Bake Along #8 - Nectarine Cake with Cinnamon-Nut Topping

This is another recipe taken from the book Cake Keeper by Lauren Chattman. Quite a nice one to add to your collection as the cakes in this book are sort of everyday cakes and simple to make with mostly basic ingredients. This is the 3rd recipe taken from this book for our bake along and i foresee there will be more coming from this book. You can use other stone fruits like peaches, plums or apricots in replacement of nectarines. Let us also see Joyce and Zoe making the same cake at their blogs.

We will be baking Sweet Potato Sandwich Rolls next for our bake along . If you are keen to join,  post it up on the 10th September.

I would also like to take this opportunity to wish  Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Fitri to all Muslim friends, have a wonderful celebration and to all Malaysians,  Happy Merdeka!!

Recipe: ( i made half of this original recipe )
For the cake:
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup ( 1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
5 medium ripe nectarines, halved, pitted and peeled

For the topping:
1 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/3 cup walnuts or pecan, finely chopped

Make the topping
1.Preheat the oven to 375F/190C. Grease the inside of a 10inch round springform pan.
2.Combine the sugar, cinnamon and the nuts in a small bowl. Set aside.

Make the cake
1.Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium mixing bowl.
2.Combine the sugar and butter in a large mixing bowl and cream with an electric mixer on medium high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice as necessary. With the mixer on low, add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture, 1/2 cup at a time. scarping down the sides of the bowl after each addition.
3.Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Arrange the nectarines, cut side down, on top of the batter. Sprinkle with the topping. Bake the cake until it is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 mins. Release the sides of the pan and use a large spatula to slide the cake from the pan bottom to a wire rack. Cool completely, cut into wedges and serve.

4.Store uneaten cake in cake keeper or wrap in plastic and store at room temperature for up to 2 days.