The Perfect Peach Cake

I know I haven't posted in a while, but that is not because I didn't want to! I have been itching to get up a new post for days and days. I'll explain...about a week ago I had to move back to school, which means moving car loads of stuff back across the state from Grand Rapids to Dearborn. Once in Dearborn I had to move from the house I've been renting into a new apartment. Once at my new place I had to get my internet working again. That was over a week ago, and I still don't have the internet! I've been calling AT&T just about everday for over a week but it's still not fixed. I'm hopeful that tomorrow may be the day, but who knows. So I'm writing this from school. It's not an ideal situation but it does work. Hopefully soon I'll get back to posting on a more regular basis.

Until then, I want to share with you a wonderful late summer dessert. In case you didn't realize it, it's peach season! One of my favorite times of year. It's hard to beat the perfectly ripe peach, dripping its juice down your arm as you bite into it. Every year I forget how delicious they are, but that means every year I'm blown away by the sweetness and the juiciness and the deliciousness that is a ripe peach. A peach at any other time of year is not even worth looking at.

Since it is peach season, I decided I had to take advantage of this yummy fruit. When I saw this recipe for peach cake, I knew I had to make it. Now, I have to admit that I really don't like fruit desserts very much. Pies, cobblers and tarts just don't get me all that excited. I'd much rather eat my fruit fresh and then have a slice of cake or a gooey brownie for dessert (with ice cream please!). So me getting excited about a peach cake is pretty amazing, but it just sounded too good to pass up. I was right; this cake is too good to pass up. It is stuffed full of peaches, I think there were more peaches than cake batter. The juicy fruit keeps it super moist, but roasting some of the peaches makes sure it's not soggy. The presentation is elegant and the smell is to die for. With a scoop of ice cream on top, this is the perfect late summer dessert, one I will definately be making again!

Beautiful

A bowl of gold!

Roasting some of the peache kept the cake from

 getting soggy due to all the juice

Mix together the liquid ingredients

Then the dry ingredients

Whisk them together

Add some panko bread crumbs to the roasted peaches

Assembly: A layer of batter, then the roasted peaches...

followed by the rest of the batter...

                                     and the rest of the peaches, top it off with some almond sugar

It's baked!

Cool on a wire rack

Slice it up and enjoy,

I know I did!

Recipe

from: Cook's Illustrated

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds peaches (I used Red Havens)
• 4 teaspoons lemon juice
• 6 tablespoons plus 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1/4 cup sour cream (I used homemade yogurt)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/3 cup panko bread crumbs, crushed fine

Preparing the peaches

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking pan with a baking mat or foil and spray with oil.

Slice all peaches into 1/2 inch wedges. Place 24 peach wedges in a bowl and toss with 2 teaspoons lemon juice and 1 tablespoon sugar. Set aside.

With the remaining peaches, cut crosswise into thirds, place in a bowl, and toss with 2 teaspoons lemon juice and 2 tablespoons sugar. Spread peach chunks on the prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes until peaches begin to caramelize and their juices thicken. Remove and cool to room temperature. Once cool, toss with the panko bread crumbs.

Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and grease a 9-inch springform pan.

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl; whisk. Whisk brown sugar, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, and eggs in another bowl until fully combined. Whisk in melted butter. Add sour cream, vanilla, and 1/4 teaspoon almond extract; whisk until combined. Add dry flour mixture to wet mixture and stir until just combined.

Spread half the batter over the bottom of the prepared springform pan. Spread the roasted peaches evenly over the batter. Spread the remaining batter over the top of the peaches. Smooth the top with a spatula.  Arrange peach slices on the batter. Gently press them down into the batter. Stir together remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar with 1/8 teaspoon almond extract. Sprinkle infused sugar over the top of the cake.

Bake cake for 50-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cake on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Loosen cake from sides of pan by sliding a knife around the edge of the cake. Remove pan sides and allow to cool completely.