Peachy Sour Cream Coffee Cake
Submitted by marslynne
Peach sour cream coffee cake layers a tender sour cream batter with sliced fresh peaches and a brown sugar streusel top. Tangy, fruit-studded breakfast cake for summer.
YIELD
16 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
40 minREADY
60 minSour cream coffee cake is the gold standard for tender, moist breakfast cakes, and adding sliced fresh peaches takes it from good to summer-perfect. The sour cream’s acid reacts with baking soda for a fast, fluffy rise while the cultured fat keeps the crumb soft for days.
The streusel sandwich is the structural move that defines this cake. Half the cinnamon-sugar streusel goes on the batter first as a hidden layer, then the peaches arrange on top, and the rest of the streusel finishes the cake. Baking creates two distinct streusel zones: a buttery middle ribbon and a crackly, golden top.
Use ripe but firm peaches. Soft, mushy peaches release too much juice during baking and make the cake soggy underneath the topping. Slightly under-ripe stone fruit holds its shape and concentrates in flavor as it bakes.
Mix the batter only until the flour just disappears, with the mixer on its lowest speed. Coffee cakes turn tough fast if overmixed, since the high sugar and fat content normally tenderize the crumb only when gluten development stays minimal.
Pro Tips
- Peel the peaches by blanching: 30 seconds in boiling water, then cold ice bath, and the skins slip off cleanly.
- If using frozen peaches, thaw and pat dry before slicing. Frozen fruit weeps water that can pool in the cake.
- Cut butter into the streusel until pea-sized pieces remain, not fully blended. Distinct butter chunks are what make crumbs.
- Serve warm for the best texture. The cake firms up as it cools, but it shines fresh from the oven.
Variations
- Substitute fresh nectarines, plums, or apricots for the peaches.
- Add a half teaspoon of almond extract to the batter for stone-fruit affinity.
- Stir chopped pecans or sliced almonds into the streusel for crunch.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 350℉ (180℃). Grease and flour a 9 X 13 inch pan.
*Please note, I didn’t have light brown sugar in the house so I used dark brown.
Using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar. Add egg and sour cream, mix until blended.
Add flour, baking soda and salt; mix on lowest speed just until dry ingredients are incorporated. Spread batter in baking pan and set aside.
Prepare topping by combining sugars, flour and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or two knives until the mixture is crumbly.
Sprinkle half of the topping over the batter. Arrange sliced peaches decoratively over the top. Sprinkle the remaining topping over the peaches.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.
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