Fresh Peach Cake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...When seed crops here are cut, once green fields turn brown and the vibrant landscapes of spring and early summer nap, waiting for the drenching rains of fall to restore their verdant color. Fortunately, the late summer harvest brings a rainbow of color to the table and the vibrant hues of corn, tomatoes and peaches help brighten the monotony of the fallow landscape. Consciously or not, I'm drawn to their color and tend to overbuy produce with shades of red and gold. That, of course, means I'm always scrambling to use my purchases before they becomes fodder for the compost pile. This year, I went crazy with peaches, and despite canning and freezing quantities of them, I was still left with fruit that had to be eaten out of hand or used in baking. That led to a pie and a galette, and, for the first time, a trial of Ina Garten's Fresh Peach Cake. This is a wonderful snack cake that also works for breakfast or a brunch. The cake is moist and has a lovely crumb, but strangely enough, I found it lacking in fresh peach flavor. That is not the fault of the recipe and I attribute it to the peaches I was using. They seemed fine when eaten out of hand but they lost their oomph when baked. Next year, I'll try a different variety of peach to see if I can get better flavor. At any rate, I know you'll love this cake. I suspect that Ina fans have already made it, but I wanted to include her recipe for those of you who would like to give it a try. Here is how it is made.

Fresh Peach Cake...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Ina Garten

Ingredients:
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1-1/2 cups sugar, divided use
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup sour cream, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 large, ripe peaches, peeled, pitted, and sliced
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions:
1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease a 9-inch square baking pan.
2) Combine butter and 1 cup sugar in bowl of an electric mixer. Beat with paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. With mixer on low speed, add eggs, one at a time, beating just until incorporated. Add sour cream and vanilla and beat until batter is smooth.
3) Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a separate bowl. With mixer on low, slowly add dry ingredients to batter and mix just until combined.
4) Combine remaining 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon in another small bowl.
5) Spread half of batter evenly in pan. Top with half of peaches, then sprinkle with two-thirds of sugar mixture. Spread remaining batter on top, arrange remaining peaches on top, and sprinkle with remaining sugar mixture and pecans.
6) Bake cake for 45 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Serve warm or at room temperature. Yield: 8 servings.

If you have enjoyed your visit here, I hope you'll take a minute to...

      

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Quick Pickled Peaches

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The tablecloths are ironed and I've just finished seasoning a pork loin that is the size of a small pig. We are having guests for dinner tonight and the pork loin is going to be the centerpiece of our feast. In order to keep the kitchen reasonably clear of last minute activity, I'm going to use the outdoor grill and slowly spit roast the pork. I'll serve it with a sauce made from a spicy peach chutney that I prepared earlier in the week and I have pickled peach halves that I'm going to use as a garnish. Pickled peaches are not easy to find west of the Mississippi, so if you want them, they have to be special ordered or made at home. Peaches are still being harvested in Oregon and they have been especially flavorful this year. I thought they'd be perfect for both chutney and a quick pickle. I found a terrific recipe for pickled peaches in Alice Water's wonderful cookbook, Chez Panisse Fruit. Her pickles are quick and delicious. They are not processed and they are table ready in 24 hours. The recipe is easy to follow and the peaches are unbelievably good. They are perfect to serve with pork or game birds and I know that those of you who try them will really be pleased. Here's how they are made.

Pickled Peaches...from the kitchen ofOne Perfect Bite courtesy of Alice Water's

Ingredients:
3 peaches
2 cups water
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup red wine
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon peppercorns
4 cloves
2 allspice berries
1/2 stick cinnamon
1 bay leaf

Directions:
1) To peel peaches, lower them a few at a time into boiling water for a minute or so, and immediately refresh them in a bath of ice water. When cool, use a paring knife to remove skins, which should slide off easily. Cut peaches in half and remove pits.
2) To make pickling solution, combine water, vinegar, wine, honey, peppercorns, cloves, allspice, cinnamon and bay leaf in a heavy-bottomed pot or saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
3) To pickle peaches, add peach segments and cook just until tender, about 3 to 5 minutes. Test with a toothpick or tip of a sharp knife to make sure they are cooked through. They will turn brown if undercooked. Carefully remove peaches with a slotted spoon; they will be quite delicate. Let pickling mixture cool slightly and then strain over peaches. Cover and refrigerate overnight or for up to a week. Yield: 6 pickled peach halves.

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