Recipe: Peach Cake

Peach Cake

Last week I decided that Blueberry Crumble Pie was my favorite seasonal summer pie. This week I have decided that Peach Cake is the seasonal cake of the summer. I generally don’t do much baking with peaches other than a pie or crumble because peaches are so watery that baked goods tend to be soggy. But I stumbled upon a great trick that makes adding peaches to recipes easy – roasting! Here I use them in a simple, one pan cake, but imagine that these roasted peaches would be great over ice cream or in muffins or scones. Be sure to use peak of the season peaches (if your peaches are a little unflavorful, add a few splashes of peach schnapps when you toss the peaches with the sugar).

Makes one cake (serves 8 to 10)

2 ½ pounds peaches, pitted and cut into 1/2 inch-thick wedges

4 teaspoons lemon juice 

6 tablespoons plus 1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 cup flour

1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder

  ¾ teaspoon salt

½ cup packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

¼ cup sour cream

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat heat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly oil. Gently toss 24 peach wedges with 2 teaspoons lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar in bowl; set aside.

Cut remaining peach wedges crosswise into thirds. Gently toss chunks with remaining 2 teaspoons lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar in bowl. Spread peach chunks in single layer on prepared sheet and bake until exuded juices begin to thicken and caramelize at edges of sheet, about 25 minutes. Take peaches out of the oven and let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.

Lightly oil a 9-inch springform. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in bowl. Whisk brown sugar, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, and eggs together in second bowl until thick and fully combined, about 45 seconds. Slowly whisk in butter until combined. Add sour cream and vanilla ; whisk until combined. Add flour mixture and whisk until just combined.

Transfer half of batter to prepared pan; using offset spatula, spread batter evenly to pan edges and smooth surface. Arrange peach chunks on batter in even layer, gently pressing peaches into batter. Gently spread remaining batter over peach chunks and smooth top. Arrange reserved peach wedges, slightly overlapped, in ring over surface of cake, placing smaller wedges in center. Sprinkle remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar evenly over top of cake.

Bake until center of cake is set and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Transfer pan to wire rack; cool 5 minutes. Run paring knife around sides of cake to loosen. Remove cake from pan and let cool completely, 2 to 3 hours.