Nectarine upside down cake

"All the world's a birthday cake, so take a piece but not too much." - George Harrison

December birthdays are always so festive.  Actually the whole world becomes festive in anticipation of Christmas, which an office colleagues declares as unfair because everyone gets side tracked, except for the celebrants themselves.  It never occurred to me but it does happen.  Every year, I take the day off on my birthday and what do I do?  Christmas shopping for everyone else!  After a few hours of self-centered activities (a spa trip or dinner), the rest of the day is spent buying Christmas presents for every one else.  Christmas is my favourite time of the year, that's why!  

But birthdays should always be special and unique every year.  And birthdays mean cake.  So this year the girls helped me make this one.  A special summer birthday cake with nectarines, inspired from a Midwest Living recipe found through Pinterest.

Nectarines are very new to us.  They're peach-like taste appeals to the girls as much as their  quirky pits.  We love the yellow variety more than the white and buy them by the box full!  There are no fresh nectarines or peaches in the Philippines.  If there are, they will cost a fortune and are usually imported from  the US or Australia.  These are the local stone fruits we've grown to love come summer here in Sydney.  Along with Australian white and yellow peaches and cherries and mangoes!  My girls love these fresh and these are lunch box regulars soon as the early signs are visible at the local fruit shops.  But sometimes, we get too excited and everyone gets over-nectarised.  So instead of throwing them away, we keep them in the fridge and this time took David Lebovitz' advice to make use of fruits in baking when they are in season!  So here goes our nectarine upside down cake!

5 medium sized nectarines, pitted and sliced

60g unsalted butter

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

150g plain flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

120g unsalted butter, room temperature

150g caster sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

125ml milk

Preheat oven to 175*C.  

Melt the butter in a small saucepan on the stove, or using the microwave.

Mix the butter with the brown sugar.  Pour and spread evenly into a 20cm round or square cake tin.

Place the nectarine slices on the brown sugar mixture and set aside.

Square cake tin.  Brown sugar and butter love!

Don't be too stingy with the fruit!  Spread them over the brown sugar mixture as much as you like.  No rules here.

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl using a hand-held beater or the bowl of a stand-mixer, cream the butter until soft and creamy.

Add the sugar and beat until combined.

Add egg and vanilla and continue to mixing for about 1 minute.

Alternately add the flour and milk in three batches, slowly mixing together with each addition.

Pour into the prepared tin/pan and bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.

Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes.  To loosen cake, slide a butter knife on the sides of the cake pan and invert onto a large serving plate.  Cool for a further 15-20 minutes.

Cooling cake, waiting for some loving!

The cake had that slight hint of ripe nectarine (which could be a put off to some) and red skin added a tinge of colour to the caramelized topping. This looked and tasted like the festive cake that it is.  Moist and sweet and lovely addition to our cake repertoire.  Who say's upside down cakes have to be always be pineapple?  

Aahh. Birthday happiness.