Tony Jackman’s upside down nectarine cake. (Photo: Tony Jackman)
It’s not often that I find myself spurred to bake a cake, but the sight of a punnet of lovely fresh nectarines got me thinking. Especially when I bit into one and it was so lusciously, sweetly ripe. Just perfect.
I pictured them sliced into slim half moons, in a beautiful circle, caramelised and all. All I needed was a good, basic vanilla cake recipe, and – okay, a bit of luck as well – and tea time could be well worth the effort.
It’s important for the nectarines to be just ripe. Not over (and mushy), and not under. Yes, you can use plums if you like. Cling peaches will work just as well.
There’s a bit of art involved in the slicing of the nectarines into little wedges of similar size, without them breaking, and in the assembling of them around the base of the pan – which, first, has been well buttered and sprinkled with sugar to create a caramel glow when you turn it out.
And that’s the moment you’ll be waiting for – you won’t see the golden fruit topping until it’s done, cooled, and turned out.
Tony’s upside down nectarine cake
(Serves 8-10)
Ingredients
150g butter, at room temperature
Extra butter for greasing the cake tin
⅔ cup castor sugar (for the batter)
Extra cup castor sugar for the butter and sugar coating (as much as needed)
1 cup self-raising flour
¼ cup full-cream milk with 1 tsp vanilla essence stirred into it
6 fresh, ripe (but not overripe) nectarines
3 extra-large eggs
Method
Preheat the oven to 190°C.
Grease the base and sides of a 20cm springform cake tin with butter.
Line the base with a neatly cut round of baking paper. Rub the paper to help it stick to the buttered base.
Grease this paper generously with butter – don’t skimp, as the butter will work with the sugar to give the fruit a lovely caramel coating.
Sprinkle castor sugar over and shake to coat the base – again, don’t skimp.
Cut the nectarines in half, remove the stones, and carefully slice them into slim half moons.
Place these in a neat circle around the edge of the pan, on the sugar. Then make a smaller circle of them further towards the centre of the pan, overlapping slightly.
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/nectar.jpg "Lay out the nectarine half moons in concentric circles, on top of the sugar and butter. (Photo: Tony Jackman)")
In a bowl, beat the butter and castor sugar until pale and creamy.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition.
Mix the milk and vanilla together.
Fold the flour into the mixture, followed by the combined milk and vanilla. Spoon the batter over the nectarines (use a ladle), and smooth the top with a spatula.
Bake in a preheated 190°C oven for 40 to 45 mins or until a skewer comes out clean. Place the tin on a wire rack and cool in the pan.
Unclip the springform latch and gently release the cake from the sides of the pan. It should come away cleanly.
It will land on its “top” but this will in fact be the bottom of the cake. Put a flat, round plate on the “top” as it were, then deftly and quickly turn it over to admire your handiwork. Careful now.
Serve at room temperature. I liked it just as it is, unadorned, but you can serve it with runny or whipped cream if you prefer. DM
Tony Jackman is twice winner of the Galliova Food Writer of the year award, in 2021 and 2023
Order Tony’s book, foodSTUFF, here.
Follow Tony Jackman on Instagram @tony_jackman_cooks.
This dish is photographed on a plate by Mervyn Gers Ceramics.