Summer Peach Cake

Ingredients

385 g caster sugar
4 peaches, peeled, stoned, each cut into 6 wedges
250 g unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
225 g plain flour
3 tsp baking powder
60 g ground almonds
6 eggs
thick cream, to serve (optional)

Method

Preheat oven to 170°C. Grease and line base of a 23 cm spring form pan with baking paper. Place 3/4 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water in a small, heavy-based saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil. Simmer until a dark caramel forms. Immediately pour caramel into base of tin, then top with peach slices.

Place butter, vanilla and remaining 1 cup sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat until light.

Sift flour, baking powder, ground almonds and 1/2 teaspoon salt over butter mixture.

Add eggs and beat on low until mixture is smooth and just combined.

Spoon batter over peaches, then level out. Bake for 30 minutes. Cover top with baking paper to prevent over-browning, then bake for a further 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into middle comes out clean.

Stand in pan for 10 minutes. Release side of pan then place a plate over top. Invert cake on to plate. Remove base and paper. Serve, with thick cream if desired.

Credits: Sophia Young

Photo Credits: Jessica