Peach Gingerbread Upside Down Cake

Peach Gingerbread Upside Down Cake

A reader actually put me on to the flavor combination of ginger and peach. Her suggestion helped to create what has become a much loved dessert at our house, Ginger Snap Peach Crumble.

Spouse loves her gingerbread, so with some wonderfully ripe and juicy Ontario peaches on hand, I decided to again combine the two flavors in this moist and delicious upside down cake. It was utterly delicious. I had the first piece warm from the oven with a dollop of vanilla whipped cream and I can tell ya, it was a slice of comfort food heaven. Make it while summer peaches are at their best but truthfully, this is so good, I know I'll probably even try it with good quality canned peaches during the winter months.

Peach Gingerbread Upside Down Cake

Grease a 10 inch round cake pan or a 9x13 rectangular baking pan. Mix together:

• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar

Spread evenly in the bottom of the pan.

Cover the entire bottom of the pan with thick-cut peach slices, peeled or unpeeled.

• About 4 or 5 large peaches

Dissolve together:

• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 2/3 cup boiling water

Set aside.

Sift together:

• 1 2/3  cups flour
• 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
• pinch salt
• 3 tsp powdered ginger

Cream together until light and fluffy:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 2/3 cup molasses
• 1/2 cup brown sugar

Beat in:

• 1 large egg

Add all at once, the dry ingredients, the baking soda and water mixture, along with:

• 2 tbsp freshly grated ginger root

Mix for an additional minute until smooth then pour over the peaches in the prepared pan. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for about 40-50 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm with vanilla whipped cream.

Vanilla Whipped Cream

• 2 cups whipping cream
• 4 tbsp powdered sugar (icing sugar)
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Whip together to firm peaks.