This vegan nectarine upside-down cake is sure to please everyone with its subtly sweet, summery flavor. Made with whole grain spelt flour and low-glycemic coconut sugar.
Add the melted coconut oil to the bottom of a cake pan. Use a brush or your hands to lightly grease the sides, then spread the rest of the oil evenly in one layer.
Sprinkle the coconut sugar in an even layer on top of the coconut oil. Arrange the nectarine slices on top of the coconut sugar so that they have as much surface contact with it as possible.
To prepare the spelt cake:
In a small bowl, stir together the almond milk and lemon juice, and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Add the coconut oil, coconut sugar, and vanilla extract to the bowl with the almond milk. Use a fork or whisk to whisk together the liquid mixture until the sugar is dissolved and the oil is incorporated with the almond milk.
In a separate bowl, sift together the spelt flour, baking powder, salt, and spices.
Make a well in the center and add half of the wet mixture. Stir, then add the rest of the wet mixture. Gently mix the batter together (I used a wooden mixing fork) until the lumps are gone, but try to mix as little as possible. We don't want to encourage the gluten to develop, because that will result in a gummy cake.
Pour the mixed batter on top of the nectarines, gently, so as not to agitate them.
Bake for 30-35 minutes on a rack positioned in the center of the oven (important!), or until golden on the top and starting to pull away from the sides. The top of the cake will feel a bit springy, but still moist.
Let the cake cool for 10-15 minutes before gently inverting it. You can then transfer it to a cooling rack, and cut yourself a slice!
Leftovers can be kept at room temperature if tightly wrapped (unless your home is very warm), or covered in the refrigerator. Best enjoyed within a day or two.
Notes
For best results, use nectarines that are just barely ripe, so that they retain more texture during baking.Sponge cakes have a habit of cracking on the top (luckily, we are flipping it over!). The taste and inside texture are not likely to be affected. Sometimes you just can't control the cake cracking, but the following steps will make it less likely: 1) measure flour by spooning it into a measuring cup, instead of scooping it out of the container. 2) mix as little as possible to discourage gluten formation. 3) test the temperature of your oven to ensure that 350 is really 350 (hotter, and the cake is more likely to crack).Nutrition facts are calculated based on cutting the cake into 8 slices.