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July 17, 2017
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Grandma’s PEACH CAKE!

        GEORGIA PEACHES ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN THIS SUMMER. All of the extreme weather fluctuations in the state have severely affected their crop. And THE CALIFORNIA CROP IN MOST YEARS PAST HAS BEEN PRETTY DISAPPOINTING, mealy and not very flavorful. So, I expected that we were in for a peach drought up here. WHAT A SURPRISE! to find that THIS YEAR'S CROP, from California, WAS SO SWEET, JUICY AND SUPER PEACHY.
        With such great fruit to work with, I had no choice but to make a few peach recipes. With my first batch of the season, I ALWAYS HAVE TO MAKE MY GRANDMOTHER’S YUMMY PEACH CAKE. This recipe is all about the fruit. So only the best, most perfectly ripe peaches will do. You basically whip up a biscuit type dough—there’s no egg in this batter. Then you SIMPLY PRESS THE PEACH SLICES INTO IT . What you end up with is the MOST PEACHY flavored cake you’ll ever eat.
        You do need to peel them first. And, the easiest way to do that is to set a large pot of water to boiling, slip the fruit into the hot water and boil for about two minutes. Pull them out, let them cool a little, and the skins will easily pull right off.
        If you are lucky enough to come across some great peaches this summer, don’t hesitate, grab them and MAKE THIS CAKE!

LESSONS Learned:
1. You really need the best fruit. And frozen won’t work as well, because they get too watery.
2. Although it’s not necessary, I always line the bottom of the pan with parchment for easy removal. You could also use a 9 inch springform pan, or even a 9” square pan will do.
3. If you like, you can add about a half a cup of blueberries or raspberries to the peaches, but I never want to dilute their flavor.

GRANDMA’S PEACH CAKE
Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
2 1/2 cups peeled and sliced peaches, about 5
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
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2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups whole milk
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more to coat the pan

Make the cake:
        Liberally butter an 8” square baking dish with nonstick spray. If using, cut a square of parchment to fit the bottom and butter again. Place the baking rack in the center of the oven and preheat it to 350 degrees F.
        In a medium size bowl, combine the 1 Tablespoon of sugar and the cornstarch. Add the peaches, vanilla, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Toss to coat evenly. Set aside.
        In another medium size bowl, sift together the 1 cup sugar, flour, salt and baking powder. Add, the milk and the melted butter and stir until well combined and smooth.
        Pour the cake batter into prepared baking dish. Press about one-half to two-thirds of the sliced peaches down into the cake batter and then place the rest on top. Bake for 60-70 minutes until a toothpick place in the center comes out clean. The cake can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or will keep up to a week in the refrigerator.

Makes 8-12 servings.     YUM!

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