"One can only comb one's hair to one's own satisfaction. It's like putting on one's own hat." The Golden Arrow (1936) with Bette Davis and George Brent
A Bette Davis movie I had never seen. Of course she was very young, it was 1936. She plays a drug-store cashier who is hired by a cosmetics firm to masquerade as an heiress for a publicity stunt. Obviously, her clothes and hats were a feast for the eyes. She meets and marries George Brent, who is a reluctant participant in the ways of the rich. This line was uttered by his valet when he mockingly asked if he wanted him to also comb his hair after helping him dress. It is the same with one's own hat. A hat always looks better if you put it on yourself in front of a mirror. Only you know yourself well enough to set the tilt of your own hat. Or comb your own hair.
I like this recipe for upside-down cake because you can make it your own. The arrangement of dried fruit offers endless possibilities. The first time I tried it I used a small individual tart pan and peach halves. They were tasty little with a dense sweet crust. Next, I baked it in a 10" insulated cake pan. It was a very different kind of crust, more delicate due to the type of cake pan. Both ways were delicious. Pick your favorite dried fruits and let your artistic side take over. I used dried pears for a flower petal design and dried peaches for the flower center. Turns out my son-in-law's favorite dried fruit is pear, so he was very happy.
Pear and Peach Upside Down Cake
8 dried pear halves, cut in half lengthwise
3 dried peach halves, 1 whole, 2 cut into quarters
1/2 cup simple syrup (heat 1/2 cup water with 1/2 cup sugar)
5 tbs. softened butter
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 1/4 c. buttermilk
2 1/4 cups Zazu & Violets' all purpose gluten free flour mix
1 1/2 tsp. xanthan gum
4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
The day before to reconstitute the dried fruit, simmer the fruit pieces in the simple syrup for 20 minutes. Let cool and leave the fruit to marinate overnight at room temperature.
Generously butter a 10" cake pan, cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the bottom of the pan, place in the pan and butter the paper. Arrange the fruit in a decorative pattern. Set aside while you make the batter.
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a stand mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy and pale yellow. Mix in the beaten egg. Sift together all the dry ingredients, this is important, the baking powder must be well incorporated. With the mixer on a medium speed, add 1/3 of the flour mixture and 1/3 of the buttermilk, alternating until you end with the buttermilk. The batter should be very thick but still spreadable. Carefully spread the batter evenly over the fruit in the pan. Bake for about 50 minutes. A skewer inserted in the center should come out clean and the crust should be a rich golden brown. Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack until it pulls away from the sides. Invert onto a pretty cake stand and let cool completely. We served it with whipped cream sweetened with the simple syrup from the soaked fruits.
In the words of my little friend, Alea, who was visiting and eating cake, "This is delicious!"
To see the latest collection of Zazu & Violets' hats, please visit our on-line Etsy shop.
