To many, summer is their favourite season because it means sunshine until 9pm, warm sticky days, sunbaking on the beach and lazy afternoons drinking beer with friends. These are the same exact reasons I love summer too but the main (and kind of pathetic) reason why I love it is because peaches are in season!!
The humble peach is one of my top three favourite fruits ever (with mango and watermelon rounding out the lucky selection) and the sheer love I have for peaches is quite ridiculous. I start anticipating their arrival in about December, like a little kid looking forward to Santa on Christmas Day, quietly hoping I see them each time I do my weekly market shopping. When I do see them, I squeal like a silly 13 year old girl and proceed to buy a few kilograms no matter how much they cost (a bit like how some girls splurge on shoes) (and yes, I know peaches are much cheaper than the latest Louboutins, but it’s the same principle: buy buy buy).
I love to eat peaches just as they are and yellow clingstone peaches are the perfect eating peach for me. Sweet, fragrant and slightly crunchy! Freestone peaches are better to use in cakes and sweets just because it is easier getting the pip out and usually the pinky tinge in the middle offers a pretty end result, especially for jam.
Today I am sharing a recipe that involves many delicious ingredients: peaches, almonds, yoghurt and cinnamon (oh yes). It is a really simple and versatile recipe as you could make it with any type of fruit you want and to be honest, it’s one of those “you can’t really stuff this up or else you’re an idiot” kind of cakes.
So, whether it be peaches or not, give this little beauty a spin. You won’t regret it, I promise! :)
Peach Almond Yoghurt Cake
100g unsalted butter, softened
100g caster sugar
100g brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs
200g natural yoghurt
100g self raising flour, sifted
200g almond meal
3 medium yellow peaches (about 400g), peeled, diced
Topping
50g flaked almonds
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 heaped tablespoon caster sugar
icing sugar, to dust
1. Preheat the oven to 175°C. Grease and line a 23 centimetre springform tin with non-stick baking paper (the easiest way to do this is to rip off a piece of baking paper that covers the base of your tin, then simply clip the ring directly over the base and paper and you’re good to go; no need to actually cut out a circle to fit!)
2. Beat butter, sugar and vanilla extract until very light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well between additions. Add the yoghurt and mix until just combined. Add the flour and almond meal and lightly mix.
3. Gently fold in the fruit and pour the batter into the prepared tin. Mix the topping ingredients in a small bowl and then sprinkle over the batter.
4. Bake for around 30 minutes, cover with foil and bake for a further 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
5. Allow the cake to cool in the tin and turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with icing sugar and serve. Amazing!
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