SANDRA'S UPSIDE-DOWN PEACH CAKE (from scratch)

 

My husband says,
"This is my favorite upside-down cake, don't change a thing"...

Servings: (9-12)

Prep: 20 Mins.

Bake: 35 to 37 Mins.

 

INGREDIENTS

 

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 large eggs, beaten

⅓ cup peach nectar (I prefer Kerns)

1 stick salted butter, melted

¾ cup light brown sugar, packed

1 (24-oz. jar) peach slices (Kirkland brand from Costco)

--Homemade whipped cream for serving

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Set aside an 8x8x2" square, dark baking pan.

For the cake batter: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and ginger.  Add the vanilla extract, beaten eggs and peach nectar; mix until well blended, and set aside.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in the microwave, covered, in a glass bowl for about 1 minute and 20 seconds.  While hot, whisk in the brown sugar for 1 minute, pour the mixture into the bottom of the baking pan.

Line peach slices in a nice pattern on top of the butter-sugar. Pour cake batter on top of the peach slices, gently so as not to disturb the sliced peach layer.

Bake cake for 35 to 37 minutes (turning half way for even baking) or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

Cool cake for 10 minutes then invert the cake onto a serving plate and serve with homemade whipped cream!

SANDRA'S EASY OUTSTANDING RHUBARB COBBLER

A wonderful recipe that's easy to prepare in which I used frozen rhubarb
 I thawed beforehand, so you're able to prepare this outstanding dessert year round!

Also, feel free to substitute rhubarb for apples using this same par-cooking method.

Or, changing it up using stone fruit or berries 
without par-cooking prior to baking...

Servings: (8 to 10)

Prep: 15 Mins.

Bake: 50 Mins.

INGREDIENTS

Filling (Par-cooked before baking)

5 cups sliced, 1" pieces, fresh (or frozen rhubarb, thawed)

1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Batter

1 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon double-acting baking powder (or regular)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 large egg, beaten

1/2 cup evaporated milk (not sweetened)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, melted

Topping

1/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/2 cup hot water

-- Serve with a scoop of French vanilla bean ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Par-cook rhubarb in the microwave in a glass bowl covered with a plate on high for 8 minutes. Drain through a sieve, without disturbing by pressing rhubarb pieces down. Place drained rhubarb in a sprayed, glass 9x9x2" baking dish. Drizzle with lemon juice, and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk flour, 3/4 cup of the sugar, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder and soda. Switch to using a spoon then add beaten egg, milk, vanilla extract and melted butter; mix just until combined. Spread batter evenly over rhubarb mixture.

In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup sugar and cornstarch. Sprinkle mixture over batter. Drizzle hot water over top of ingredients to fully cover.

Bake until golden brown for 50 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand on baking rack for 10 minutes.  ~ Enjoy!

SANDRA’S PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN ORANGE-JELLO-POKE-CAKE

A fabulously moist and flavorful 
creation I came up with today ~ 
You'll find that the Orange Jello 
compliments the pineapple to the extreme...

Servings: (8 to 10)

Prep: 15 Mins. |
Bake 30 Mins. |
Stand: 30 Mins.

INGREDIENTS

***Pineapple Upside Down:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, divided

1-2/3 cups firmly packed brown sugar, divided

4 (8 oz. can) pineapple slices, drained; reserving juice

View of the Orange-Jello-Poke-Cake

1 (8 oz. can) crushed pineapple, drained; reserving juice

 -- (refrigerate reserved pineapple juice to chill)

4 maraschino cherries, halved

2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted

2 teaspoons double-acting baking powder

1/2 teaspoon table salt

3 eggs, at room temp.

2/3 cup whole milk

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon cherry extract

***Orange-Jello-Poke:

1 (3 oz. Pkg.) Jello, orange flavor (I used sugar-free)

1 cup boiling water

1/2 cup cold, reserved pineapple juice

METHOD

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  

Spray, with butter spray, a 9”x13 glass baking dish (so the sides of the cake won’t stick while baking).  Melt 1/4 cup butter, and pour into bottom of prepared glass baking dish.  Evenly sprinkle 2/3’s cup of brown sugar over melted butter. Arrange pineapple sliced halves decoratively over brown sugar, the crushed pineapple around them, and place one cherry half in the center of each halved pineapple slice.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.  

In a large bowl, beat with a hand mixer the eggs, and remaining 1 cup of brown sugar, until the mixture is smooth and slightly stiff. Gradually beat in milk, and vanilla and cherry extracts. Melt remaining 1/4 cup of butter, and beat into egg mixture.  

Gradually add dry ingredients into wet ingredients, while beating until smooth; occasionally scrape down sides of bowl.  Carefully spoon cake batter over the pineapple slices, starting from the outer edge and working towards the center.

Place cake in preheated oven to bake for 30 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick poked into center comes out clean.  Remove and let stand in baking dish, while making jello poke mixture.

 

Using a skewer, poke holes in cake ½” apart. 

Dissolve Jello in boiling water, stirring about 2 minutes. Add chilled pineapple juice, and stir to incorporate.  

Spoon over cake, and use a pastry brush to assist in absorbing Jello into cake. Let stand for 10 minutes. 

Cut around edges to loosen cake with a knife. Invert onto a large foil-lined baking sheet placed on top of glass baking dish. Flip over and let stand 1 minute to allow time for the hot pineapple topping to release. Remove glass baking dish. Scrape any loose toppings out of bottom of glass baking dish and put back on top of cake.  Let cake stand to set for 20 minutes, and serve with whipped cream, if desired. – Enjoy!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tip:  I at times have substituted chopped candied pecans in place of the crushed pineapple to change this dessert up a bit.