Description
Fresh peach upside down cake tastes like summer! This classic cake is made from scratch, with a soft, tender cake and a golden, caramelized peach topping. Recipe makes one 8-inch cake.
- Place a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil in the oven and preheat to 350°F. Use a pastry brush or paper towel to spread softened butter evenly inside an 8-inch round, 2-inch high cake pan.
- Make topping: Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add brown sugar and salt, and whisk to combine. Continue whisking until the sugar melts and the mixture starts to bubble, about 1 minute.
- Pour brown sugar mixture into prepared cake pan and smooth into an even layer. Top with peach slices and set aside.
- Make cake: Whisk together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Beat butter and sugar in a large mixer bowl at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg and vanilla, and beat until well combined. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in two additions, alternating with sour cream (begin and end with flour mixture), just until incorporated.
- Spoon batter over the peach layer and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Tap pan sharply to remove air bubbles.
- Bake cake: Place cake pan on preheated baking sheet and bake for 36 to 38 minutes, until golden, the edges are pulling away from the sides of the pan, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs (no wet batter).
- Remove cake from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Invert onto a rimmed serving plate before slicing and serving.
- Store leftover cake tightly covered in the refrigerator overnight and rewarm before serving.
Notes
Peaches: I recommend freestone peaches (where the pit separates easily from the fruit), so you don’t have to wrestle the fruit away from the pit.
Peel and slice peaches: Score the fresh peaches with an X on the bottom. Blanch them in boiling water for about 30 seconds, then use a stainless steel spider kitchen strainer or slotted spoon to transfer them to an ice bath until cool enough to handle. Peel off the skin and use a sharp knife to cut into 1/4-inch slices.
