Pillsbury Bake-Off Countdown: Caramelized Peach Upside-Down Coffee Cake

CakeSpy Note: I am beyond ecstatic to announce that I have been invited as a media guest to the 45th Annual Pillsbury Bake-Off in Orlando, Florida! The event will take place in late March; til then, I am going to feature several of the sweets finalists here in anticipation of the big day!

Pineapple upside-down cake? So five minutes ago. All the cool kids are eating peach upside down cake, all the better if it's caramelized.

This sweet treat was dreamed up by Brenda Watts of Gaffney, SC, who says "Bake up a new sweet peachy coffee cake delight using Pillsbury sugar cookie dough." If she bakes it, I will come!

 Caramelized Peach Upside Down Cake

8 servings

• 1 roll Pillsbury® refrigerated sugar cookie dough
• 1/4 cup LAND O LAKES® Unsalted or Salted Butter
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Ground Cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced peeled peaches or frozen sliced peaches, thawed
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 LAND O LAKES® Eggs
• 1/2 cup half-and-half
• 2/3 cup Smucker's® Peach Preserves
• 3 tablespoons orange juice
• 1/3 cup Fisher® Chef's Naturals® Chopped Pecans

1. Let cookie dough stand at room temperature 10 minutes to soften. Meanwhile, heat oven to 350°F. Line 10-inch springform pan with foil. Lightly spray bottom and side of foil-lined pan with Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray. In 12-inch skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in brown sugar and cinnamon until blended. Add sliced peaches; cook 4 to 6 minutes or until peaches are tender, stirring occasionally. Spoon and spread peach mixture over bottom of pan.
2. In large bowl, break up cookie dough. Add baking powder and eggs. Beat with electric mixer on medium speed about 1 minute or until well blended. On low speed, beat in half-and-half an additional minute or until cookie dough mixture is smooth and creamy. Pour mixture evenly over peaches in pan.
3. Bake 35 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool 2 minutes. Place heatproof serving plate upside down over pan; turn plate and pan over. Remove pan. Carefully remove foil. Cool 5 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, in small microwavable bowl, stir peach preserves and orange juice together until blended. Microwave peach mixture on High 30 to 60 seconds or until warm.
5. To serve, drizzle coffee cake with peach mixture and sprinkle with pecans.