Summer

GF Nectarine Upside Down Cake

by:
June 14, 2011
4
2 Ratings
  • Prep time 30 minutes
  • Cook time 35 minutes
  • Serves 8
Author Notes

I have never baked anything Gluten Free, so this is a learning experience for me. I adapted my favorite Pineapple Upside Down Cake recipe from James McNair's Cakes to be gluten free. Instead of pineapple I decided to try nectarines, using fruit that is in season. I also added cornmeal to the batter giving the cake a rustic quality. Its moist and flavorful and makes a delicious dessert.You can omit the cornmeal entirely and make a more traditional cake using 1 1/2 cups gluten free flour. —sdebrango

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Ingredients
  • Brown sugar and fruit
  • 1/2 Stick room temperature butter
  • 3/4 cup Light brown sugar firmly packed
  • 2 -3 Nectarines sliced with skin on (Remove the skin if you like)
  • The Cake
  • 1 Stick room temperature butter
  • 3/4 cup Granulated sugar
  • 2 Large eggs at room temperature
  • 1 cup Gluten Free All Purpose Flour ( I used King Arthur certified gluten free flour which is a blend of white and brown rice flours, tapioca starch and potato starch)
  • 1/2 cup Cornmeal
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 1/2 cup Whole Milk at room temperature
Directions
  1. Brown sugar and fruit
  2. Pre-heat Oven to 350 degrees. In saucepan melt 1/2 stick butter, add brown sugar and cook on med/low until butter is melted and brown sugar is caramalized. Butter 9" round cake pan add the caramalized brown sugar and spread around the bottom of the pan. Arrange your fruit and set aside while you make your cake batter.
  1. The Cake
  2. Sift 3 times GF Flour, cornmeal, salt and baking powder. Set aside. In mixing bowl using either stand or hand held mixer (I used my hand held) cream butter until fluffy, add sugar and beat until fully incorporated. Beat in eggs one at a time making sure each is fully incorporated before adding the other it should be light and fluffy. Add vanilla and beat to combine. Using your sieve add the flour mixture and milk in 3 installments beginning and ending with flour.
  3. Scrape the batter on top of the fruit and brown sugar, Smooth and bake for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean.
  4. Take cake out of oven let sit 8-10 minutes then invert onto cake plate. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.

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I have loved to cook for as long as I can remember, am self taught learning as I go. I come from a large Italian family and food was at the center of almost every gathering. My grandfather made his own wine and I remember the barrels of wine in the cellar of my grandfathers home, I watched my mother and aunts making homemade pasta and remember how wonderful it was to sit down to a truly amazing dinner. Cooking for me is a way to express myself its my creative outlet. I enjoy making all types of food but especially enjoy baking, I live in Brooklyn, NY, and I share my home with my two dogs Izzy and Nando. I like to collect cookbooks and scour magazines and newspapers for recipes. I hope one day to organize them.

18 Reviews

Carol July 17, 2020
There are a couple of errors in this recipe. First, vanilla is listed in the ingredients but it is not included anywhere in the directions. Next, I had to bake this for much longer than 30-35 minutes. My oven temperature is true but it took 50 minutes for this to fully bake.
sdebrango July 17, 2020
Hi Carol, thank you for pointing out the error, I really need to look over my recipes that I added a long time ago and check for errors. I added the vanilla in instructions, thank you. With regards to baking time More often than not I also find that baking time is different. It did take 35 minutes in my oven and I will add a note that baking time can vary. Thanks so much for your input.
Carol July 17, 2020
There are a couple of errors in this recipe. First, vanilla is listed in the ingredients but it is not included anywhere in the directions. Next, I had to bake this for much longer than 30-35 minutes. My oven temperature is true but it took 50 minutes for this to fully bake.
Chris June 27, 2014
Did you add xanthan gum to your flour or just use as-is?
Chris June 27, 2014
Yay! Just took it out of the oven, smells amazing! Thanks for the response and the recipe =0)
Chris June 29, 2014
The cake turned out splendid, and was very well received! Thanks again!
food G. August 10, 2011
getting ready to whip up this cake....looks terrific!

i use the julia child galette dough recipe too....that's the best one i've found....wonder if it can be made gf.

thanks for the recipe!
food G. August 16, 2011
baked it....LOVED it.....a winner:-)
Kitchen B. June 19, 2011
It looks delicious - I've always loved upside downcakes - something about the sweet fruit and soft cake.
That looks so good! It's so beautiful, I want to make it right now!
wssmom June 14, 2011
nicely done!
gingerroot June 14, 2011
Beautiful and sounds delicious!
boulangere June 14, 2011
I never thought gluten free could be so interesting.
hardlikearmour June 14, 2011
This looks gorgeous! I bet it would be great with plums or pluots once they are in season around here.
boulangere June 14, 2011
And in the fall with Bosc pears.
boulangere June 14, 2011
I love a touch of cornmeal in cakes. This is a work of art, my friend.
boulangere June 14, 2011
Oh yes, I use the same one!
Sagegreen June 14, 2011
Beautiful photo!