Bourbon Spiked Peach Pecan Upside Down Cake Recipes

SOUTHERN PEACH UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. If desired, combine peaches and bourbon; let stand 10 minutes., Meanwhile, place 1/4 cup butter in a 10-in. cast-iron or other ovenproof skillet; heat in oven until butter is melted, 5-7 minutes. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over butter. Arrange peach slices over brown sugar., For batter, in a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating after each addition just until combined. Spread batter evenly over peaches., Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 40-45 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate. Serve warm.

PEACH UPSIDE-DOWN SKILLET CAKE WITH BOURBON WHIPPED CREAM

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a nonstick baking mat or parchment paper. (This is in case the cake bubbles over during baking.)
• In a large bowl, toss the peaches with the lemon juice. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and baking soda.
• In a 10-inch cast-iron skillet, cook 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar over medium heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until the sugar melts and turns a deep amber color, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and immediately add 2 tablespoons of the butter, stirring vigorously. The mixture may appear curdled and broken; don't worry, it will smooth out. Arrange the peach wedges in concentric circles over the sugar mixture, overlapping as needed to make them fit.
• In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the remaining sugar, butter and the vanilla bean seeds (or vanilla extract) on medium speed until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Add the sour cream and beat until blended. With the mixer running on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture, beating just until blended and stopping to scrape bowl as needed. Spoon the batter over the peaches in the skillet and spread to cover.
• Place the skillet on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until golden brown and a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes.
• Make the whipped cream, if desired: In a large bowl, preferably metal, combine cream and bourbon. Refrigerate, along with a metal whisk or mixer attachments, for at least 15 minutes. Once chilled, whip the mixture until it holds soft peaks, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Let the cake cool in the skillet on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge to loosen. If you see liquid around the edges of the skillet, carefully pour off into a measuring cup and set aside. (It's O.K. if you don't have any excess liquid - it all depends on how juicy your fruit is.)
• Carefully invert the cake onto a serving plate and drizzle with any reserved liquid. Let cool about 10 minutes more, to set. Cut into wedges using a serrated knife and serve, topping each slice with whipped cream if you like.

BOURBON-POACHED PEACHES

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, prepare an ice-water bath. Cut a small X into the bottom of each peach. Boil peaches for 1 minute.
• Transfer to ice-water bath. Let cool slightly. Peel and pit peaches, and cut into 3/4-inch-thick wedges.
• Bring 4 cups water, the sugar, and vanilla seeds and pods to a boil in a large saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add peaches and bourbon. Simmer until peaches are tender but still hold their shape, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Transfer peaches to a large bowl using a slotted spoon. Cook syrup over mediumheat until reduced by half, about 15 minutes. Pour over peaches. Let cool completely.
• Divide peaches among five 12-ounce sterilized jars using a slotted spoon. (Jars can be sterilized by boiling in water, submerged, for 10 minutes.) Pour syrup over tops. Add vanilla pods to jars if desired. Seal jars, and refrigerate until ready to use.

PEACH-BOURBON UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Combine 3/4 cup sugar and 1 1/2 tablespoons water in a 10-inch ovenproof skillet and stir until the mixture looks like wet sand. Cook over medium-high heat, gently swirling the pan occasionally but not stirring, until light amber, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and arrange the peaches in concentric circles over the caramel. Drizzle with the bourbon; set the skillet aside.
• Whisk the flour, ground pecans, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Beat the butter and the remaining 1 cup sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition, then beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low; add the flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour, and mix until just incorporated. Pour the batter over the peaches and spread evenly.
• Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the cake is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. (Cover loosely with foil if the cake is browning too quickly.) Let sit 15 minutes, then invert onto a platter and let cool completely.

BOURBON PRALINE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch springform pan, then line the bottom and sides with parchment paper and butter the paper. Wrap the outside of the pan with foil.
• Make the praline layer: Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the brown sugar, corn syrup, kosher salt and vanilla. Spread in the prepared pan and scatter the pecans on top; set aside.
• Make the cake: Whisk the flour, baking soda, nutmeg and fine salt in a large bowl. Whisk the buttermilk and bourbon in another bowl.
• Beat the butter and granulated sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, 10 minutes. With the mixer on low, beat in the eggs, one at a time. Add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the buttermilk mixture, starting and ending with flour. Fold in the pecans.
• Pour the batter into the pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool on a rack, 30 minutes. Remove the springform ring, invert the cake onto a plate and remove the paper. Serve with ice cream.

CARAMEL-PEACH UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE WITH BOURBON

Steps:

• Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• For the caramel peaches: Butter a 9-inch cake pan, line the bottom with parchment paper and brush the paper with butter.
• Combine the sugar, corn syrup, allspice if using and 1 tablespoon water in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to high and cook without stirring until the mixture becomes an amber caramel, about 5 minutes. Pour the caramel into the prepared pan and set aside to cool.
• Halve and pit the peaches, keeping their skins intact. Cut each half into 3 wedges. Arrange the wedges in concentric circles over the caramel in the pan. Sprinkle the bourbon if using over the top of peaches. Set aside.
• For the cake: Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
• Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with a hand-held electric mixer on low speed, about 1 minute. Increase the speed to high and continue beating until the butter is light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs 1 at time, waiting for the first to be fully incorporated before adding the second. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the sour cream in 2 additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Increase the speed to medium and mix briefly to make a smooth batter.
• Pour the batter over the peaches and smooth the top. Bake the cake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan on a rack, about 20 minutes.
• Run a knife around the edge of the pan to release the cake. Carefully invert the cake onto a serving plate and remove the parchment paper. Serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream if using.

PEACH-ALMOND UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter a 9-inch-round cake pan. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add 3/4 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon water and cook, stirring occasionally, until smooth and deep golden brown, 8 to 11 minutes. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and tilt to coat the bottom. Arrange the peach wedges snugly in the bottom of the pan in a single layer, cutting to fit if needed.
• Combine the flour, almonds, baking powder and salt in a food processor and pulse until the almonds are finely ground.
• Beat the remaining 7 tablespoons butter and 3/4 cup sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla and almond extracts. Beat in the flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the milk and beginning and ending with the flour mixture; beat in each addition until just incorporated.
• Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and bake until golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool 30 minutes. Invert onto a plate and let cool completely. Serve with ice cream.

PEACH AND PECAN UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Peach and Pecan Topping:
• Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add brown sugar; whisk until sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. Pour mixture into 9-inch-diameter cake pan with 2-inch-high sides; spread evenly over bottom of pan (layer will be thin). Arrange pecan halves, side by side with round sides down, in circle around outer edge of pan bottom. Arrange peach wedges, slightly overlapping, inside circle of pecans, covering pan bottom. Set aside while making cake batter.
• Cake:
• Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 350°F. Combine first 6 ingredients in processor. Blend until nuts are finely ground. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until butter is pale in color, about 4 minutes. Whisk eggs and vanilla in small bowl until well blended. Add egg mixture to butter mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until well blended after each addition. Add flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with milk in 2 additions, beating just until blended after each addition. Drop batter by large spoonfuls atop pecans and peaches in pan; spread evenly and gently with offset spatula or rubber spatula.
• Bake cake until golden brown and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Transfer cake to rack; cool in pan 25 to 30 minutes (do not cool longer or peach layer may stick to pan). Run small knife around sides of cake to loosen. Place serving platter atop cake pan. Using oven mitts, firmly hold cake pan and platter together and invert cake onto platter. Let cake rest 1 minute, then very slowly lift off pan. If necessary, rearrange any peach wedges or pecans that may have become dislodged. Let cool to room temperature.
• Cut cake into wedges. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.