Bears and Peaches in the Rocky Mountains
Life in the Colorado mountains is anything but ordinary, and this summer has been full of surprises. From the adorable chipmunks and foxes that bring smiles to our faces to the unforgettable moment when a seven-foot cinnamon bear, with her tiny cub in tow, knocked on our glass front door today, life here is a constant reminder of the wild beauty surrounding us. As we embrace these encounters with nature, we also relish the season’s bounty, like the juicy Palisade peaches that inspire new culinary adventures every year. This summer, I used some local stone fruit to make this delicious Peach Tea Cake.
A Time for Nature
I love looking out my kitchen window as I’m baking to see the wildlife—it’s magical. We consider it a privilege to witness nature in full bloom, and even though these Teddy bears came a little too close for comfort, they come with the territory of living in the mountains, and we cherish the visits. So in this lovely setting, I pitted and sliced the peaches and thoroughly enjoyed my day of baking, and I was thrilled with how gorgeous and yummy the Peach Tea Cake turned out.
Baking Tips for the Perfect Peach Tea Cake
When baking, especially a large cake with many steps, I highly recommend measuring everything out before getting started. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been in the middle of baking a cake and forgotten a critical ingredient because I was distracted by something. This cake also has a long baking time of about 1-1/2 hours, so be sure you have the time – it is well worth the effort!
Peach Tea Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1½ cups sugar
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour plus 2 tablespoons to dust the peaches
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
- 3 peaches skin removed, diced, and tossed with some lemon juice to stop any browning
- 1 peach sliced with skin on to decorate
- Streusel mix - recipe below
- Optional: 2 tablespoons apricot or peach jam
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Butter and flour a 10-inch angel food cake or Bundt pan
- Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Using a mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add the sour cream and vanilla, mixing until fully combined.
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter and sugar mixture, mixing until the dry ingredients are fully incorporated.
- Pat the peach slices dry with a paper towel to reduce excess moisture. Toss them with 2 tablespoons of flour and gently fold them into the cake batter.
- Spoon about half of the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle a generous layer of streusel crumble on top of the batter. Spoon the remaining batter over the streusel layer and smooth the top with the back of a spoon.
- Place the cake in the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 350°F. Bake for 45 minutes.
- While the cake is baking, slice the remaining peach into 8-10 slices, sprinkle them with the juice of ½ a lemon, and set aside.
- After 45 minutes of baking, the cake should just begin to brown. Carefully open the oven and gently pull out the oven rack slightly to arrange the peach slices on top of the cake. Be cautious not to move the cake too much, as this may cause it to fall.
- After arranging the peach slices, slide the cake back into the oven, reduce the temperature to 325°F, and bake for an additional 45 minutes. If the top of the cake begins to brown too quickly, cover it with foil.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely on a rack before removing it from the pan.
- To remove the cake from the pan, place a plate or rack over the top of the pan, then flip the pan over while holding the plate/rack in place. The cake should release easily. Flip the cake right side up onto another plate.
- Microwave the jam for a few seconds and brush it over the peach slices to give them a glossy finish.
- Notes:
Notes
- To peel the peaches, score them from top to bottom with a sharp knife. Dip them into a pot of boiling water for 3-5 minutes, just until the peel begins to separate from the flesh. Remove the peaches from the hot water and run them under cold water to cool. Once they are cool, the skin should peel off easily.
- This cake freezes very well if you have leftovers.
Peach Tea Cake Streusel
Ingredients
- â…“ cup brown sugar
- â…“ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1
- â…› teaspoon salt
- ½ cup 1 stick butter, melted
- 1 cups flour
- ¼ cup almond flour
Instructions
- Place the sugars, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl.
- Pour the melted butter over the sugar mixture and stir until the sugars begin to dissolve.
- Stir in the flours all at once with the butter/sugar mixture until all of the ingredients are combined.
- Let the streusel sit for 10 minutes, and then, using your fingers, break it up so that it is a pea-sized crumble.
- Note: This recipe makes enough streusel to sprinkle another layer on the top of the cake before baking. I like just the one layer so I either make a half recipe or I freeze what is left over).
Enjoy!
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