Tender Peach Almond Upside Down Cake With Almond Flour

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Picture this: you're sitting on a patio in late August enjoying a sweet, tender, nutty cake dotted with fresh late summer peaches while enjoying a golden summer evening. This time of year, when we're transitioning into Fall, is special. The sunshine seems more yellow and less bright white. The fruit is at its peak, and everything starts to change. Here in Utah, school has just started, farmer's markets are bursting with juicy goodness, and backyard fruit trees are laden with tasty, long awaited treats. Go grab some of those wonderful late summer peaches, and let's make peach almond upside down cake!

What Is An Upside Down Cake?

An upside down cake has toppings that are baked in the bottom of a cake tin, but end up on top when that cake is inverted and served. The most famous example in the United States is, of course, pineapple upside down cake, which originated from a recipe contest, specifically for pineapple recipes, held by Dole in the 1920s (source).

However, pineapple is not the only fruit that can be upside down caked. Pears, plums, and, of course, peaches are all excellent options for this type of cake. Apples are great too, as the French tarte Tatin shows us. In this case, we are baking peaches underneath a moist cake made with both all purpose and almond flours.

Ingredients

The only special ingredient in this recipe is the almond flour, however, it can be found at almost any grocery store. I got mine at WalMart. Here are the ingredients you'll need for this moist Peach Almond Upside Down Cake:

• light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• vanilla extract
• vegetable oil
• all purpose flour
• super fine almond flour- this does all of the heavy lifting for the almond flavor, since there is no almond extract in this recipe, plus it adds to the texture of the cake.
• baking powder
• salt
• 2 ripe peaches

I tested this recipe so many times. The almond flour tends to produce a drier cake, and I wanted this baby to be tender and moist, not dry and crumbly, and still retain the nutty flavor and texture. The keys to achieving textural perfection are the oil, the sugar, and not overbaking. You can substitute the vegetable oil for any neutral oil (my friend even had success with applesauce), but do not mess with the amount of sugar. It's essential to the structure of the cake.

Equipment

Peach Almond Upside Down Cake is...drumroll please... a one bowl recipe! No mixer or any specialty equipment is required. Here's what you'll need:

• 1 medium mixing bowl
• 1 Whisk
• 1 Knife
• 1 cutting board
• 1 9-inch round metal cake pan you could also use an 8x8 square pan. I highly recommend using a metal pan over a glass one. Tessa over at Handle The Heat did a lot of research into why, but basically metal is a better conductor and cooks food more evenly.
• 1 Rubber spatula

How To Make Peach Almond Upside Down Cake

Here is a brief summary of this recipe. The full recipe card is at the end of this post.

1. Preheat the oven and prepare your cake pan. I know that my pan releases well, so I live on the wild side and only spray it with baking spray. If you are not sure about how your pan will release the cake, line the bottom with parchment paper. This will help it release easily.
2. Combine the brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk until smooth.
3. Add oil and whisk again until completely combined and smooth.
4. Add all purpose flour, almond flour, baking soda, and salt to the mixing bowl. Stir and fold the mixture with a rubber spatula until you have a smooth batter, but no longer.
5. Cut the peaches into ¼ inch slices. Arrange them on the bottom of the cake pan.
6. Pour the cake batter over the peaches, and smooth with a spatula. The batter will be thick, so spread carefully. Tap the pan against the counter a few times to release air bubbles stuck at the bottom.
7. Bake for about 35 minutes. You don't want to overbake this cake. It will get dry if baked too long.
8. Let the peach almond cake cool for about 20 minutes in the pan, then invert it onto the serving plate. Let it cool, slice, and enjoy! It's extra tasty with whipped cream of vanilla ice cream.

Frequently Asked Questions

What If I Don't Have Almond Flour?

Never fear! You can replace the almond flour with all purpose flour, just add up to ¼ teaspoon of almond extract. Proceed with the rest of the recipe as written. My friend Emily tested this, and it came out great. It was even four-year-old approved. High praise, indeed!

Could I Use A Different Fruit Instead Of Peaches?

You sure could! Nectarines, plums, apricots, and pears would all work great in this recipe.

Do I Need To Peel The Peaches?

Nope! In fact, I like the color the peach peel lends to the Peach Almond Upside Down Cake. Also, after it's baked, the peel has the same texture as the rest of the peach slices. It's not distracting or annoying. You could peel them if you wanted, but I don't think there is a need to do so.

How Do I Store Peach Almond Upside Down Cake?

This cake can be stored covered at room temperature for a few hours, then keep it covered in the fridge. Slices can be warmed up in the microwave, if you wish.

I have not tested freezing this cake, but I think you could bake the cake, let it cool completely, wrap it in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, and freeze it for a few months. Let it thaw at room temperature. If you try this, please let me know how it turns out. I would love to test all storage methods for all of my recipes, but alas, I am one person trying to produce a new recipe every week, so that is not always possible.

You Might Also Enjoy...

If you like this recipe, you might also like these other fruity baked goods that walk the line between breakfast and dessert!

Send Me To Your Friends!

If you like this recipe, please share it with your friends on social media! It helps me so much. Also, follow me on Instagram at @gracious.cooking. I can't wait to hear how this cake turns out for you!

Happy Cooking!

Carli

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