I’m not much of a spring cleaner. Once the weather warms up and the sun comes out, I’m too busy outdoors to notice the dust and clutter that has accumulated over the winter. Instead, my ‘spring cleaning’ comes in the fall. That’s when we start to retreat inside, the long summer evenings giving way to an early dusk.
True to form, last week I started roaming from room to room and pitching all the piles of magazines that hold sentry at my various reading spots – the basket by the side of the couch, the spare bedroom and my nightstand. Old issues of the New Yorker, the Atlantic and AARP (I’m forever scooping up cast-offs at the library!) were tossed into the recycling tout de suite.
But the cooking magazines? They are much harder to let go.
I used to have about seven year’s worth of back issues of Gourmet (sniffle, sniffle), Bon Apetit and Martha Stewart Living, which I finally doled out to friends when we last moved. Since then, I’ve been much better about not holding on to magazines for too long, knowing that most recipes are just a click away.
Still. There’s nothing quite like sitting with a magazine and a cup of tea glass of wine, perusing for ideas and inspiration. So I did spend a few hours doing just that, tearing out any recipes that I found especially compelling. Who knows if I’ll ever get around to making them. Time will tell. But for some reason, I’m comforted to know that they are at arm’s reach.
Among the keepers was this recipe from Gourmet for Nectarine Golden Cake. It caught my eye because of its odd name and because it is very similar to a cake I’ve been making for years. That one features apples and pears, together with pine nuts. It’s a cinch to throw together and very forgiving. I’ve made it with and without the nuts, with only apples and with only pears and it still tastes great.
Sure enough, Nectarine Golden Cake is another winner. Simple to pull together and imminently versatile, it’s just sweet enough for dessert and not too sweet for breakfast or afternoon tea. Quick! Make it before nectarine season is a distant memory.
Nectarine Golden Cake
(Adapted from Gourmet; I’ve upped the almond extract and added a scattering of actual almonds, which give the top layer a nice crunch.)
1 c all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp + a smidge of salt
1 stick butter, softened
3/4 c sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
2 nectarines, pitted and sliced into 1/2″ wedges
1/4 c sliced almonds
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg + 1 T sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9″ springform pan. Cream together butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in extracts. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Add this mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Spread batter into pan (it is quite thick). Arrange nectarine slices on top of the batter. Sprinkle almond slices over top, and then sprinkle the nutmeg and 1T of sugar over everything. Bake for 45-50 mins. Cool 10 minutes and then remove sides of pan. Serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Sally and Her Teacakes 