Nectarines sunny side up! # 408: Nectarine Almond Cake

I had a sense of déjà vu while prepping the mise en place and realized this is the second time I’ve made a nectarine upside down cake. The original one was a cornmeal cake and this one uses almond flour, but I’ve also done nectarine financiers which use almond flour in the batter… oops! Some ideas are too good to do just once ya know?

Baking has always involved an element of therapy for me, serving up life lessons when I least want them (but let’s be honest, really need them.) It’s so frustrating to think you nailed a bake and then watch the middle sink while it cools because the center is actually underbaked. I feel betrayed by a toothpick (totally normal feeling right??) – it came out clean! Just had to channel my inner Maria Portokalos from My Big Fat Greek Wedding and stick some flowers in the cake hole.

Edible flowers to the rescue.

A few other changes from my 2019 version:

• I used a regular 9” cake pan instead of a springform. No polka dot pattern on the top and no caramel leakage, huzzah!
• I actually lined the bottom of the cake pan with parchment paper. Pretty sure this was more of a placebo to curb the anxiety of flipping out a fruit design but hey whatever works!
• I picked slightly unripe nectarines so they would slice up easier.

This was a whim bake after Ellie went to sleep so we’ve got mood lighting folks.

Ready, set, cake!

They ripened SO FAST. I swear they were rocks the day before.

I had a design idea that involved a continuous spiral of thin slices aaaand close enough. I probably could have managed it with completely unripe fruit but these were too yummy to not use.

I’m still making my way through a bag of almond flour made from whole almonds, so we’re rocking a rustic look.

The flip: 10/10

The sinkhole: 0/10

Happy munching!

Recipe from: https://www.womensweeklyfood.com.au/recipe/baking/nectarine-and-almond-upside-down-cake-29053/