My oven has finally, finally arrived!! And to start off my baking adventure with it, I decided to do something with my over-ripe peaches. I got a good deal from Costco for a carton of sweet juicy ripe peaches. Since they were ripe, it didn’t take long before they became too ripe! *roll eyes* Searching through the web, I came across this vegan recipe for an Upside-down Peach Cake. So I modified it to suit the omnivorous me. The result - a lovely peach cake for tea time and no more over-ripe peaches sitting on my counter top! Yay! And here’s giving credit to this recipe -considering that it’s called a cake, tastes like one and looks nothing less, I must say it’s a super simple recipe with no need for all those cake mixers. And no mess in the kitchen either.

Ingredients:

A - Dry Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all purpose white flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt

B - Wet Ingredients:
1 cup milk with 1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

C - For the top layer of the cake:
3 peaches peeled and sliced
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

D - Syrup for the top layer of the cake:
1/4 dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons water

Preheat oven to 350.
Grease an 8 inch baking tin with oil thoroughly.

Method:

1. Mix A in a bowl with a whisk and set aside.
2. Mix B in a different bowl and set aside.
3. Mix C and set aside.
4. In a small saucepan, combine D and melt on low heat. Do not burn it. When the sugar has completely melted, pour it in the baking tin.
5. Spread C on top of the syrup in the tin. The syrup will tend to flow to the sides. Do not worry, when baking the syrup will spread itself.
6. Pour B into A. Stir to mix the batter evenly.
7. Pour the batter over the peaches. Spread the batter to cover the peaches completely.
8. Bake for about 30 min and test with a toothpick/skewer inserted in the middle of the cake. It should come out clean.

How to remove the cake from the pan:

1. Let the cake cool in the baking tin for about 15-30 minutes.
2. Run a knife around the edges of the cake to loosen it from the baking tin.
3. If there’s syrup at the bottom of the baking pan, hold the cake lightly and tip the pan side ways. Collect the syrup in a small bowl. Use this to drizzle on the served cake slices.
4. Next, place a plate wide enough to cover the top of the baking tin. Place the palm of one hand on the plate to cover its base. Place the baking tin on the palm of the other hand. (Your hands will look like they are holding a pair of cymbals!) Invert the tin swiftly. Slowly remove the baking tin. The cake should be on the plate!
5. Serve with ice cream or on its own with tea/coffee/milk.

Tips:

• How to peel peaches:

1. Wash the peaches. And cut vertically down to half the peach.
2. Twist the two halves and pull it apart. It should come nicely off with the stone attached to one half.
3. Remove the stone. It’s easier to remove when the peaches are ripe.
4. Slice the peaches.
5. Hold the skin, or use a knife. Pull the skin from the top of one slice away from the flesh. It should come off easily.
6. Done!

• If you don’t want too much of the syrup after baking, make sure to reduce the sugar when you prepare D.