Upside-Down Almond Peach Cake with Saffron and Cardamom
Upside-Down Almond Peach Cake with Saffron and Cardamom is perfect for Fika, brunch, or your favorite summer picnic spot.
One of my favorite things about late summer in Colorado is the bounty of beautiful peaches we have here. Not only do we have exquisite Palisade peaches coming from the Western Slope but our family is blessed with a duo of young peach trees in our front yard. Mid to late August is the prime time for picking, so this Upside-Down Almond Peach Cake with Saffron and Cardamom is inspired by this favorite summer fruit.
The Ingredients:
Sun-ripened peaches are the key to this cake, so be sure to use the best ones you can find! Almond flour makes the cake especially moist along with the skyr, while cardamom and saffron give the cake such a Scandinavian flavor.
Spanish saffron adds both golden color to food, along with a most exotic flavor that I think really enhances the peaches. It is quite expensive but only a pinch is needed to pack a punch in this recipe.
Mixing and Assembling the Upside-Down Almond Peach Cake with Saffron and Cardamom:
To bring out the flavor and color of the saffron, cook together 2 tablespoons of the butter with brown or granulated sugar and the threads. The moisture and heat will activate the saffron.
Transfer this mixture to the bottom of a sprayed and parchment-lined 8-inch cake pan. This will create a wonderful glaze for the peaches.
Arrange the peach slices over the top of the saffron mixture.
For the cake batter, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla, followed by the dry ingredients and lemon zest. Finish by stirring in the skyr. If you do not have skyr, plain greek yogurt is a good substitute. Cover the peach slices with the cake batter in an even layer.
Bake the cake for 35-40 minutes until browned and a cake tester comes out clean once inserted. Cool the cake slightly before inverting onto a plate or platter.
The lovely saffron-glazed peaches will be slightly caramelized and golden.
Cut the cake while still warm. Look at that wonderful moist texture!
Serve the Upside-Down Almond Peach Cake with Saffron and Cardamom for Fika time, brunch or take it on a picnic! Tastes especially good with a bit of whipped or iced cream. Enjoy!
Upside-Down Almond Peach Cake with Saffron and Cardamom
Ingredients
- 2 cups finely ground almond flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Finely grated zest of 1 small lemon
- 8 tablespoons butter, divided
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 ounces plain or vanilla skyr, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon brown or granulated sugar
- Pinch saffron threads
- 3 ripe peaches, sliced ¼-inch thick
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Spray an 8-inch cake pan with non-stick baking spray and line the bottom with a parchment circle.
- In a large bowl, mix together the almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, cardamom, salt, and lemon zest. Set aside.
- In a mixer bowl, cream together 6 tablespoons of the butter with the ½ cup granulated sugar until light in color. Scrape down the bowl and beat in the eggs 1 at a time until well-mixed. Add the vanilla.
- Add the dry ingredients to the butter and egg mixture until well-mixed but taking care not to over mix. Stir in the skyr until smooth.
- In a small sauce pan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter with the tablespoon of brown or granulated sugar and the saffron threads. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until bubbly and golden in color.
- Pour the saffron mixture into the bottom of the prepared cake pan to evenly coat.
- Arrange the peach slices in a circular pattern over the saffron mixture and then cover the slices with the cake batter.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes until the cake is nicely browned and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cake for about 15 minutes on a rack and then carefully invert it onto a round plate or platter so that the peaches are on the top.
- Serve warm with a bit of whipped cream or ice cream if desired!
