One of Ina Garten's most-used catchphrases...I don't even mind because her recipes are amazing and watching her show is like comfort food for my eyes. It's somehow oddly soothing.Some of my favorite recipes are her desserts - I have yet to have one turn out less than deliciously.
I have been waiting for peaches to come into season all year and they finally have hit our geographical area with wild abandon, hooray! I love the flavor and have been eating at least 1 (usually 2...shhhh!) a day for the past two weeks.
Living on the Eastern Shore gives me great access to local farms and produce stands, and I am so thankful! Not only does buying fresh local produce save us money, but it directly supports the farmers and the produce always tastes better. I am already dreading the winter months when I'm stuck shopping for sad pinkish tomatoes and shriveled tiny squash at the local grocery store...sigh...but back to peaches!
The closest farm stand to us is only about 2 miles away and I have become a regular - they give me anywhere from 8-10 fresh yellow or white peaches for about $4. Amazing! I've been wanting to try a baked peach-based goodie for a few weeks, but I've been gobbling all the peaches up too quickly to actually bake with them. This morning I showed restraint, returning home with my bounty of peaches and immediately began to prep this delicious cake.
Let me know if you've stumbled across any savory or sweet recipes featuring fresh peaches, I'd love to take advantage of their fruity deliciousness while I can get my hands on them!
Ina Garten's Fresh Peach Cake
Ingredients
- 1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup sour cream, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 large ripe peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch-square baking pan (I used an 8x8 and it worked just fine). In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and 1 cup of the sugar for 3 to 5 minutes on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low, add the eggs, one at a time, then the sour cream and vanilla, and mix until the batter is smooth.
2. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the batter and mix just until combined.
3. In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and the cinnamon. Spread half of the batter evenly in the pan. Top with half of the peaches, then sprinkle with two-thirds of the sugar mixture. Spread the remaining batter on top, arrange the remaining peaches on top and sprinkle with the remaining sugar mixture and the pecans.
4. Bake the cake for 45 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Fresh peaches are pretty amazing. Your cake looks delicious!
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