Upside-down cakes are great for summer barbecues — and the leftovers make for a fantastic breakfast. We loved this recipe when made with grits, but heard from viewers that their results were gritty. Not all grits are made equal! So we’ve clarified the recipe to call for white corn meal.
| Level: | Intermediate |
| Total: | 1 hr 45 min |
| Prep: | 40 min |
| Inactive: | 20 min |
| Cook: | 45 min |
| Yield: | 8 servings |
Ingredients
- Softened unsalted butter
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- 6 whole allspice berries, optional
- 1 tablespoon water
- 3 large ripe peaches (about 1 pound)
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup fine ground white cornmeal
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), at room temperature
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
- Serving suggestion: Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream
Instructions
- Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch cake pan, line bottom with parchment paper and brush the paper with butter.
- Caramel peaches: Combine the sugar, corn syrup, allspice and water in a medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to high, and continue to cook, without stirring, until the mixture becomes an amber caramel, about 5 minutes. Pour the caramel into the prepared pan and set aside to cool.
- Halve and pit the peaches, but leave their skins on. Cut each half into 3 wedges. Arrange the wedges in concentric circles in the pan. Set aside while you make the cake batter.
- Cake: Whisk the all-purpose flour, white corn flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Slowly mix the butter and sugar in a large bowl with a hand-held electric mixer. Increase the speed to high, and continue beating until the butter is light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs 1 at time, waiting for each to be fully incorporated before adding the next.
- While mixing at a low speed, add the dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with the sour cream in 2 additions, beginning and ending with the flour. Increase the speed to medium and mix briefly to make a smooth batter. Pour the batter over the peaches and smooth over.
- Bake the cake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 40 to 45 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan on a rack, about 20 minutes.
- Run a knife around the edge of the pan to release the cake. Carefully invert the cake onto a serving plate and remove the parchment paper. Serve warm or at room temperature with ice cream or whipped cream, if desired.
- Serving suggestions: Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 8 servings |
| Calories | 418 |
| Total Fat | 19 g |
| Saturated Fat | 11 g |
| Carbohydrates | 60 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 42 g |
| Protein | 5 g |
| Cholesterol | 93 mg |
| Sodium | 171 mg |
Reviews
I love it I bought peaches from the Peach Truck and I’m definitely trying this recipe
There is an ingredient missing in the cake batter; it doesn’t say how much sugar to combine with the butter !!!
Why the hell is anybody using grits???? It clearly says fine cornmeal…..Really???
This is a wonderful cake. I’ve made it several times and it has been great. It’s always very well received and looks fantastic. My daughters help me with the placement of the peaches! They are much more artistic than I am.
I agree that the term “grits” is confusing in the directions — just use the cornmeal as is specified in the ingredient list.
Give this cake a try – you won’t regret it. Just follow the directions step by step.
I agree that the term “grits” is confusing in the directions — just use the cornmeal as is specified in the ingredient list.
Give this cake a try – you won’t regret it. Just follow the directions step by step.
The cake was awesome. I had no trouble making it. Yes the caramel hardens quickly. But, if you spread it quickly in the pan, there is no problem. I used the white cornmeal as directed and the cake came out great. It was an excellent dessert. I am waiting for August when the native peaches arrive at the farmer’s markets.
I torn the recipe card into a million pieces, it was that BAD!!! I have never made anything that bad in my life. I fed it to the chickens and they didn’t even eat it.
The cake was delicious, and the peaches were great, but I had a difficult time making the caramel. The first time, I burnt it 2 minutes in. The second time, I got to putting it in the pan, and it hardened within seconds. So be very careful about that. Otherwise, this cake is fabulous!
The ‘grits’ make it a denser cake that stands up to caramel without making it soggy. I think a problem people may be having is that finely ground white corn flour, sometimes referred to as grits….is not the same as regular grits, it is much finer, more of a powder. If your cake turned out gritty, you used grits instead of finely ground white corn flour.
and the carmel will set to rock candy then melt into the cake when it is cooked also add a drop or two of vanilla extract and cinimon to the carmel
serve with peach whipped cream
serve with peach whipped cream
I didn’t have any issues with the grits like others have said. I used the instant ones though, and i used light sour cream instead of regular, it tends to be a little bit more watery, so maybe that can help add moisture to the grits. I also added vanilla and cinnamon as others suggested and i think the taste is wonderful.
My only issue is that my caramel, which I cooked exactly as the instructions said, turned into rock candy! As soon as I poured it into the cake pan it hardened, and I didn’t want to mess with it again so i just substituted the butter/brown sugar mixture that you would find on a normal pineapple upside down cake.
My only issue is that my caramel, which I cooked exactly as the instructions said, turned into rock candy! As soon as I poured it into the cake pan it hardened, and I didn’t want to mess with it again so i just substituted the butter/brown sugar mixture that you would find on a normal pineapple upside down cake.