Nectarine Golden Cake - Gourmet Magazine

Nectarine Golden Cake

Oh, Gourmet Magazine. I miss you. But its demise has freed up former editor-in-chief, Ruth Reichl to judge Top Chef Masters. I love her and the show...her love of food and eating is contangeous. I was lucky enough to see her speak at the Skirball Center in Los Angeles soon after Gourmet was closed in 2010.

Anyway, we still have the Epicurious website to browse the Gourmet recipes. This one, the Nectarine Golden Cake was published in 2009.

As summer winds down, give it one last shout out with this easy cake. It's perfect for Labor Day brunch...right before you turn on the BBQ.

Sweet fruit. Light cake. Simple recipe. It's summer on a plate.

From Gourmet Magazine, September 2009 by Maggie Ruggiero

1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
Rounded 1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup plus 1/2 tablespoon sugar, divided
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon pure almond extract
2 nectarines, pitted and cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg

Pan: 9-inch springform pan
1. Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Lightly butter or spray the springform pan with Pam with Flour.
2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl.
3. Beat butter and 3/4 cup sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in extracts.
4. At low speed, mix in flour mixture until just combined. Don't overmix.
5. Spread batter evenly in pan, then scatter nectarines over top. Stir together nutmeg and remaining 1/2 tablespoon sugar and sprinkle over top.
6. Bake until cake is golden-brown and top is firm but tender when lightly touched (cake will rise over fruit), 45 to 50 minutes (mine took 45 minutes).
7. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove side of pan and cool.