Peach Kuchen - Peach Coffee Cake

Whether you call it coffee cake or kaffee kuchen, you know I’m serving it with tea, not coffee! And in either case, there are many variations. While I won’t turn down a slice of cakey coffee cake, I prefer a bready one.

The soft yeast dough can easily be made with a spoon—no need for a stand mixer—and requires no kneading. The unfinicky dough rests in the refrigerator overnight, so you can have a lovely fresh coffee cake in the morning.

The dough recipe makes enough dough for three coffee cakes, so you can have a fresh one three mornings in a row if you like, or two now and one later, whatever. I’m going to experiment with freezing some of the dough as well.

Really, who would make just enough yeast dough for one? That’s probably why so many versions are made with a batter rather than yeast dough. Some are even made with cake mix. Trust me, yeast dough is better. 

I made this coffee cake with store-bought frozen organic peaches, but when peach season arrives I’ll make it with fresh peaches. Canned peaches would probably also work as long as you pat them dry of their canning liquid or syrup.

It isn’t just for breakfast or brunch. Though 1/8 of the coffee cake has about 3 teaspoons of sugar, it makes a wonderful dessert—one well within my self-imposed daily sugar allowance of never more than 6 teaspoons in a day.

Do you like coffee or tea with your coffee cake? 

Peach Coffee Cake - Peach Kuchen

(Makes one 9-inch coffee cake, plus enough dough for two more)

The Dough

3 1/4 dip-and-sweep cups (16.25 ounces/461 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour, divided
1/2 cup (3.5 ounces/99 grams) sugar
1 1/8 teaspoon instant (rapid rise) yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon cardamom, optional
1/2 cup (4 fluid ounces/118 ml) milk
1/2 cup (4 fluid ounces/118 ml) water
1 stick (4 ounces/113 grams) unsalted butter, cut into about 12 slices and added to heated liquid
1 large egg, slightly beaten
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, set aside for assembly

The Custard

3/4 cup (6 fluid ounces/177 ml) heavy cream
1/4 cup (1.75 ounces/50 grams) sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

The Topping

2 tablespoons (0.875 ounces/25 grams) sugar
2 tablespoons (0.625 ounces/18 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon (0.5 ounce/14 grams) cold unsalted butter

The Fruit

2 to 2 1/2 cups sliced yellow peaches or 1 10-ounce (283 grams) package frozen

Note: You might not need quite as much of the peaches. You just need enough to make a single layer.


1 Start dough the day before. In large bowl, whisk together 2 1/2 cups flour, sugar, yeast, salt and cardamom. In 2-cup glass measure, microwave milk and water until hot but not boiling, about 2 minutes in my microwave; stir in pieces of butter to melt. Add warm liquid and egg to flour mixture, and stir until thoroughly combined and smooth. Stir in remaining 3/4 cup flour 1/4 cup at a time (you may not need all of it) to form a soft dough. Do not knead, but with one hand right in the bowl work in the last bits of flour and shape dough into a loose ball. Place dough in lightly oiled bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight.

2 Next day, divide dough into 3 portions (I weigh it on digital kitchen scale). Cover and refrigerate 2 portions for another day (I use the Pyrex 4-cup round storage containers). Let 1 portion rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Note: You may also freeze portions of dough for up to 3 months. Just form each portion into a ball, very lightly coat with a little oil on your hands, put in freezer storage container. When ready to use, move the dough from freezer to refrigerator a day ahead; then let thawed dough rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before rolling out and proceeding with recipe.

3 For custard: In 2-cup glass measure or small bowl, whisk together cream, sugar, egg, vanilla extract and nutmeg; set aside.

4 For topping: In small bowl, stir together sugar, flour and cinnamon. Cut in the butter to make coarse crumbs; set aside.

5 On lightly floured square of baking parchment paper, roll 1 portion of the dough into a thin 10-inch circle. Place a lightly buttered 9-inch glass pie plate upside down on the dough. Flip the “whole package” (pie plate, dough, parchment) over and press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate. Melt the tablespoon of butter and brush it on the top side of the dough. Cover lightly and let rise for 45 to 60 minutes. Preheat oven to 350F/180C/Gas4.

6 Arrange the peach slices over the crust. Pour the custard over the peaches. Sprinkle on the topping. Use a pie crust shield to prevent the edge from overbrowning. Bake for about 45 to 55 minutes, until golden brown. Cool slightly, then cut into 8 slices and serve warm.

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Jean