peach cake.

The majority of my friends, both near and far, need little excuse to cook, bake, and/or eat. So when a handful of us gather to watch Mad Men or Project Runway, the evening often involves food. Last week, C. hosted a lovely ladies' night: we shopped for, cooked, and ate dinner together. From the spoils of the farmers' market, there was zucchini soup (M.); eggplant parmesan featuring three colors of eggplant, homemade tomato sauce, and fresh mozzarella (C.); peach cake and peach crumble (me). There was also watermelon and feta salad (M.) and plentiful beer (B. and T.). It was, in short, a feast. It was also one of those evenings that makes me pause and think, I am so very fortunate.

*Thanks to M. for the majority of these pictures. Giving her free rein with my camera has great results.

The peach crumble (basic) and peach cake (simple) were to throw together on the road, so to speak. The cake would probably be good with a variety of other fruits; it's really just a simple cake that features the tasty peaches. Indeed, the original recipe calls for nectarines, one of my favorite fruits, but the first time I made this cake, the peaches looked too good to resist, and they kind of stuck. C.'s suggestion of lemon zest really brightened it up nicely. And it's very tasty with ice cream.


Peach Cake
adapted from Gourmet (September 2009)

1 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 stick (8 tbsp.) butter, softened
1/3 c. white sugar
1/3 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. almond
zest of 1 lemon
2 peaches, peeled, pitted, and sliced into 1/4-inch wedges


1. Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly butter a springform pan or a 9" round cake pan. (Either works.)

2. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in small bowl.

3. Beat butter and sugar in electric mixer until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each one, then beat in extracts and zest.

4. At low speed, mix in flour mixture until just combined.

5. Spread batter evenly in pan, then arrange peach slices on top in concentric circles.

6. Bake 45-50 mins., until cake is golden brown on top. Cool on wire rack; remove from pan after 10 mins. if using springform.