The Sweet Solution to Summer's Bounty: Peach Upside-Down Cake!

Ah, summer. A time for sunshine, long days, and abundant fresh produce. And if you're anything like me, you occasionally find yourself with a delightful "problem": what to do when all your beautiful, ripe peaches decide to be perfect at once?

Before you panic about a mountain of juicy fruit, let me introduce you to the ultimate answer: Peach Upside-Down Cake!

This isn't just any cake; it's a celebration of summer's best. Imagine tender, caramelized peaches nestled at the bottom of the pan, their sweet, golden juices seeping into a fluffy, moist cake batter above. When you flip it over, you reveal a stunning, fruit-laden masterpiece that's as delightful to look at as it is to eat.

Why is Peach Upside-Down Cake the perfect solution for your peach predicament?

• Showcases the Fruit: It puts those ripe peaches front and center, allowing their natural sweetness and vibrant color to truly shine. No hiding here!

• Easy Elegance: Despite its impressive appearance, it's surprisingly simple to construct. A little butter and brown sugar, your sliced peaches, then the cake batter – bake, flip, and enjoy!

• Feeds a Crowd: A single cake can serve many, making it ideal for summer gatherings, BBQs, or just a large family dessert.

• Uses Up Peaches Efficiently: It's a fantastic way to utilize a good quantity of ripe peaches quickly before they go bad.

Toppings:

• ¼ cup salted butter

• ½ cup brown sugar

• 5 large peaches (pit removed)

Cake:

• ½ cup salted butter (room temperature)

• ½ cup granulated sugar

• 2 eggs

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 1 cup almond flour

• ½ cup Gluten Free all purpose flour

• 1 tbsp baking powder

• ½ tsp salt

• ¾ cup milk (room temp works best)

Instructions:

1. Preheat over to 350 degrees Fahrenheit

2. Line a 9” glass square baking pan with parchment paper

3. Heat butter and sugar toppings together and stir. Microwave will work just fine.

4. Pour into the pan and then add the sliced peaches. You can be as relaxed or decorative as you want in terms of arranging the peaches in the pan. From just rough chopping and tossing in to arranging slices in a spiral pattern. Just get them evenly dispersed on the whole surface.

5. If using fresh peaches place the pan with the peach layer in the oven while the oven heats and until you are ready to add the cake mixture.

6. In a mixer or with a beater cream the cake sugar and butter until pale and fluffy.

7. Add eggs one at a time

8. Add vanilla

9. Combine, in a separate bowl and whisk all dry cake ingredients ( both flours, baking powder and salt).

10. Add dry ingredient mixture to creamed mixture and alternate with milk. Mix until combined.

11. Remove the pan from the oven and Spread the batter over the peaches smoothing out the top

12. Bake for 1 hour

13. Cool for 10 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate.

14. Make homemade whip cream with just heavy creamed missed with a whisk attachment on medium high until desired stiffness. You can also use vanilla/French vanilla ice cream.

So, the next time your kitchen counter is overflowing with perfect peaches, resist the urge to just eat them all standing over the sink (though, no judgment if you do!). Instead, grab your cast iron skillet or baking dish and whip up a glorious Peach Upside-Down Cake. It's the quintessential summer dessert that solves a very sweet problem.

What's your go-to recipe when you have an abundance of summer fruit? Share your favorite ideas in the comments below!