Peach and Blueberry Cake
This cake is the perfect summer dessert. It is moist and filled with the fruits of summer. It also travels well, so you can box it up and take it along to the park for a picnic or to a cookout.
The cake is pretty simple to make. The batter can be mixed by hand- no need for long beating times or for getting out the mixer. In the time it takes to preheat the oven, you can have the cake ready to bake.
The batter and fruit are layered in the pan, along with the cinnamon sugar.
I added a citrus/powdered sugar glaze, once the cake was cooled, but it is optional.
So here is the recipe.
Peach and Blueberry Cake
1 c. oil, I used avocado oil
4 eggs
1 t. vanilla
1/3 c. lime juice- you can use lemon, instead
3 c. flour
2 c. sugar
3 t. baking powder
¼ t. salt
2 medium peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced
1½ c. blueberries- fresh or frozen
½ c. sugar
2 t. cinnamon
Glaze:
1 c. powdered sugar
1 t. lemon zest
2 T. lime juice- or enough to make glaze of pouring consistency.
Grease a 9×13 inch pan. Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Combine oil, eggs, vanilla and juice. Stir until smooth. Set aside. In medium bowl combine flour, 2 cups of sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir to combine dry ingredients, then add the oil/egg mixture. Stir until batter is smooth. It will be thick. Place ½ of batter in prepared pan. Arrange peach slices on batter and top with the blueberries. Combine the ½ cup of sugar with the cinnamon. Sprinkle on ½ of the cinnamon mixture. Pour on remaining batter and sprinkle with remaining sugar mixture. Bake 45 minutes, or until cake tests done. Cool. Serve the cake as is, or make the citrus glaze and drizzle it over cooled cake. Serves 12.
Peach Streusel Muffins
I can’t get enough of peaches these days. I have been eating them fresh, making preserves, freezing peaches and cooking with them. This recipe is one of my favorites.
I hadn’t made them in a long time, so I decided today was the day. Now I remember why I liked them so much. Perfect crumbly texture, not too sweet, and that streusel topping.
They can be for more than breakfast, too. Split, topped with sweetened fruit and ice cream, these muffins make a great “shortcake” dessert.
While they are really great warm from the oven, these muffins are still fine the next day, or even the day after that, assuming they last that long. They freeze, well, too.
Peach Streusel Muffins
Streusel topping:
1/3 c. flour
1/3 c. brown sugar
½ t. nutmeg
4 T. cold butter
Batter:
2 c. flour
½ c. sugar
¼ c. brown sugar
1 T. baking powder
1 t. cinnamon
½ t. nutmeg
½ t. salt
½ c. cold butter- 1 stick
2 eggs
¾ c. half and half or buttermilk
1 t. vanilla
1 c. finely chopped fresh peaches, about 1 large
½ c. finely chopped pecans, optional
Heat oven to 375. Line 15 muffin tins with paper liners or grease them. Set aside. Make streusel by mixing together flour, sugar and nutmeg in a small bowl. Use your fingers, or a pastry blender, to cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside. Make batter: In medium bowl combine flour with sugars and other dry ingredients. Mix well. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In small bowl beat eggs and add half and half and vanilla. Stir into flour mixture and fold in until just mixed. Mixture will look lumpy. Fold in peaches and nuts, if using. Scoop batter into prepared tins, filling about ¾ full. I get more than 12 from this recipe- normally about15, but it depends on how full you fill them. Sprinkle the tops with streusel. Place muffin tins on a baking sheet and bake for 20 or until golden brown. Cool a little before serving, if you can wait.
