Step-by-step Upside-down peach cake

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The secret to making this delicious cake is to place the peaches on the base – they stay moist and the cake cooks perfectly. Pass the cream!

You will need
Serves 8

13/4 cups (385g) caster sugar
4 peaches, peeled (see ‘Tips and tricks’), stoned, each cut into 6 wedges
250g unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
11/2 cups (225g) plain flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup (60g) ground almonds
6 eggs
Thick cream, to serve

1. Preheat oven to 170˚C. Grease and line base of a 24cm springform tin with baking paper. Place 3/4 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water in a small, heavy-based saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil. Simmer until a dark caramel forms. Immediately pour caramel into base of tin, then top with peach wedges, skin-side down.
2. Place butter, vanilla and remaining 1 cup sugar in the bowl of an electric  mixer. Beat until light and fluffy. Sift flour, baking powder, ground almonds and 1/2 tsp salt over butter mixture. Add all eggs then beat on low speed until mixture is smooth and just combined.
3. Spoon batter over peaches then level. Bake for 30 minutes. Cover top with baking paper to prevent over-browning, then bake for a further 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Stand in tin for 10 minutes. Release side of pan then place a plate over top. Invert cake on to plate. Remove base and paper. Serve with thick cream.

Tips and tricks

• Measure ingredients with metric measuring cups and level with a dinner knife.
• To ensure all sugar crystals are completely dissolved when making caramel, dip a pastry brush in water and brush any sugar crystals from side of pan. 
• As syrup begins to caramelise, swirl pan so colour is even. Bear in mind that caramel will continue to cook and colour once removed from heat. 
• To fit peaches compactly into the cake tin, place each wedge with its wider end towards the edge of the pan. Place 3-4 pieces in the centre to fill.
• Choose peaches that are firm but ripe. To peel, place in a saucepan of boiling water for 30 seconds, then refresh in a bowl of iced water. Drain and peel. If your peaches are on the soft side, remove skins from cake at end of cooking.

Recipe, styling & food preparation: Sophia Young   Photography: Scott Hawkins.