Add ripe peaches to cake and problems abound: All the juice makes for a soggy cake and their delicate flavor gets lost.
Roasting the peaches — and tossing them with peach schnapps — concentrated their flavor and expelled moisture. However, the peaches became swathed in a flavorful but gooey film when cooked.
Coating our roasted peaches in panko bread crumbs ensured the film was absorbed by the crumbs, which then dissolved into the cake. Peach slices and a sprinkling of almond sugar gave the cake a beautiful finish.
To crush the panko, place the crumbs in a zipper-lock bag and smash with a rolling pin. Orange liqueur can be substituted for the schnapps. If using farm-fresh peaches, omit the schnapps.
SUMMER PEACH CAKE
Servings: 8-10
Start to finish: 1 hour and 40 minutes, plus 2 hours to cool
Peaches:
2 1/2 pounds peaches, peeled, halved, pitted, and cut into 1/2-inch wedges
5 tablespoons peach schnapps
4 teaspoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
Cake:
1 cup (5 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup packed (3 1/2 ounces) light brown sugar
1/3 cup (2 1/3 ounces) plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/8 teaspoon almond extract
1/3 cup panko bread crumbs, crushed fine
Nutrition information per serving: 270 calories; 99 calories from fat; 11 g fat (7 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 70 mg cholesterol; 268 mg sodium; 37 g carbohydrate; 1 g fiber; 25 g sugar; 3 g protein.
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