Baking · Cake

Peach Jasmine Upside Down Cake

This is the kind of cake that does most of its work before it even goes into the oven. The peaches go in first, slicked with honey, and as the cake bakes they soften and caramelise and release their juices into the batter below. The jasmine runs through the whole base in a way that is gentle and floral without being obvious, and the moment you flip it out onto the plate while it is still hot is genuinely one of the most satisfying things in baking. The peach juices pool across the top of the cake and soak in as it cools. Use ripe peaches for the best result.

Ingredients

8 inch round cake pan

Topping

• 2 to 3 ripe peaches, sliced
• 40 to 60g honey

Cake Base

• 150g unsalted butter, softened
• 200g granulated sugar
• 100g Greek yogurt
• 1 tsp vanilla paste or extract
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 200g all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp jasmine tea powder (I use One Organic; in Canada, check out Paragon jasmine tea powder) — or grind up jasmine tea leaves in a spice grinder, easily found at Chinese grocery stores

Method

1. 1Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease your 8 inch round cake pan. Slice the peaches and arrange them in the bottom of the pan, then drizzle the honey over the top. Set aside.
2. 2Beat the softened butter with the granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the yogurt and vanilla.
3. 3Beat in the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated. Do not overmix.
4. 4Whisk the flour, baking powder, and baking soda in a separate bowl. Gradually fold into the wet ingredients along with the jasmine powder.
5. 5Pour the batter over the peaches and smooth the top.
6. 6Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
7. 7Flip out onto a plate right away while still hot, so the peach juices soak into the cake.

Tips & Notes

Use the ripest peaches you can find underripe peaches will not release enough juice and the topping will look dry. For the jasmine powder, I use One Organic. If you are in Canada, Paragon jasmine tea powder is a great option. If you cannot find jasmine powder, simply blitz loose leaf jasmine tea in a spice grinder until fine. Jasmine tea leaves are easy to find at most Chinese grocery stores. Flip the cake out immediately while it is still hot so the caramelised honey and peach juices run over the top rather than sticking to the pan. Have your serving plate ready before the cake comes out of the oven.