05 August 2021

Summer Peach Cake

Summer Peach Cake / www.delightfulrepast.com

It's the height of summer, it's hot, but bake I must! After being out of commission following hand surgery, I simply had to bake at the first opportunity. And what better to bake than something with peaches (or nectarines), my favorite summer fruit.

But I needed to break-in the hand with something easy-breezy, no-muss-no-fuss, which means no machines, no peeling, no laborious whisking, just stir up the simple ingredients and throw it in the oven!

The only thing I really like about summer is the summer fruit! And, while I might occasionally enjoy the mild flavor of a white peach or nectarine on its own, the yellow varieties are much better in cakes and pies. And please don't peel them. The peel adds color and makes it even prettier.


Summer Peach Cake (this image, my original watercolor of a yellow peach) / www.delightfulrepast.com
Loved painting this perfectly ripe yellow peach; it smelled soooo good!


I developed this recipe for a 7-inch springform or push-bottom pan (also called a cheesecake pan). And I use an Ateco Stainless Steel 2x3-inches-high Round Form that turns any pan into a tube pan to prevent those center-of-the-cake baking challenges of deep pans and/or heavy batters, but I've also made the cake without it.

Thank you for all your good wishes on my hand surgery. I hope you're enjoying a beautiful summer and will make this, or something peachy, before they're gone. I love peach anything, but I am particularly fond of Peach Pie with Lattice Crust. How about you?


Summer Peach Cake / www.delightfulrepast.com

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Summer Peach Cake


(Makes one 7-inch cake)

1 stick (4 ounces/113 grams) unsalted butter, melted
1 1/4 dip-and-sweep cups (6.25 ounces/177 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
2/3 cup (4.67 ounces/132 grams) sugar
1 teaspoon non-GMO baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon mace or nutmeg
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 pound (16 ounces/454 grams/2 large) yellow peaches or nectarines, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar

1 Grease well and flour a 7-inch springform or push-bottom pan. I use my Ateco Stainless Steel 2x3-inches-high Round Form to turn my 3-inch deep 7-inch pan into a tube pan to prevent those center-of-the-cake baking challenges of deep pans and/or heavy batters like this. Just grease and flour it and center it in the pan and hold it steady while you fill in the batter around it. Preheat oven to 350F/180C/Gas4. Melt the butter and set aside to cool. 

Tip: A circle of baking parchment in the bottom of the pan is always good, though I forgot to do it today.

2 In 2- to 3-quart bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and mace or nutmeg. Whisk together well to "sift."

3 Scrub well—don't peel—and dice the ripe but firm peaches or nectarines into a small mixing bowl; set aside. You'll have about 3 cups. Take out 1 cup of the fruit to put on the top.

Note: I almost never peel organic peaches. I just wash them very well and rub off the fuzz. The colorful skin adds nutrition and a beautiful color to whatever you're making.

4 Add the eggs and cooled melted butter to the flour mixture. With a large spoon, beat well until thoroughly combined. Stir the fruit (except the 1 cup) into the batter.

5 Scrape the thick batter into prepared pan, press down and smooth the top, and press the reserved cup of diced fruit into the top of the batter. Sprinkle with the brown sugar. Bake for about 65 to 75 minutes, until it passes "the toothpick test" or is pulling away from the sides of the pan a bit. Do not underbake!

Note: I love this TimeStack quad timer sooooo much!

6 Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes, then turn cake out of pan right side up and continue cooling on wire rack for 2 hours. If you remembered to use a circle of parchment, it will be much easier to lift the cake off the springform pan bottom! Before serving, you might give it a dusting of powdered sugar. And a little whipped cream is never a bad idea.

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Jean

45 comments:

Angie's Recipes said...

We have been eating lots of peaches too. This is a lovely summer cake!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you, Angie! Happy Summer!

Thomas "Sully" Sullivan said...

By Jing, peaches have been tantalizing my imagination for a month now. Going strictly by the optics, that dessert looks like it would have the inner texture of angel food cake. Thus far, my peach initiatives have been limited to topping on oatmeal and mixed in yogurt, but the foretaste of that cake is tempting. And your peach painting is a Salvador Dali salivator that sets my tastebuds tingling. Hope your surgeon’s post-op instructions include lots of painting…

TONY said...

Summer...peach...cake!! Three words I really like. AND, two dollops of ice cream. Looks good, sounds good and I am sure tastes really good, Jean. Like the water colour of the peach.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Sully! Looking forward to painting next week. I'll be happy if I can type almost normally by tomorrow afternoon after the stitches come out. It's been a struggle. I'm adding peaches to the grocery list again, enough for another cake AND a pie!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Tony. Peaches are the best! Glad you like my painting. It's ever so much better than the first one I painted two years ago when I was brand-new at it. Enjoy your summer!

Sandi@ Rose Chintz Cottage said...

Jean, I have been on a blog break but wanted to stop by and see what you have on the menu. Your cake looks fabulous. So glad your hand surgery went well and you’re healing nicely! Your water colour is just lovely! A lady of many talents. Enjoy the rest of the Summer! Sandi

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks so much, Sandi! I hope you've been enjoying your blog break, and I'm pleased that you stopped by! Enjoy the rest of your break, and we'll see you then.

Kitchen Riffs said...

We agree about summer fruits -- they're the best. And peaches might be the best of the best. We're still getting quite good local ones, so we're eating them neat, and baking with them. This looks great -- must make! Sorry to hear about your surgery, and hope the healing goes well.

ellen b. said...

