Fabulous Summer Peach Cake

We wait all year for peach season, and invariably buy more peaches than we can eat. So what's a peach lover to do? Bake with them!

We found a summer peach cake recipe in our Cook's Illustrated Baking book and had to try it. The recipe uses a combination of roasted peaches and fresh for the best flavor and texture. This cake is tender and moist, with the peaches as the absolute star of the dish. We simplified some of the steps, and our version of their recipe is below.

This recipe serves 8-12 people and is great with some whipped cream or vanilla ice cream on the side. Refrigerate on the second day if you have any leftovers.

• If you've never roasted fruit, we highly recommend it. Roasting intensifies the flavor and adds a note of caramel to your dishes. Roasting is perfect for any summer fruit that is a little overripe and past its prime.
• We roasted a large batch of peaches and used them for homemade ice cream as well as this cake. The quick video below shows about 2 pounds of peaches that we kept in larger slices for roasting. We didn't bother with putting them in a bowl first, just sprinkled with sugar and squeezed some fresh lemon over it before roasting. We also baked in a ceramic dish, and had no issues getting it out, so feel free to substitute for a springform pan.
• The addition of panko crumbs to your roasted peach chunks helps soak up some of the juices to keep your cake from being soggy. We forgot this step, but the cake was fine without it. 

• 2-1/2 pounds peaches, pitted and cut into 1/2 inch-thick wedges
• 4 teaspoons lemon juice, divided
• 6 Tablespoons plus 1/3 cup granulated sugar, divided
• 1 cup (5 ounces, 125g) all purpose flour
• 1-1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 8 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1/4 cup sour cream, room temperature
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup panko bread crumbs finely crushed
• 9-inch springform pan or round ceramic dish

Roasting peaches

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425F degrees.
2. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with vegetable oil spray.
3. Place 18 large or 24 smaller peach wedges in a medium sized bowl and gently toss with 2 teaspoons lemon juice and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar; set aside for topping the cake.
4. Cut remaining peach wedges crosswise into thirds and place in a large bowl. Gently toss with 2 teaspoons lemon juice and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. Spread the peach chunks in single layer on prepared sheet and bake until juices begin to thicken and caramelize, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer sheet to wire rack and let peaches cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.

Cake

1. While peaches are roasting, melt butter in a microwave safe bowl and set aside to cool to room temperature.
2. Reduce oven temperature to 350F degrees and spray a 9-inch springform pan with vegetable oil spray.
3. In a small bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in bowl and set aside.
4. In your stand mixer fitted with SideSwipe, cream together brown sugar, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, and eggs until well combined, about 30 seconds.
5. With the mixer running on its slowest speed, drizzle in cooled butter.
6. Add sour cream and vanilla. Mix until incorporated.
7. Add flour mixture and mix on low until just combined. Do not overmix the batter. It's fine if a couple of streaks of flour are visible.
8. Transfer half of batter to prepared pan. Use an offset spatula to spread batter evenly in the pan.
9. Sprinkle crushed bread crumbs over the cooled peach chunks and gently toss to coat. Arrange peach chunks on batter in even layer, gently pressing peaches into batter.
10. Gently spread remaining batter over peach chunks and smooth the top. Arrange reserved peach wedges, slightly overlapped, in ring over surface of cake.
11. Sprinkle remaining 3 Tablespoons of sugar evenly over top of cake.
12. Bake until center of cake is set and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Transfer pan to wire rack; cool 5 minutes. Run paring knife around sides of cake to loosen. Remove cake from pan and let cool completely, 2 to 3 hours. Cut into wedges and serve.