Just Peachy: Peach Streusel Cake

As faithful readers know well by now, TRB is a Food Network fanatic. As in – not just A fan, but THE fan. It’s pretty much the only channel TRB watches (besides sister-network, Cooking Channel). Truth be told, not much excites TRB like coming home to find the next issue of Food Network Magazine in the mailbox.

That brings us to the fabulous June issue, which features seasonal desserts from none other than Food Network star, Ina Garten, aka the Barefoot Contessa. Among them: Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp, Eton Mess, and this post’s shining star, Fresh Peach Cake.

Now, follow along here: TRB‘s not a huge fan of rhubarb, so making that recipe was kinda out of the question, even though, crisps are something she does well. Eton Mess sounded, well, like a mess, so that one was out of the question too. But there was something enticing about the Fresh Peach Cake, although, TRB honestly could not remember the last time she ate a fresh peach. (Seriously. Generally, not a favorite). In the spirit of baking with seasonal ingredients, though, she gave it a whirl and the results were fantastic.


You’ll notice that Ina calls hers a “Fresh Peach Cake,” but TRB wanted to draw attention to the cinnamon sugar mixture, which plays such a big role in this recipe. Admittedly, it’s not quite a streusel, as that generally contains nuts — (so does Ina’s recipe, by the way, but TRB eliminated them as a food allergy precaution in this case). At any rate, we think this title does the cake more justice because when the cinnamon sugar bakes into the cake, it gives it a slightly crunchy texture that balances out the soft peaches. Sour cream is the other key player in this recipe, making the cake extremely rich and moist. To sum it up: You’ll totally forget that there are peaches in here – if you want to.

The best part? As Ina would say, it’s ridiculously easy to make.

Peach Streusel Cake
(Inspired by Ina Garten and Food Network Magazine)
1 stick unsalted butter
1 and 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs at room temperature
1 cup sour cream at room temperature (TRB used an 8oz. container of Daisy Sour Cream)
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
4 medium peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8×8-inch baking pan.

2. Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and 1 cup of granulated sugar for 3-to-5 minutes at medium-high speed, until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time with the mixer on low,  then add the sour cream and vanilla, and mix until the batter is smooth.

3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the batter until just combined. In a small bowl, mix the remaining granulated sugar with the cinnamon.

4. Spread half the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Top with half of the peaches and sprinkle with two-thirds of the sugar mixture. Spread the remaining batter on top, arrange the remaining peaches and sprinkle with the rest of the sugar.

5. Bake for 45-to-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Did you try this recipe? Post a comment below and let us know what you think!