Upside Down Peach Cake

With so much stone fruit available at the moment (and Golden Queen peaches starting to ripen), why not make use of the seasonal bounty with an Upside Down Peach Cake? Perfect with a cup of tea or for a little treat after dinner.

Ingredients

• 300 g peeled and sliced peaches (about 3 medium peaches)
• juice and zest of half a lemon
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup packed, brown sugar
• 110g unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Method

1. To prepare the peaches, stir the sliced peaches, lemon juice, lemon zest, and cinnamon together and set aside.
2. Melt the first measure of butter in a frying pan on medium heat, then add the brown sugar. Cook, stirring frequently, until the sugar has dissolved. Add the peach mixture and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, until the peaches are just soft and set aside.
3. To make the cake, preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius. Grease a 20cm round pan, line the bottom with baking paper.
4. In a bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
5. Cream the second measure of butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Mix in the vanilla.
6. Gradually add in the dry ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk, starting and finishing with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
7. Spread the sliced peaches around the bottom of the pan.
8. Gently add the batter over the peaches.
9. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until a skewer comes out with a few moist crumbs on it.
10. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Once cooled, serve with a generous dollop of whipped cream or yoghurt.