With peaches in full swing, I couldn't resist making this Peach Crumb Coffee Cake. A simple to make sour cream coffee cake, topped with an uncooked peach filling and finished with loads of crumbs, this is great any time of the day.
The thick layer of peach filling requires no cooking because it is set with Instant Clear jel, although I have given alternatives if you don't have this. But I can't say enough good things about it. It will thicken without heat, just by mixing it with sugar and fruit. It is so much easier than fussing with a cooked filling which changes the taste of the fruit.
The brown sugar crumbs are easy to make in a matter of minutes and are the perfect topping for the peaches.
If you haven't tried one or two of these coffee cakes they're worth your time: Blueberry Crumb Coffee Cake, Easily Made Raspberry Ripple Coffee Cake, Cuccidati Coffee Cake or the Irish Apple Cake.
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What kind of peaches to use
As long as they are fresh and ripe it doesn't make a difference. However, I do suggest the yellow and not the white peaches so they show up.
There are two basic types of peaches - cling stone peaches and free stone peaches. They are exactly what they sound like. With the cling stone peaches the peach pit or stone is firmly attached to the flesh of the peach and is harder to remove. With the free stone peach the pit is easy to remove. For indepth information on peaches, see my post, All About Peaches.
Do I have to peel the peaches?
Technically, you need to remove the fuzzy skin but there is an easy way to do it. Peeling the peaches takes some of the flesh with it. I like to use every bit of the flesh so I use a second method which keeps the fruit intact, is easier and faster. Simply bring a pot of water to a boil, add the peaches and boil for a minute or so until the skin loosens. Run under cold water and the skins just slip off. The one caveat is the peaches have to be ripe.
Why you want to make this
- It has lots of crumbs - isn't that why most of us eat anything with crumbs?
- Although it has 3 parts to the recipe, each one is a snap to make and takes almost no time at all.
- Sour cream coffee cakes are the best. They start moist and stay that way.
- The peach filling is on top of the cake so it doesn't get lost in the batter.
- I made sure to put lots of crumbs on top to ensure every bite is filled with them.
Recipe Ingredients
Brown Sugar Crumbs
FRONT ROW: Salt, cinnamon
MIDDLE ROW: Unsalted butter
BACK ROW: Cake flour, dark brown sugar
Peach Filling
FRONT ROW: Instant clearjel, white balsamic vinegar, almond extract
BACK ROW: Peaches, granulated sugar
Sour Cream Coffee Cake
FRONT ROW: Table salt, baking powder, baking soda, vanilla extract
MIDDLE ROW: Unsalted butter, eggs
BACK ROW: Sour cream, all-purpose flour, granulated sugar
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients & instructions.
Key Ingredients
- The brown sugar can be light or dark. I use dark because it imparts more flavor.
- Any peach will do as long as it is ripe and preferably yellow not white so it show up in the coffee cake
- Korintji cinnamon is my cinnamon of choice for it's bold flavor.
- The white balsamic vinegar gives a lift to the peaches adding a hint of sharpness.
- While almond extract is used, vanilla can be substituted if almond is a problem.
- Unsalted butter is used for purity of taste.
- Sour cream is a great tenderizer when used in cakes as well as adding flavor. It should be at room temperature.
- The eggs and sour cream must be at room temperature.
- Cake flour is used for the crumbs to make them more tender. All-purpose can be substituted if desired.
Step by Step Instructions
Spray a 9x3" cheesecake pan with a removable bottom or a springform pan with a non-stick baking release. Set aside.
The butter should be very soft, about 74°F and the eggs and sour cream should be room temperature for this method to work well.
Step 1. Place the dry ingredients for the brown sugar crumbs in the bowl of a processor. Step 2. Pulse to form crumbs and pour them into a bowl. Refrigerate until needed. Step 3. Remove the skin of the peaches either by peeling them, or better, blanching them in boiling water. After a minute or two, run one under cold water to see if the skin slips off easily. If so, remove all of them and run under cold water. Remove the skins and pits or stones. Cut the peaches into ½" dice. Step 4. Place the peaches in a bowl. Combine the instant clearjel and sugar. Add it to the bowl of peaches. See the notes in the recipe card for thickening substitutions.
