Sara's nectarine cake
This cake works with pretty much any stone fruit. I've made it with plums, peaches, nectarines, apricots, and pluots, and it was fabulous with all of them. The cake is prettiest if the fruits are slightly under-ripe, but still a little on the firm side, so that they hold their shape. This recipe makes 2 cakes, which are best eaten the same day. However, the batter will keep in the fridge for about a week, so you can always wait to bake the second cake.
1 and 1/2 cups flour
2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
3/4 cup sugar plus 1 T for dusting the top
1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 large egg
4 or 5 large stone fruits such as peaches or nectarines or 9-10 smaller stone fruits such as apricots or plums
1/4 t cinnamon
2 T butter plus a little more for greasing pans.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Butter two 9-inch round cake pans. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, combine 3/4 c. sugar, milk, oil, and egg. Fold wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Divide batter evenly between pans.
If you are using a larger fruit, such as peaches, cut into wedges and arrange the wedges on top of the cake in elegant and artistic fans. If you are using a small fruit, like plums or apricots, cut the fruit in half and remove the pit. Arrange the fruit with the cut sides up on top of the cake.
Combine the cinnamon and remaining sugar, and sprinkle over the fruits. Dot the cakes with butter. Bake 30-35 minutes, until the tops are golden, the fruit is soft, and a tooth pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool for about 10 minutes in the pan before removing.
