Georgia Peaches-And-Cream Cake

Summer in Georgia, baked into a pan. This is part cobbler, part coffee cake: a bottom layer of fresh, juicy peaches under a tender sour cream cake, all crowned with a buttery cinnamon-brown sugar crumb.

The peaches get a quick precook with sugar, lemon, and a spoonful of quick tapioca, which thickens their juice so the cake bakes up over a glossy, set fruit layer instead of a soupy one.

Sour cream is the cake’s secret, with a little baking soda stirred in. Its acidity gives the crumb a soft, moist, almost velvety texture that holds up to all that fruit.

You spread the batter thin over the warm peaches, and don’t worry if a little fruit peeks through, then scatter the crumb topping over the top.

It bakes up with the peaches bubbling at the edges and a craggy, sweet-spiced crust. Serve it warm, maybe with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Chef Tips

• Precook the peaches with tapioca until the syrup bubbles; the tapioca sets the juices so the fruit layer isn’t watery.
• Stir the baking soda into the sour cream and let it stand; it activates and lightens the cake.
• Spread the batter thin and evenly over the warm peaches, and don’t fret if some fruit shows through.
• Test for doneness in the cake, not the fruit, since the bubbling peaches stay moist.

Variations

• Use nectarines, plums, or a mix of summer stone fruit.
• Add a handful of chopped pecans to the crumb topping.
• Frozen or canned peaches work out of season; drain them well first.