PEACH UPSIDE DOWN CAKE
TOPPING
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/3 cup each sugar and light brown sugar, mixed
1 pound peaches, peeled, pitted, and cut into 3/4 inch thick slices
CAKE
1 1/4 cups cake flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp each nutmeg and salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1/3 cup milk
1/2 tsp each almond and vanilla extracts
Whipped Cream, for garnish
Heat oven to 350 degrees. TOPPING: Melt butter in a cast iron skillet. Brush butter up sides of skillet to coat. Add sugars, crumbling brown sugar, cook stirring until mixture bubbles and looks creamy and smooth. Remove skillet from heat, arrange peach slices on top of butter mixture in concentric circles.
CAKE: Mix first 5 ingredients in bowl until blended. In a 2nd bowl, beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in eggs until blended. Beat in half of the flour mixture, milk, extracts, then the remaining flour mixture until batter is smooth.
Spoon batter into skillet, spread batter over peaches. Bake 40 min. Or until top is golden brown and done.
Let cool in skillet 10 min. Run a knife around edge, invert a serving plate over top of skillet. Invert cake onto platter, replace any peaches that stick to skillet. Serve warm or at room temp. Garnish with whipped cream if desired.
MAKES 8 SERVINGS.*