A friend in London baked this cake for a tea party and I ate two slices before admitting I did not know what Amaretto was doing in a peach cake. Butter and caster sugar creamed together, eggs beaten in one at a time with a little flour, then the remaining self-raising flour, baking powder, and two tablespoons of Amaretto folded in. Poured into a cake tin. Sliced ripe peaches fanned on top. Demerara sugar and ground almonds scattered over the peaches. Baked at 180 degrees C (350 degrees F) for fifty minutes.
The Amaretto hides in the batter and gives the cake an almond warmth that the ground almonds on top echo from the outside. The peaches soften during baking and sink slightly into the sponge. The demerara sugar crunches on the surface. It is a cake that looks and tastes like it took hours but came together in twenty minutes.
Tips for Making Peach and Amaretto Crumble Cake
Cream the butter and sugar until pale
One hundred seventy grams each of butter and caster sugar, beaten for at least three minutes. The mixture should be light in colour and fluffy.
Under-creaming produces a dense, heavy cake. This step is where the lift comes from.
Arrange the peach slices carefully
Fan the sliced peaches over the top of the batter before adding the sugar and almond topping. Press them slightly into the surface.
Use ripe peaches that are firm enough to slice but soft enough to bend without snapping. Over-ripe peaches dissolve during baking.
Fresh Peach and Amaretto Crumble Cake
- Total Time: 110 minutes
- Yield: Serves 6-8
Description
A perfect summer peach is delicious on its own, but it becomes even better with the addition of Amaretto, butter, and sugar in this delightful crumble cake.
Ingredients
- 170g butter
- 170g caster sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 170g self-raising flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tbsp Amaretto
- 4 ripe peaches, sliced
- 50g demerara sugar
- 50g ground almonds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Cream the butter and caster sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, adding a little flour with each.
- Fold in the remaining flour, baking powder, and Amaretto.
- Pour the mixture into a greased and lined cake tin.
- Arrange the peach slices on top of the batter.
- Mix the demerara sugar and ground almonds and sprinkle over the peaches.
- Bake for 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow to cool slightly before serving.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 30
- Sodium: 150
- Fat: 18
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 5
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Amaretto?
An Italian almond-flavoured liqueur. Two tablespoons in the batter is subtle. You taste warmth and almond, not alcohol. Almond extract is a substitute, use one teaspoon.
What is demerara sugar?
A coarse, amber-coloured sugar with large crystals. It does not melt during baking and stays crunchy on the cake surface. Turbinado sugar is the closest substitute.
Can I use canned peaches?
Drain them well. Canned peaches are softer and sweeter than fresh. The cake will be slightly wetter. Fresh ripe peaches are better for this recipe.
