Seriously Simple: Nectarines add a taste of summer to an upside-down cake
1/3 cup butterscotch morsels
4 medium nectarines, pitted and cut into 1 1/2-inch slices
1. Preheat the oven to 375 F.
2. For the cake: In a medium mixing bowl combine the flour, salt and baking powder and set aside.
3. With an electric mixer on medium speed or in a food processor fitted with a metal blade, beat the butter until softened. Slowly add the sugar, and beat the mixture until it is light, thick, and lemon colored.
4. Add the vanilla and eggs, and beat until incorporated. Slowly add the flour mixture, and then add the sour cream; beat to combine. Add the chopped nectarine, and mix to combine. Reserve.
5. For the nectarines: Melt the butter on medium heat in a heavy 9- or 10-inch cast-iron skillet or pan. Add the brown sugar and butterscotch morsels, and melt the mixture.
6. When the mixture becomes bubbly, add the nectarine slices in a single layer. Cook in the syrup for about 2 minutes per side or until both sides are caramelized. (Use tongs to move them around.) Be careful they do not become too dark. The nectarines will exude juice and keep the caramel from burning.
7. Remove from the heat, and let cool for 10 minutes. Rearrange the nectarine slices in a pretty pattern.
8. Spoon the cake batter on top of the nectarine mixture, and gently spread it around to cover the fruit with a spatula.
9. Bake for about 27 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean in the center. Cool the cake in the skillet for 15 minutes.
10. Loosen the sides of the pan by carefully running a knife around the outside edge and then invert it onto a cake platter. (Use potholders to protect your hands). Serve warm with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream or frozen yogurt.
Note: This cake is best eaten warm the day it is made. However, it can be reheated a day later and the cake will remain moist.
(Diane Rossen Worthington is an authority on new American cooking. She is the author of 18 cookbooks, including "Seriously Simple Parties," and a James Beard Award-winning radio show host. You can contact her at www.seriouslysimple.com.)
