When having lots of fresh and ripe peaches the upside down cake is a great way to capture the flavor of the peaches. I really enjoy the flavor of the polenta in the cake. Adding some whipped cream adds a lot.
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Ingredients
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- 6-7 fresh and juicy peaches
- 1+ cup sugar (1/3c for peaches, 3/4c for cake batter)
- 1 lemon, juice + zest
- 1 1/4c whole milk
- 1/2c coarse ground polenta, cornmeal
- 1 1/4c flour
- 1 1/2t baking powder
- 1 t salt
- 10T unsalted butter
- 2 large eggs
- 1c whipping cream (optional)
Steps
- preheat oven to 350F
- use 9 inch round cake pan, add parchment and butter paper and sides
- slice peaches thinly planning on filling top layer of cake pan
- place 3/4c sugar in a bowl, zest the lemon and mix into the sugar
- add peaches to bowl with 1/3c demerra sugar (or normal) add juice of 1/2 lemon, let sit for 20-30m
- heat milk until just simmering
- slowly whisk in polenta/cornmeal
- let cook for 1-2 mins until mixture thickens, take off heat
- when peaches juice has been released 20-30m strain juices
- heat juices until thickens to avoid half of original volume
- let juices cool
- add juices to cake pan
- layer the peaches in a pattern in a single layer
- in a mixer beat the softened butter with 3/4c sugar for 1-2m
- mix the flour, salt, baking powder whisk to evenly spread baking powder, salt avoiding any clumps
- add egg one at at time to butter/sugar
- add half of flour mixture to mixer
- add polenta
- add remaining flour to mixer
- mix until all flour streak are gone
- mix by hand to make sure well mixed
- dollop batter over the fruit so pattern is not disrupted, use offset spatula to smooth top
- bake for 35-45m at 350F until the toothpick comes out clean
- let cool for 10m
- separate edges, flip carefully over cooling rack
- lift pan
- best served with some fresh whipped cream
