or ever had the yen to seek out on my own. But I have to say, I was a convert after tasting that first slice of gingerbread cake a few years ago at the house of friends.

Those same friends who served the gingerbread cake – Jan and Dave – also send us a box of Harry & David pears each Christmas. Last year, I made an upside down pear walnut cake with some of them last year here. We loved the nuttiness of this cake, but I wanted to try something different this year.

Eureka! I found a cake recipe combining gingerbread with pears in an upside down cake crowned with a luscious caramel-y top. It turns out pears and gingerbread were made to party together!

Although I’ve made many upside down cakes, with fruits of all kinds, most of them (not the walnut cake) have a basic white or yellow cake batter as the base. Like the walnut cake though, this gingerbread cake recipe is a welcome change from the standard upside down cake batter.  Lay the pear slices in a cast iron skillet (or a 9″ cake pan) and pour the brown sugar/butter mixture on top.

Then make the batter, which is very dark since it contains molasses and many spices.

It comes out of the oven looking like this. Run a butterknife around the edge, then using two pot holders, place a large platter (a wider diameter than the pan) over the cake and flip it over. Careful, don’t burn yourself on the pan or the hot syrup.

Top it with whipped cream or ice cream. Of course, the topping is not strictly necessary, but the coolness of the cream with the spiciness of the cake is divine. Besides, what are a few more calories when bathing suit weather is still months away?

This cake is best eaten warm from the oven, but it tastes delicious the next day too. Unlike most white or yellow upside down cakes, whose texture get denser the next day, this gingerbread cake maintains its tender crumb and moist texture even a few days after baking. The pears and the brown sugar topping do soften somewhat if you don’t eat it all the day it’s baked, however. It serves at least eight people, so plan on taking some to a neighbor as I did, or invite some friends in for coffee and cake.

 

Save Print
Upside Down Pear Gingerbread Cake
Author: 
Recipe type: dessert
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 9-12 servings
 
moist and flavorful upside down pear gingerbread cake
Ingredients
  • TOPPING:
  • 4 firm medium pears
  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
  • ½ cup packed light or dark brown sugar
  • ⅛ tsp. ground cinnamon
  • GINGERBREAD CAKE:
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1½ tsps. ground ginger
  • 1⅓ tsps. ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp. ground cloves
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • ¾ cup unsulphured or dark molasses
  • ¾ cup hot water
  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • ⅓ cup packed light or dark brown sugar
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • whipped cream, to serve (optional)
Instructions
  1. Prepare the topping: Lightly grease a 9" square or round baking pan (I used a cast iron skillet).
  2. Peel, core and slice pears into thick slices.
  3. Tightly layer the pears in the prepared pan. Set aside.
  4. Whisking constantly, heat the butter, brown sugar and cinnamon together in a small saucepan over medium heat.
  5. Once butter has melted, vigorously whisk to ensure the butter is not separating from the brown sugar.
  6. Once it comes together, pour evenly over pears.
  7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  8. MAKE THE CAKE:
  9. Whisk the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and slat together.
  10. Set aside.
  11. Whisk the molasses and hot water together. Set aside.
  12. Beat the butter and brown sugar together on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.
  13. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
  14. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract on high speed until combined, about 1 minute.
  15. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed.
  16. Turn the mixer off and add the dry ingredients and molasses/water.
  17. Turn the mixer on low and mix just until combined.
  18. The batter will be a little thick.
  19. Carefully pour/spread batter on top of pears.
  20. Bake for around 35-45 minutes or until the cake is baked through (I put a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil on the rack below the cake to catch any butter/brown sugar that might spill out).
  21. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake.
  22. If it comes out clean, it's done.
  23. If you notice the edges or top browning too quickly, tent the cake with aluminum foil.
  24. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate
  25. Best served warm.