Summer Desserts – Old-Fashioned Fresh Peach Cake

Old-Fashioned Fresh Peach Cake

 

To me, nothing says summer like fresh peaches.  Plump and juicy they pair well with both sweet and savory dishes.  This cake is an oldie but goodie – tender vanilla cake topped with fresh sliced peaches – finished with cinnamon sugar and freshly whipped cream!  It works well with apples, pears, plums and nectarines too – so you can adapt this recipe as the seasons change.  Not only is this great for dessert, but it works well for brunch or in place of a coffee cake!

 

Old-Fashioned Fresh Peach Cake

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons butter

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

enough milk added to egg and vanilla to equal 1/2 cup

4 cups peeled and sliced peaches

1 cup white sugar (or 1/2 white sugar and 1/2 brown sugar)

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

3 tablespoons butter, melted

Sift together in a large bowl flour, baking powder, 2 tablespoons sugar and salt.  Cut butter into dry ingredients until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.  Beat egg and vanilla together in a measuring cup and add in enough milk to equal 1/2 cup.  Add to dry ingredients.  Dough will be stiff.  Press into a greased 9 or 10 inch round cake pan (I used a spring-form).  Top with peaches, arranging however you like.  Combine 1 cup sugar, cinnamon and melted butter and sprinkle over the fruit.  Bake at 425 degrees for 20 – 25 minutes – or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Serve warm with freshly whipped cream.  Enjoy!

This recipe is adapted from the Joy of Cooking and cost $1.91 to make (not including the whipped cream) – not a bad price for a dessert or coffee cake!  My grocery store sells coffee cakes for $3.99 and up and they don’t even include fresh fruit!

Do you have a favorite cake recipe using fresh fruit?  I’d love to hear from you!