Fresh Peach Cake

This easy recipe for fresh peach cake is a wonderful way to showcase sweet peaches when they’re in season. Soft and tender with a creamy crumb, and featuring 2 layers of juicy peaches for extra peach flavor in every bite, this cake needs no topping or decorating (though a dusting of powdered sugar is always welcome). It’s the perfect treat to enjoy on a porch swing with a glass of iced tea—or wherever you find summertime bliss.

Ingredients

• 1 and 1/2 cups (188g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (120ml) oil (olive oil, vegetable oil, or melted coconut oil)
• 2/3 cup (133g) granulated sugar, plus 1 Tablespoon for the peaches
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup (180g) plain Greek yogurt, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 2 cups (about 320g) sliced fresh peaches (peeled or unpeeled, about 3 peaches)
• optional: 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• optional: confectioners’ sugar for topping

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and grease a 9-inch springform pan.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together until combined. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk the oil, 2/3 cup (133g) sugar, eggs, yogurt, vanilla and almond extracts, lemon juice, and lemon zest together until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until combined. Batter is creamy and slightly thick. You will have just over 3 cups of batter.
4. In a medium bowl, toss the peach slices with 1 Tablespoon of sugar to coat. Divide in half, moving half of the peaches to another bowl. Add cinnamon to one half of the peaches and gently stir to coat. The cinnamon is optional. You could also toss ALL of the peaches in the cinnamon; I like to toss only half so the center of the cake has plenty of cinnamon swirls.
5. Pour and spread half the batter (just eyeball it) into the prepared pan. Place the cinnamon-sugared peaches in an even layer on top. Spread the remaining batter on top of the cinnamon peach layer. Place remaining sugared peaches on top.
6. Bake for 50–55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Around the 30-minute mark, loosely tent with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning.
7. Remove the cake from the oven and set the pan on a wire rack. Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing, or cool completely. Dust with confectioners’ sugar, if desired, before serving.
8. Cover leftovers and store at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If you topped with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar, note that the sugar will melt and disappear into the cake after a few hours