Summer Peach Cake

A perfect peach, like laughter, sex, and a long hot shower, makes my short list of one of the most pure, simple pleasures in life.  The season is so fleeting that when peach time comes, you can't help but savor it, bite into the fruit and let the juice drip down your chin, losing yourself in the peach experience, the very essence of peachness, and thinking about nothing else until you find yourself licking your sticky fingers afterwards. 

Although I appreciate and often prefer fruit in its unadulterated form, this peach cake was a slice (or four) of summer bliss. I pulled the cake out of the oven around 7:00 pm, letting it cool as we meandered down to the river. We came back, set ourselves down in the backyard with two forks, and although I commented that it was slightly undercooked (I love a little crispy crunchy crust to my desserts while Kent prefers the soft chewiness of slightly undercooked sweets), we proceeded to sample it...and then devour nearly the entire thing in one sitting. Just the two of us, plus a lovely chunk right out of the middle by our charming son. I finally caught a photo midway. We saved two hunks for breakfast, and as of 7:45 am the next day, the lovely peach cake is now just a fond memory. 

Here's hoping you are making some fond memories this summer.

Summer Peach Cake

From Food52 - what can I say? I'm on a kick. Although it immediately looked simple and delicious, I wanted to make this because I had the ingredients on hand, including some buttermilk and almond meal I wanted to use up. I'm not much for nutmeg, so this modified version cuts back on that. Feel free to review the original recipe here. 

3 ripe peaches, cut into bite-sized pieces

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 cup sugar

6 Tbls. softened butter

1 egg

1/2 c. buttermilk

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 tsp. almond extract

1 c. flour

1/2 c. almond flour, almond meal, or finely ground almonds

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9" cake pan. Toss the peaches with nutmeg and 2 Tbls. sugar. Set aside. 

Cream together butter and remaining sugar. Add egg, buttermilk, and extracts, stirring to combine. 

Combine dry ingredients. Add dry mixture to butter mixture, mix until smooth (some lumps may remain). Spread into pan. 

Press peaches into the top of the cake. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees, then reduce heat to 325 degrees and bake for an addition 45-55 minutes or until toothpick in center comes out clean.