Peach Cake

This cake is great when summer is ending and fall is beckoning. All the fuzzy warmth of summery peaches and just enough spice flavour to know fall that is around the corner.  

Peach Cake

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1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup caster sugar

3 large eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon maple flavouring

1 1/2 cup unbleached all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon British mixed spice

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

approximately 6 to 8 peaches peeled, pitted and sliced

cinnamon sugar, for sprinkling

maple syrup, for drizzling 

Pre heat oven to 350ºF. Grease and flour a round cake tin and line the bottom with baking parchment paper.

In a bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt, mixed spice and ground cinnamon. Set aside. Dice half of the sliced peaches, reserving the remaining slices of peaches. Gently fold the diced peaches into the flour mixture.  

In another large bowl whisk together the sour cream, sugar, eggs, oil and maple flavouring until well blended and smooth. Add the flour peach mixture to the wet ingredients and fold... stir until combine. Pour the batter into the prepared baking tin, smooth the top and place the remaining peaches on top of the batter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 55 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.

Allow the cake to rest in the cake tin, on a wire rack, for about 20 minutes. During this time, using a toothpick, poke random holes into the top of the cake then drizzle maple syrup over the cake. Be generous however not heavy handed as you want to infuse the cake not soak it. After the 20 minutes carefully remove from the tin and allow the cake to cool further on the wire rack.    

Peach Cobbler

I must admit, that up until now I never made a peach cobbler. As first time peach cobblers go this was effortless and sweetly satisfying. I find cobblers are one of those comfort desserts that may be enjoy at any time of year; by simply changing the fruit.  

Peach Cobbler

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3 cans of slices or halves peaches, drained

1 lemon, zested and juiced

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup white sugar

1 1/3 cups self raising flour

1 teaspoon British mixed spice

1/3 cup rolled oats

2/3 cup milk

Preheat oven to 375ºF (190ºC). Butter a deep 2 inch baking dish.

Place the drained peach slices or halves into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with the lemon juice and zest. 

In a large bowl stir together the butter and sugar. Mix for 4 to 5 minutes until creamy and resembles a sugary buttery paste. Add the oats, British mixed spice, and flour; stir into the buttery sugar mixture until the mixture resembles crumbly. Pour in the milk and stir , for approximately 3 to 4 minutes, until the mixture is moist and creamy, like a thick spreadable batter. 

Drop the batter by spoonfuls on top of the peaches. Spread the batter evenly over the surface over the peaches.

Bake in the preheated oven until browned and crisp, approximately 45 minutes. Let cool for at least 30 minutes before serving. 

Notes: You can make your own self raising flour by mixing together in a bowl...  1 1/3 cups unbleached all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. 

With just a drizzle of berry syrup to add a summery touch. 


Hope everyone had a great weekend. After all the hot temperatures, some rain is coming our way. - JD 

Eggless Vanilla Cake

Itching to be creative inside the kitchen without any eggs had me making this gem. Neither too dense nor too fluffy, just sweet with a lovely caramel flavour. The cake slices beautifully with little to no crumbling. Canned peaches were used however if fresh are available I do recommend using those. 

Eggless Vanilla Cake

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2 1/2 cups all purpose flour or cake flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt 

2 tablespoons sugar, coconut, brown, or casters, your preference

1 can (300-400ml) sweetened condensed coconut milk or regular condensed milk

1 cup orange juice or water

2 tablespoons white vinegar

1 tablespoon caramel extract

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup vegetable oil or melted butter

Topping:

1 can of sliced peaches, drained

Preheat oven to 350ºF/180ºC. Lightly grease and flour a 9x13 baking tin and line with parchment paper.

In a large bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar.

Making a well in the centre of the dry ingredients; add the wet ingredients and whisk the ingredients together. No worries as a few lumps are fine. If using sweetened condensed coconut milk, empty contents of tin into a medium bowl and blend until relatively smooth.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking tin and smooth out evenly. Tap the pan to even  the batter out and break the air bubbles if there are any. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until lightly browned. When done transfer to a wire rack to cool. Remove from baking tin and place on a large serving plate and arrange the sliced peaches on top. You may also make a drizzle icing to drizzle over top of the cake, which is what I did. 

Notes: I baked the cake in a round cake tin therefore I had to adjust the baking time... allotting more time. There is a bit of wiggle room in regards to extracts and experimenting with different flavours may be interesting. Adding grated orange rind would reinforce the orange juice. 

If making this cake for Valentines Day you could try adding cocoa powder to the mixed dry ingredients, or chocolate chips, or add rose flavouring, or decorate with chocolate icing and edible rose petals.  

This is the sweetened condensed coconut milk I used. It is under the stated 300ml however it still worked. If anything it probably made the sweetness of the cake less pronounced, which isn't a bad thing.  

Outside 'n' Inside Cobbler Riddle

My son took to the kitchen and made this divine dessert from the Redwall cookbook by Brian Jacques. Of course I helped out... just a bit. It was a peach cobbler and we are still trying to figure out what the riddle could be. Other than the cobbler being gobbled quickly. Which really isn't a riddle but rather like a rhyme. Usually I tend to make more apple or rhubarb crisps. My son likes his cobbler. I wanted to take a picture of him in action however he declined. He can be very modest at most times that is when a camera is involved. 

Hope everyone had a lovely weekend. - JW