So… I hear that in January, people go on diets? Since my New Year’s Resolution is to bake things, I’ve clearly gone in a different direction. From one standpoint, I can imagine people will want to watch me bake because they are depriving themselves of the things created to keep us happy. From another, my husband and I seriously can’t eat everything I bake ourselves, because we would definitely go in a different direction, if you know what I mean. I need to somehow entice my coworkers to cheat on their diets (all part of my master plan) by offering them goodies that are delicious, but not completely destructive to their goals. I’m not a monster. To strike a happy medium, I’m going to bake this cake that is, according to the recipe, a lighter version. Also, I have the ingredients on hand. That always helps. Here’s the link: https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/makeover-peach-upside-down-cake/#.XCl7n0VS388.pinterest
I will admit, the fact that it uses canned peaches was not the highest of selling points for me. Reading the comment section, I was not the only one. However, it’s January. I’m not finding any ripe peaches in January. I can barely find decent peaches when they are in season. I will tell you, right here, right now, THIS RECIPE is the reason to have canned peaches in your pantry. I recognize that is a bold statement. I will stand by it. I’m pretty sure the last time I had “unexpected company” and needed to “whip something up” last minute was sometime in the 1950’s, but if any of you out there have this issue, this recipe is your new go-to. It’s easy, it’s beautiful, it’s fluffy, it’s not overly sweet, and it has a fun vintage feel to it. She’s a keeper.
The most time consuming part was the slicing, drying, and arranging of the peaches. I strayed from the recipe and instead of using cooking spray, I buttered the pan (oops, I was supposed to keep this lower calorie!), added a layer of parchment, and buttered that. That’s my new favorite trick, by the way. Then you pour a brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon mixture along the bottom of the pan and lay the peaches on top.
I was going for a rose looking pattern with my peaches, hoping it would hold the shape while it baked. The ten minutes between taking it out of the oven and turning it out was positively excruciating. Everything smelled like cinnamon, which is probably one of my favorite smells on the planet, and I was so nervous to do the flip. What if all the peaches oozed off? What if my careful greasing and parchment-ing was a mistake? What if I drop the whole thing in the process? All perfectly possible outcomes of this, the first time I’ve upside-downed anything.
Turns out, my only mistake was to not set myself up to film this gorgeous work of art from effortlessly turning out of the pan and on to the plate. I wish you could have seen it. I felt it release, but gave the bottom of the cake pan a pat for good measure. As I lifted the pan away, the syrup released, dripping down the sides of the cake like sweet brown sugar and cinnamon tears from angels. I am not kidding, I made an audible gasp. I can’t even call it food porn, because that is too base for what happened in my kitchen tonight. It was like food poetry. I pulled the parchment away and could not believe how pretty it looked. I’m not a big fan of the overhead food shot, but this cake called for it.
The warm cake was light and fluffy. The peaches and syrup added a sweet decadence that felt way more indulgent than many of the “lighter” versions of desserts I’ve tried. It wasn’t overly sweet, and I could even see serving it for breakfast or brunch. In fact, I see myself having it for breakfast tomorrow.
If I have any complaint at all, and this is so nit-picky, it’s that I felt the proportion of peach topping to cake was a little scant. The canned peaches didn’t bother me in the slightest. In fact, I may need to beg my mother to bring me some of her home canned peaches when she visits next to try those out in this recipe, because I’m sure those would have it all over the store-bought variety. Either way, if you happen to end up on my doorstep, and I’m suddenly a housewife on a 50’s TV show in full makeup and heels, I will put on a pot of coffee, grab the can of peaches in my pantry I keep for JUST this possibility, and I’ll whip up this cake for you!
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