Instructions: Melt 4 tablespoons butter, and mix with brown sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon. Spoon into an ungreased 8x8-inch square baking pan.

Slice nectarines 1/4-inch thick. Lay slices into prepared pan, and sprinkle with lemon juice. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter or margarine and sugar, then beat in milk, egg, and vanilla or almond extract. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt. Pour batter over fruit in pan.

Bake cake in a preheated 375F oven for 45 minutes, or until cake begins to pull away from sides of pan, and springs back to the touch. Remove from oven, and cool for 5 minutes in the pan. Invert pan onto a serving platter, and let sit 1 minute more before removing pan. If any fruit sticks to pan, use a spatula to carefully scrape it off and replace it on the cake. Serve warm, with whipped cream or ice cream, if desired.

NOTES : Pineapple upside-down cake is a long-time favorite in this genre, but other fruits serve equally well in place of pineapple. Try cherries and almonds, apples, or pears. Here unpeeled nectarines lend a real summery taste to this year-round treat.

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