Nectarine Golden Cake

This appeared in the September 2009 issue of Gourmet Magazine. The magazine describes the cake as being buttery and flavorful yet not too rich. A dollop of softly whipped cream is recommended but the magazine says it is delicious without it also. My nectarines were not very sweet so I bumped up the final sprinkling of the sugar and nutmeg mixture to use about 1 full tablespoon of sugar, rather than the 1/2 tablespoon the recipe states to use.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 8
• Yields: 1 9

Ingredients

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

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F with rack in middle. Lightly butter a 9 inch springform pan.
2. Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.
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. At low speed, mix in flour mixture until just combined.
4. Spread batter evenly in pan, then scatter nectarines over top. Stir together nutmeg and remaining 1/2 tablespoon sugar and sprinkle over top.
5. Bake until cake is golden-brown and top is firm but tender when lightly touched (cake will rise over fruit), 45 to 50 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove side of pan and cool to warm.