Happy to read your recovery is going well. I'm not a big fan of summer but I enjoy summer fruit, like you. Nectarines might be my favorite. Fresh peach pie can't be beat. Your cake sounds delicious. I wonder if it would work with blueberries?

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, John. Coming along nicely. Will be able to roll out pie crust and knead bread dough this weekend. Yay! Yes, I love eating the peaches "neat" as well!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Ellen, thank you. I don't know why it wouldn't work with blueberries. Give it a shot and let me know!

Sherry's Pickings said...

that's a beautiful watercolour Jean. are the peaches really that amazing colour? your cake sounds delightful.

Sherry's Pickings said...

not sure my comment went thru ... just saying - wonderful artwork and a wonderful cake Jean!

Cheryl said...

Both your cake and your painting are works of art! You are quite talented, Jean! So happy to hear that your surgery went well and your recovery is going well too!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Sherry, thanks so much! Yes, these peaches were very colorful. But I've also had plainer looking ones that had wonderful flavor. Great to eat, but not much fun to paint!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...


Aaw, thank you, Cheryl! I'm looking forward to catching up with what's happening at your place, probably tomorrow. Hope you're enjoying your summer.

Daniela said...

Dearest Jean,
I'm sincerely glad to read such a recipe from you!
I love peaches, to me they've the smell and the taste of Summer, and your cake looks so soft and delicious, I have to try it as soon as our peaches will be ripe.
For the moment I'm saving the link of your post :)
Enjoy your weekend ahead, dear friend of mine
Xx Daniela at ~ My little old world ~ (Dany)

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Daniela. thank you. Good to hear from you. I hope you are enjoying a lovely summer.

Jeanie said...

This looks beautiful and sounds delicious. I've been guzzling wonderful up-north peaches. I'm not sure I have enough left to make a cake without another visit to the market! This looks very moist and so delightfully seasonal -- that market trip might be on my agenda. (Love your watercolor!)

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Jeanie! Glad you like my watercolor! Hope you like the cake. Mr Delightful wanted to have it again, so he picked up more peaches yesterday (actually, he got nectarines this time).

Dee | GrammysGrid.com said...

Looks yummy and yet again, I love your artwork!! Thanks so much for linking up at the Unlimited Link Party 31. Pinned!

SImple and Serene Living said...

This looks delicious. I am always so sad when peach season is over in Georgia. xo Laura

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Ohh, Dee, thanks so much!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Laura, thank you. I know what you mean! If I've had the opportunity to freeze a lot of peaches, the end of the season isn't so sad, but it's not happening this year, so I'm going to be sad!

Thisiswhereitisat said...

Oh yum this sounds perfect for the summer x #pocolo

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you, TIWIIA!

Stephanie 139a said...

Now cut me a slice and I'll be right over! Thanks for sharing with us at #PoCoLo

Marilyn Miller said...

That sounds so delicious! Wondering if it would work with plums as I am soon to have a tree full of ripe plums.

Ben | Havocinthekitchen said...

I rarely bake during the summer time, but at least one baked dessert with peaches is a must! Who can resist the combination of succulent peaches and cake? And this one looks and sounds delicious; loving the touch of spices, too.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Stephanie. That would be soooo fun!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Marilyn, thank you. I think it could work as long as the plums are not overripe and/or ultra-juicy, as some plums are—which is a good thing when you're just eating them out of hand, but could be problematic in baked goods.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Ben. Hope you'll try it! You can always do what I do in hot weather—get in the kitchen super early and get that baking done before it warms up.

Cocoa and Lavender said...

I’m glad your hand is doing better! Good for you finding the perfect recipe to get back into baking. I’ll have to get one of the Ateco inserts! Peaches are plentiful and sweet this year! Can’t wait to try this! Be good to your hand!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, David! Glad you're finding lots of good peaches. You will love having that Ateco form. Cuts down on the number of tube pans one "needs" to buy!

chickenruby said...

I hope your recovery after hand surgery goes well and is uncomplicated for you. Thanks you for linking up this delicious looking recipe with #pocolo

Quinn said...

Cake? It looks and sounds delicious and my hat is off to you. Here it's been too hot and humid to make toast! But I've been enjoying a white nectarine - unpeeled and cut into small chunks - covered in homemade yogurt just about every day since June. This week I made a Turkish yogurt-based cold soup as well.
Sorry I missed that you were having hand surgery - hope your recovery and rehab exercises (if there are any) are going well!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you, Suzanne! And I'll be back to visit more links!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Q! Less than three weeks since surgery and I'm already growing impatient! But it is going well. Your white peach and yogurt sounds like the perfect, and cooling, summer treat. I am eagerly awaiting autumn for many reasons, but one of them is of course better baking weather!

Victoria Zigler said...

Hope you're continuing to recover well from the surgery.

I love peaches.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Victoria. Going well. And more peaches to bake with! Hope you're having a great summer.

Phil in the Kitchen said...

I love how straightforward this recipe is. I must admit that I've found it tricky to get hold of good peaches lately, but I did finally find some beauties yesterday. No cake this time, though, because I ate them for breakfast. I hope your recovery continues as smoothly and as sweetly as the finest peaches.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks so much, Phil (very poetic!). Coming along nicely, but bandage (and "keeping the wound dry") makes things a bit awkward yet in the kitchen. I hope I can keep getting peaches and nectarines through August and hope you'll find more good ones as well.

Dee | GrammysGrid.com said...

CONGRATS! Your post is FEATURED at my Unlimited Link Party 32!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Dee! Much appreciated!