My Mom's Peach Upside-down cake

Seems like ages since I have posted anything, but it was just last Wednesday. I guess the fact that I haven't stopped since then makes it seem like a long time ago. :) I know I have been neglecting my blog and my baking groups. I believe I fulfilled the two recipes a month for TWD and SMS, but don't think I am going to make Chocolate with Francois tomorrow. :( Sorry Julie, if you are reading this.

I did have Saturday off this past weekend. I spent Saturday morning running a 10K with my daughter. We were a little slower than we were last year, but last year we trained a bit more because we ran a 1/2 marathon two weeks before the 10K.  This year, we skipped the half and just ran the 10K. It was really cold...in the low 30's. But, we warmed up once we got running. We alternated between walking fast and running, mile by mile. We started out walking for the 1st mile, then switched to running for the next mile, and then back to walking, and on and on. :) We ended the race running the last mile. It was fun, as is any time I get to spend with my daughter. We are gong to take a break from running for a bit and then set our sights on the 1/2 marathon in November.

Saturday afternoon the hubby and I drove to Vinton, Virginia, where the hubby's best friend lives. We took the Monte Carlo so Randy could see it and we were looking forward to seeing his 1966 Mustang he had rebuilt. We stayed overnight, hanging with the next door neighbors, eating a fabulous dinner, sitting around a fire, having a few drinks and just enjoying being with friends. It was cold in the mountains...in the 40's after the sun went down. I almost couldn't get close enough to the fire to stay warm. I brought a simple chocolate sheet cake with chocolate frosting to share for dessert and it was enjoyed by all.  Sunday morning was a big breakfast at the neighbors house and then we headed back home. I had to be at work at 3 Sunday afternoon.

Today, no houses, no coffee shop. :) I spent the day doing the usual day off things; ran errands in town that included grocery shopping, post office, treasurers office to pay for my county license for my cleaning business, library to return and pick up a couple more audio books to listen to while I drive back and forth to work and from house to house. I put about 500 miles a week on my car and get tired of listening to the same old songs on the radio. Audio books are a great way to pass the time while driving.  Here at the house I did three loads of laundry, baked some molasses cookies for a co-worker, and, baked my Mom's Peach Upside-down cake.

I think I mentioned it when I made the rice pudding. It is another dessert that she used to make that I love. I got her to write down the recipe the same time she wrote down the rice pudding recipes. Of course, when I decided to make it, I could not find the recipe to save my soul. I tore this place apart looking for it, and finally had to email Mom to ask her to send it to me again. Tonight, after I had already baked the cake from the email instructions, I found the original recipe! Doesn't it always work like that? If I had a dollar for every time something like that happened I'd be rich!

The funny thing about this cake is that I am not a big peach person. I don't eat peaches when they are in season. I don't buy fruit cups that are just peaches. No peach ice cream, or peach pies. I am just not that crazy about peaches. Except in my Mom's Peach Upside-down cake. It's really the only time I will eat peaches.  I don't know what it is, maybe the brown sugar or the soft cake. But I love this cake, peaches and all.

This is a simple recipe. Butter and brown sugar in the bottom of the pan. Peaches arranged on top. A simple cake batter poured over that. Bake, flip and eat! It's wonderful warm, but just as good after it sits and the flavors mingle a bit. When I first moved to the south from upstate NY, all I ever saw was pineapple upside-down cake. I imagine it's good, but nothing can compare (at least in my opinion) to my Mom's upside-down cake. Give it a try and see what you think.

Peach Upside-Down Cake

                                                    1/4 stick butter, melted

                                               2/3 cup brown sugar

                                                            1 large can (1lb. 8oz.) peaches

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg beaten
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1/3 cup milk

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cup flour

1 3/4 teaspoon baking powder 

 

 

Mix melted butter with brown sugar and press into bottom of 8 inch round cake pan. Drain peaches and arrange slices over brown sugar.

Cream sugar and butter till fluffy. Add egg and vanilla. Mix till blended. Sift dry ingredients together and add to wet mixture alternately with milk, ending with dry ingredients.

Pour batter over peaches. Smooth to cover peaches. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 40-50 minutes or until cake springs back and tests done. 

Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then invert onto a plate or cookie.

Enjoy!!