Nectarine Upside-Down Chiffon Cake
I made this ten-inch lemon chiffon cake with nectarine topping and streusel filling for my family’s Labor Day BBQ. I am trying to get back in sync with my fellow TWD bakers. Summer for my family has been filled with camping trips away from my kitchen. I’ve had my fill of s’mores and I am ready for some serious baking.
You can find the recipe here at this week’s hosts: The Double Trouble Kitchen and The Little French Bakery.
In the cake world, chiffon lives somewhere between batter cakes and foam cakes. Vegetable oil is a key ingredient. While this makes for a very moist cake it is hard to beat air into oil. So a chiffon cake relies on both leavenings like baking powder and baking soda and beating egg whites until stiff and folding them into the cake batter before baking.
Without the richness of butter in the batter like a traditional cake chiffon cakes are well suited to toppings like the caramelized nectarines in this upside-down version. Other fruit like pears, apples, apricots, plums, or bananas can be substituted.
When I made mine I did use light brown sugar instead of dark brown sugar (it was what I already had on hand). I baked it for closer to 60 minutes at 350 degrees F. than the 45-50 minutes called for. I had no problems unmolding it from my 10 inch springform pan. It sunk slightly in the middle but that didn’t really matter in the end. It was baked well throughout and tasted great.
I would consider this a complete TWD baking success for me. I’m looking forward to more fall baking in the weeks ahead!
Do you bake more in the fall/winter too? Are you gearing up for a fall baking spree?
Baker on the Rise 
Looks divine! A streusel filling, why did I never think of that?
Thanks! I thought the struesel filling was delicious 🙂
Glad you’re back! Your cake looks lovely! It was a winner for me too and I thought I should tell you that I made your oatmeal cookies again last week and blogged about them (linked to your post of course) and they are seriously my favorite oatmeal cookies ever. I think you said you originally got the recipe from the Martha Stewart Cookies book which I also own but for some reason have not made that much from. You have inspired to break that baby out more often. Yum!
Wow, looks very yummy! I loved the smell while the struesel was baking 🙂
http://www.imathomebaking.com/
Success tastes so good! This was a great cake, I learned–stepped out of my comfort zone and had a beautiful, delicious cake to show for it!
Loving some nectarines this week. That streusel looks amazing!!
It looks beautiful! I love this cake:)
Looks amazing! The nectarines are so good this year I’m having a hard time doing anything but eating them straight. This looks like a close second, though! Since I can’t have wheat, have a big slice for me, please! 🙂
you evil temptress….
Beautiful cake. Glad you liked the cake. I have a love-hate relationship with this one! Fun baking with the group! Blessings, Catherine
http://praycookblog.com/2012/09/twd-bwj-nectarine-upside-down-chiffon-cake/
Simply beautiful cake!! So glad it was a hit…we loved it too! I would definitely make it again!
The cake is absolutely gorgeous!
I enjoy baking all the time; but especially November and December!
Great looking cake! Baking during the heat of summer is tough- I am looking forward to cooler weather and more goodies.
I substituted light brown sugar for some of the sugar too. I wonder how much of a difference it made in the cake. This was a winner for me too.
I think that light brown sugar works just as well in this cake – just a lighter taste. We really enjoyed this cake and loved the streusel, too, which I think puts us in the minority of the group.
Your cake looks gorgeous!
I’ve made a few chiffon cakes in the last few weeks and they all used a tube pan, I think it helped with the sinking middle. (I’ll have to try smores!)
Well done on the success! I liked the streusel as well. Loved the crunch.
Lovely, lovely cake.
I typically (oddly enough) do not bake more in the fall/winter months. I tend to be more consistent year-round. I now live in South Florida. (My husband and I grew up in Michigan.) But, I’ve found even in this hot climate, I still bake consistently year-round. I do, though, always try to bake with fruit that is local and in season.
I look forward to reading more about your baking!
Kelly Turnbull
Very nice! I definitely bake more in the fall and winter. We are really ready for cooler weather!
I love upside-down cakes and this nectarine version looks particularly luscious!
Your cake looks very majestic. Lovely job.
This was my first time making a chiffon cake and I was surprised at how fluffy it was.
I’m totally ready for fall baking. Bring on the pumpkin, caramel and apples! Your cake looks beautiful. So light and fluffy!
Temperature has dropped within a few weeks. Fall has come …yes, definitely ready for fall recipes – but unfortunately not this one – made it twice and just could not like it.
Your cake looks fantastic.
Oh yum! I like the idea of the chiffon cake. Sometime this summer I posted a peach upside down cake that is similar. I bet peaches would work here as well. Happy baking!