Peach Coffee Cake

At a glance

What stands out: From-scratch peach coffee cake, spiced with cinnamon and ginger, is reliable with a cup of coffee or tea. Make it with canned, frozen or fresh peaches or any kind of fruit you have on hand. Straightforward and rich!

How long it takes: 15 minutes to prep, 35 minutes in the oven.
Equipment you’ll need: mixing bowl, electric mixer, 8 x 8 inch baking pan
Servings: 9

This coffee cake is a must-try! We usually make this peach coffee cake with canned or frozen peaches but fresh peaches are always an option especially when they are in season. (One advantage of using canned or frozen peaches is that you don’t have to peel them first.)

You’ll love this peach coffee cake because it’s rich and it’s straightforward to mix. You can add a streusel or cinnamon sugar topping. Drizzle it with icing if you want. Try it with ice cream, or whipped cream. A dollop of lightly sweetened Greek yogurt is great, too.

And don’t forget to make coffee! Or tea, if that’s more your thing.

From-scratch Peach Coffee Cake

Tried and true recipe. This recipe has been in our family for a few generations. We believe it’s loosely adapted from an old Betty Crocker cookbook. We also tested it several times in our kitchen with lots of variations before posting this recipe to make sure it will always turn out evenly for you.

Perfectly sized. This coffee cake recipe makes an 8 x 8 inch cake which is just the right size for sharing with a couple of friends over a cup of coffee. It’s best when it’s warm (although it’s not bad the next day either!) so a smaller sized cake is all you need.

Versatile. You can substitute other fruit if you like. Blueberries (fresh or frozen) are a favorite of ours but keep reading for more ideas. The coffee cake can be made with whole wheat flour (or a combination of whole wheat and all-purpose flour). You can add different spices, if you like. The cake can be gussied up with toppings. (The photos show a cinnamon topping with icing.)

What goes in

As always, look for the printable recipe card below which has exact measurements, instructions, and nutrition information.

• Peaches: Fresh, frozen, canned, it doesn’t matter. You’ll need one can or about 2 fresh peaches.
• All-Purpose Flour, Sugar, Baking Powder, Salt: Everyday items that we're sure you already have in your pantry.
• Cinnamon and Ginger: Warm spices that complement the peaches (and your coffee).
• Egg, Butter, Milk: Make sure the butter is softened (room temperature) before you begin making the cake. Take it out of the fridge an hour or two ahead of time. While you’re at it, take an egg out too. Room temperature eggs produce a lighter textured cake.
• Vanilla Extract: For best flavor, be sure to use pure vanilla, not imitation vanilla.

How it comes together

Get ready. Preheat the oven and spray a baking pan with nonstick spray, or grease it with butter or shortening. Gather the ingredients so everything you need is at hand.

Mix dry ingredients. In a medium size mixing bowl, measure out the flour. Remove 2 tablespoons of flour to mix with the peaches (in the next step). Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and ginger.

Prep peaches. Cut the peaches into small pieces. (If the peaches are fresh, peel them first.) In a small bowl, toss the pieces with the reserved 2 tablespoons of flour before you mix the rest of the ingredients.

Beat butter and sugar. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar. You can use an electric mixer or do it by hand. The mixture should be light and creamy.

Add eggs, milk, and vanilla. Beat well until completely blended.

Combine. Mix the dry ingredients into the butter mixture. Stir just until blended. Fold in the peaches. Evenly spread cake batter into prepared pan. Add a cinnamon or streusel topping, if you like. (The photos show a cinnamon topping. An icing drizzle is added after baking. )

Bake. Put the pan into the preheated oven on a center rack. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until cake is lightly browned, set in the middle, and toothpick inserted in center of coffee cake comes out clean or with a few crumbs.

Serve. Cool the coffee cake for 15 minutes before cutting into squares and serving warm. If you prefer, it can be cooled completely and served at room temperature.

Ways to change it

• Use fresh, canned, or frozen peaches. Canned or frozen peaches save a lot of time and they taste just as good as fresh in this cake. You can always have them on hand. Canned or frozen peaches work great for peach crumble or peach blueberry crisp, too.
• Try other fruits. Blueberries (fresh or frozen), apples, apricots, plums, raspberries, blackberries, or nectarines are good choices. If you’re a fan of rhubarb, try our rhubarb coffee cake with streusel topping. This pumpkin dump cake is similar to a coffee cake and is popular in the fall.
• Substitute whole wheat flour for half or all of the all-purpose flour.
• Experiment with spices. Add more cinnamon, skip the ginger, or add a pinch of nutmeg, allspice, or cardamom.
• Looking for a faster alternative for breakfast? Try our peach pancakes. If you have extra peaches, be sure to top the pancakes with straightforward peach sauce.

Troubleshooting: Dry Cake

• Inaccurate flour measurement: If you find that your cakes turn out too dry, the culprit is usually too much flour. Follow the recipe carefully and measure your flour accurately. Use a measuring cup for dry ingredients, not liquid. Always use a spoon to scoop the flour out of the canister or bag into the measuring cup.
• Overbaking: A cake that’s been baked too long can be dry. Always preheat the oven before putting the cake in. We often test the cake 5 minutes or so before the timer goes off. Insert a toothpick near the center of the cake. If it comes out clean or with a crumb or two attached, it’s done.

Keeping leftovers

Coffee cake is best eaten fresh but if you have cake left, cover it tightly and store at room temperature for up to two days, or in the fridge for up to five days. It can be frozen for a month. Thaw for an hour or two before serving.

• Yield: 9
• Prep: 15 minutes
• Cook: 35 minutes
• Total: 50 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 can (15 ounces) sliced peaches (fresh or frozen peaches can be used, see note)
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• ½ cup milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Method

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly spray an 8 x 8 inch baking pan with cooking spray.
2. Drain the peaches well; cut the slices into small pieces, about ½ inch. You should have a generous cupful. Put the cut-up peaches into a small bowl.
3. In a medium bowl, measure out 1 ½ cups flour. Remove 2 tablespoons of the flour and mix it in with the peaches. (The flour helps to keep the peaches from sinking to the bottom of the cake.) Set the peaches aside.
4. To the bowl with the flour, add the baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and ginger. Whisk together; set aside.
5. In a medium bowl, cream the butter and sugar until blended and smooth. We recommend using an electric mixer but it can be done by hand, too.
6. Add the egg, milk, and vanilla extract; mix in completely. Stir in the dry ingredients until just combined.
7. Fold the peaches into the batter.
8. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. If desired, add brown sugar topping or streusel (see notes).
9. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs clinging. Cool on a wire rack.
10. Cut into squares when ready to serve. Cake can be served warm or at room temperature.

Notes

Fresh or frozen peaches: If you have fresh peaches, you’ll need about 2 peaches, depending on the size. Peel the peaches and cut them into small pieces, about ½ inch. You should have 1 to 2 cups of cut-up peaches. Frozen peaches are fine, too, although you may have to add a few more minutes to the baking time.

Try other fruits: Blueberries, apples, apricots, plums, or nectarines can be substituted for the peaches.

Cinnamon topping: In a small bowl, mix together ½ cup packed brown sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Sprinkle evenly over batter before baking.

Streusel: In a medium bowl, mix together ½ cup sugar, ⅓ cup all purpose flour, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ cup softened butter until well blended. Sprinkle evenly over cake batter before baking.

Icing drizzle: In a small bowl, combine 1 cup powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon milk. Adjust consistency if necessary by adding more powdered sugar or milk. Drizzle over baked cake.