Name: Peach Jasmine Upside-Down Cake
Yield: one 9-inch cake (8–10 servings)
Cuisine: Southern
Ingredients: ⅔ cup buttermilk; 2 tbsp. loose-leaf jasmine green tea; 4 tbsp. unsalted butter; ½ cup packed brown sugar; 2 tsp. honey; ⅓ tsp. kosher salt; ½ tsp. vanilla extract; 3–4 ripe but firm yellow peaches; ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened; 1½ cups all-purpose flour; 1¼ tsp. baking powder; ½ tsp. baking soda; ½ tsp. kosher salt; 1 tsp. ground white pepper; ¾ cup granulated sugar; 3 tbsp. packed brown sugar; 2 large eggs, room temperature; 1 tsp. vanilla extract; ½ cup + 1 tbsp. jasmine buttermilk; 1 ripe but firm yellow peach; 1–2 tsp. green Sichuan peppercorn oil; Flaky sea salt, optional; Vanilla ice cream or lightly sweetened whipped cream, optional

Washington, D.C.–based pastry chef Susan Bae first tried her hand at baking because of her dad’s affinity for a warm, handheld McDonald’s apple pie. Even now, with the James Beard Foundation’s best pastry chef title under her belt, the inspiration at the heart of her creations is the same.

“As chefs, we take pride and joy in cooking from memory,” she says. “We take a lot of joy in creating experiences for others. You make something beautiful, somebody tastes it, and it takes them back to a moment or makes them happy. It’s the grounding foundation of why I do what I do.”

In this peach jasmine upside-down cake, made entirely from her memory, Bae uses some of her favorite pantry staples, including white peppercorn and green Sichuan peppercorn oil for a bit of tingle and floral flavor.

Peach Jasmine Upside-Down Cake

Yield: one 9-inch cake (8–10 servings)

For the jasmine buttermilk

- ⅔ cup buttermilk
- 2 tbsp. loose-leaf jasmine green tea

For the peach topping

- 4 tbsp. unsalted butter
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- 2 tsp. honey
- ⅓ tsp. kosher salt
- ½ tsp. vanilla extract
- 3–4 ripe but firm yellow peaches

For the cake

- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1¼ tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. baking soda
- ½ tsp. kosher salt
- 1 tsp. ground white pepper
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp. packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- ½ cup + 1 tbsp. jasmine buttermilk

To finish

- 1 ripe but firm yellow peach
- 1–2 tsp. green Sichuan peppercorn oil
- Flaky sea salt, optional
- Vanilla ice cream or lightly sweetened whipped cream, optional

Preparation

Make the jasmine buttermilk: Gently warm the buttermilk in a small saucepan until warm to the touch, about 115–120°F. Don’t let it simmer.
Remove from the heat, add the jasmine tea, and cover. Let steep for 8–10 minutes, then strain. Cool completely and measure out ½ cup + 1 tbsp. for the cake.
Prep the cake pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment. Lightly butter the parchment as well.
Prepare the peaches: Halve and pit the peaches, then cut them into wedges. You can peel them or leave the skins on—Bae likes the color you get from leaving them on.
Make the peach topping: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the brown sugar, honey, salt, and vanilla. Cook for a minute or two, stirring, until everything comes together and looks glossy.
Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and spread it evenly over the bottom.
Arrange the peach wedges snugly over the brown sugar mixture. They’ll shrink a little as they bake, so don’t be afraid to pack them in.
Mix the dry ingredients: Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and 1 tsp. white pepper. Set aside.
Make the batter: Beat the softened butter with the granulated sugar and brown sugar for 3–5 minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
Lightly beat the eggs, then add them to the butter mixture a little at a time, mixing well between additions. Add the vanilla.
With the mixer on low, add one-third of the dry ingredients, followed by half of the allotted jasmine buttermilk. Repeat with another third of the dry ingredients and the remaining buttermilk, then finish with the last of the dry ingredients.
Mix just until everything comes together. Finish folding the batter by hand with a spatula so you don’t overmix it.
Assemble and bake: Spoon the batter over the peaches, adding it in several places so you don’t disturb the arrangement. Gently spread it into an even layer.
Bake for 45–55 minutes, until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
If the cake is getting too dark before the center is done, loosely cover it with foil.
Flip the cake: Let the cake sit in the pan for 10–15 minutes after it comes out of the oven.
Run a knife around the edge, place a serving plate over the pan and flip the whole thing over. Let it sit upside down for about 30 seconds before lifting off the pan.
Remove the parchment. If a peach sticks, just put it back in place while the cake is still warm.
Let the cake cool to warm or room temperature.
Finish: Toss the slices gently with 1 tsp. green Sichuan peppercorn oil. Taste and add a little more if you want—the peppercorn should be noticeable and fragrant without overpowering the peach.
Arrange the fresh peaches over the cake. Finish with a little flaky salt if you like.
Serve the cake as is, or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a spoonful of lightly sweetened whipped cream.

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