Peach Upside-Down Cake with Cinnamon Amaretto Whipped Cream

Oh my, how sweet the peaches are right now!  The batter for this cake is very light and tender, yet not overly sweet.  The sweetness comes mostly from the juicy ripe peaches.  Perfect for that backyard picnic!

The inspiration for this recipe came from Southern Living's June 2012 "Summer's Best Recipes.  I changed a couple of things to make it mine.  Hope you enjoy!

Click for Printable Recipe 

Ingredients:
4 medium peaches, cut into 1/3 inch thick wedges
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Juice of one large lemon
1 cup cake flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar, divided
3/4 cup butter, room temperature, divided
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 large vanilla bean
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 Tbsp powdered sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp amaretto
optional - mint leaves to garnish

Step-by-step 

4 medium peaches. Juice of one large lemon.

Sift together flour, baking powder, and baking soda.

1 cup cake flour

 

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

Cook 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Stir for about 7-10 minutes or until sugar melts and becomes an amber color.

 

1/2 cup granulated sugar

starting to melt

 

clumping

starting to develop color

liquifying

amber color. stop.

Remove from heat and immediately add 1/4 cup butter, stirring vigorously.

1/4 cup cold butter

It will start foaming immediately.  Stir vigorously.

Caramel coming together.

 

Spread the caramelized sugar to coat the bottom of the skillet evenly and sprinkle it with the brown sugar.  Arrange the peach wedges over the sugar mixture, overlapping if you wish.

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup rough chopped pecans

arrange peaches

Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds into the bowl of a heavy duty stand mixer.  You can scrape a knife along the inside of the pod, or even your fingernail will do.  Beat the vanilla seeds and the remaining 3/4 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup butter at medium speed until smooth.

3/4 cup granulated sugar

split the vanilla bean

scrape out the vanilla "caviar"

Add the vanilla seeds to the sugar.

Mix.

1/2 cup  butter

mix until smooth

Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until smooth after each one.

2 eggs - mix in between

Add sour cream, beating until well blended.

1/2 cup sour cream (I used the "light" version)

Gradually add the sifted flour mixture, beating at low speed just until blended and stopping to scrape down the bowl when needed.  

sifted flour, baking powder, baking soda

Try not to eat all this batter before it makes it to the pan.  It's delicious!  See the flecks of vanilla beans?

Spoon the batter over the peaches in the skillet, and spread to cover.  Place the skillet on a baking sheet (in case any of the juices boil over).  

spoon it out.  It's fluffy, not runny.  It won't "pour"

spread lightly over the peaches

spread to the edges

Ready for the oven.  I put it on a cookie sheet - just in case.

Bake at 350 F for about 40 minutes or until golden brown and a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool in the skillet for 8-10 minutes.  Run a knife around the edge to loosen the cake.  If your fruit was really juicy, there may be excess liquid in the skillet.  That's fine.  Carefully pour any excess liquid into a cup and reserve to serve over the top.

golden brown and springy

loosen with a knife

If you'd like, serve the cake with the cinnamon amaretto whipped cream.  To make the whipped cream - Pour the heavy whipping cream into a very cold mixing bowl, and whip on high, adding cinnamon, amaretto and powdered sugar.  Whip until soft peaks hold their place when you lift the beater.  Refrigerate whipped cream until you are ready to serve it.

1 cup heavy whipping cream

2 tsp amaretto

1 tsp cinammon

2 Tbsp powdered sugar

Cinnamon amaretto whipped cream

Carefully invert the cake onto a serving plate and drizzle with any reserved liquid.

Written Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Toss the sliced peaches with lemon juice.

Sift together flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Cook 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Stir for about 7-10 minutes or until sugar melts and becomes an amber color.  Remove from heat and immediately add 1/4 cup butter, stirring vigorously.  Spread the caramelized sugar to coat the bottom of the skillet evenly and sprinkle it with the brown sugar.  Arrange the peach wedges over the sugar mixture, overlapping if you wish.

Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds into the bowl of a heavy duty stand mixer.  You can scrape a knife along the inside of the pod, or even your fingernail will do.  Beat the vanilla seeds and the remaining 3/4 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup butter at medium speed until smooth.

Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until smooth after each one.  Add sour cream, beating until well blended.  Gradually add the sifted flour mixture, beating at low speed just until blended and stopping to scrape down the bowl when needed. 

Spoon the batter over the peaches in the skillet, and spread to cover.  Place the skillet on a baking sheet (in case any of the juices boil over).  Bake at 350 F for about 40 minutes or until golden brown and a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool in the skillet for 8-10 minutes.  Run a knife around the edge to loosen the cake.  If your fruit was really juicy, there may be excess liquid in the skillet.  That's fine.  Carefully pour any excess liquid into a cup and reserve to serve over the top. Carefully invert the cake onto a serving plate and drizzle with any reserved liquid. 

If you'd like, serve the cake with the cinnamon amaretto whipped cream.  To make the whipped cream - Pour the heavy whipping cream into a very cold mixing bowl, and whip on high, adding cinnamon, amaretto and powdered sugar.  Whip until soft peaks hold their place when you lift the beater.  Refrigerate whipped cream until you are ready to serve it.

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