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raspberry-peach upside-down cake with ginger-vanilla crème fraîche

This post was created in partnership with Vermicular. All opinions are our own.

Roll out the red carpet for this summer stunner. Peach season is here and this elegant dessert is dressed to impress and prepared to be the star of your next pool party. Watch your guests’ eyes follow this shining treasure as you carefully set it down on the picnic table, and see your friends turn into paparazzi as they frantically whip out their phones to take pictures. Dressed in a golden gown of caramelized peaches and topped with a crown of ruby red raspberries, this dessert is destined for stardom. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome one of 2019’s hottest new desserts: Raspberry-Peach Upside-Down Cake with Ginger-Vanilla Crème Fraîche.

We thought about calling this creation Ovation Cake—since it brings people to their feet with enthusiastic applause every time it’s served. And when you see how quick and easy it is to make, you’ll be giving this recipe a standing ovation too. We partnered with Vermicular to create a summer dessert specially prepared in the new Vermicular Musui–Kamado, a beautiful, enameled cast-iron cooker from Japan. This all-in-one induction pot was just released in the US this year and can be used for everything from searing and steam-roasting to sous-vide cooking and proofing bread dough—or even baking a cake. The precision seal on the cast iron pot—or Musui—promotes steam convection, locking in the moisture from the ingredients to create an ultra-soft and moist cake. You won’t need to add any water, since the cake steam-bakes using the juices from the peaches, intensifying the peach flavor. The Kamado is the induction heating base that cradles the Musui, delivering three-dimensional heating and precision temperature control down to the degree. Since it’s the middle of August and currently over 100 here in Eagle Rock, the fact that we could do all this without ever needing to turn on the oven is a lifesaver.

This recipe is “a piece of cake” to prepare. First you spread melted butter, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla in the bottom of the pot. Then you simply lay peach slices on top, pour the one-bowl cake batter over the fruit, and that’s it. Using the Musui–Kamado makes the process quick and easy, since you don’t have to wait twenty minutes for an oven to preheat, and the simple controls allow you to start baking at the press of a button. The cake steam-bakes for thirty minutes, then you invert it onto a serving plate to reveal the caramelized peaches, top it with fresh raspberries and ginger-vanilla crème fraîche, and let the party begin. Of course, no one will stop you from enjoying it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream; it’s summer after all, and summer is for making memories—especially Raspberry-Peach Upside-Down Cake with Ginger-Vanilla Crème Fraîche kind of memories.

Raspberry-Peach Upside-Down Cake with Ginger-Vanilla Crème Fraîche

For the crème fraîche:
1 cup (237 ml) heavy cream
3 tablespoons (45 ml) cultured buttermilk
1 1/2 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger

For the peach layer:
3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 to 2 medium peaches (about 400 g total), pitted and cut into 1/2-inch slices

For the cake:
1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
1/4 cup (53 g) brown sugar
3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
1 large egg
7 tablespoons (104 ml) milk of your choice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 pint raspberries, for garnish

To make the crème fraîche:
In a glass measuring cup or jar, stir together the heavy cream and buttermilk. Cover the jar with a kitchen cloth, and leave on the counter at room temperature for 12 hours, or overnight. Then cover the container tightly with a lid or plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to use, up to 3 days. When ready to serve, stir in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and ginger.

To make the peach layer:
Set the Vermicular Musui–Kamado on the counter. Place a 9-inch square of parchment paper inside the Musui, covering the bottom and extending a few inches up the sides of the pot. Pour melted butter in the center of the paper, then sprinkle the sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla over the melted butter, and use a silicone spatula to stir and spread the mixture into an even layer. Lay the peach slices over the sugar mixture in a single layer, arranging them in a spiral pattern over the entire bottom of the pan.

To make the cake:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and melted butter until smooth. Add the egg, milk, vanilla, and salt, and whisk until blended. Add the flour and baking powder, and stir with a silicone spatula just until evenly blended and no streaks of dry flour remain. Pour the batter over the peaches, spreading it gently to cover the peaches entirely in an even layer of batter. Cover the Musui, then turn on the Kamado. Set the heat to LOW and bake for 15 minutes. When 15 minutes have passed, carefully remove the lid to vent steam, and wipe the inside of the lid with a clean kitchen towel to remove excess condensation. Return the lid to the Musui, and continue baking for another 15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove the lid and place a serving dish upside-down on the Musui. Carefully invert the cake onto the serving plate, and remove the parchment paper. Let cool for 5 minutes, then top with fresh raspberries and serve warm, with a dollop of crème fraîche on each slice. Enjoy!