Step 5. Stir well. They will gel almost immediately. Set aside. Step 6. Place the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla in the bowl of a mixer. Step 7. Beat on medium high until the mixture comes together smoothly. It will most likely curdle. That's fine - it will be corrected in the next step. Step 8. Alternated adding the flour and sour cream starting and ending with the flour. Add the first of 3 additions of flour to the curdled batter. Beat until smooth.
Step 9. Mix in half of the sour cream. Repeat adding another third of the flour, the remainder of the sour cream and the last of the flour. The batter will be very thick. Step 10. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth it out. Step 11. Add the peach filling on top of the batter to within ½" of the edge of the pan. Step. 12. Top with all of the crumbs, breaking them up with your hand if they are a bit stuck together. Bake as directed.
Recipe FAQS
Coffee cakes are usually one layer cakes without or without a filling, often topped with crumbs or streusel. They are eaten at breakfast, brunch and for snacking. They are not usually served for dessert. While they can be leavened with yeast, they most often use baking powder or baking soda in America.
Coffee cakes are attributed to Germany where they were called "Kaffee kuchen". However the Danish took it to a new level with designated coffee breaks becoming common. These immigrants brought their recipes with them and the coffee cakes became even more diverse and beloved.
No, they are usually simple cakes leavened with baking powder or baking soda that are easily put together. The yeasted version can take longer due to the dough having to rise a couple of times, but neither is particularly difficult.
Expert Tips
- For this mixing method to work it is necessary for the butter to be very soft, about 74° F and the eggs and sour cream need to be at room temperature.
- When making the crumbs, do not over process the ingredients or they will become a paste. Just pulse and scrape down as necessary. Refrigerate them while completing the recipe.
- Cut the peaches into about ½" dice so the peaches remain front and center in the cake. You need about 2 ½ cups.
- Keep the peaches to within ½" of the edge of the pan for the best looking cake when cut.
- When alternating the flour and sour cream always start and end with the flour to prevent curdling.
- Tent the crumbs on top towards the end of baking or they will get too brown.
More great quick cakes
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Peach Crumb Coffee Cake
Equipment
- 9 x 3" cheesecake or springform pan.
Ingredients
Brown Sugar Crumbs
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, cold (170 grams or 1 ½ sticks)
- 2 ¼ cups cake flour (280 grams)
- 1 cup packed brown sugar (200 grams)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon table salt
Peach Filling
- 1 ¼ pounds ripe peaches (570 grams)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar (65 grams)
- 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons instant clearjel
- 2 teaspoons white balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
Sour Cream Coffee Cake - it is important to have the eggs and sour cream at room temperature.
- 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour (240 grams)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened to 75° F (114 grams)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar (150 grams)
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup sour cream (225 grams) room temperature
Instructions
Brown Sugar Crumbs
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9x3" cheesecake or springform pan with a non-stick baking release. Set aside.
- Cut the refrigerator cold butter into 8 pieces and cut those in half again for 16 pieces if using the processor. If using the mixer the butter must be very soft - around 74°f.
- Combine the cake flour, brown sugar cinnamon and table salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse several times to mix well.
- Add the cut up butter and pulse the processor to combine the dry ingredients and butter into large crumbs. Scrape down often. Pour into a bowl and refrigerate while preparing the remainder of the recipe.
- To make the crumbs in a mixer, soften the butter. Combine the dry ingredients and mix briefly. Add the butter and mix on low until large crumbs for. Do not over mix or you will end up with a paste. Refrigerate while finishing.
Peach Filling
- Bring enough water to a boil to cover the peaches by several inches. After the water is at a rolling boil, add as many peaches as you can and let them boil for a minute or two. Remove one with a slotted spoon and run under cold water. The skin should be easily removed with no excess flesh clinging to it. If it does not, return it to the boiling water for another minute or so. Remove all the peaches, run under cold water and remove the skin with your fingers. See my post, "All About Peaches" for a complete tutorial on this method.
- Cut the peaches in half and remove the pits or stones. Cut the peaches in ½" dice. There should be about 2 ½ cups peaches .Place in a bowl.
- Combine the sugar and clearjel, mixing well. Add it to the peaches and stir to coat all of them. There should be no sugar mixture showing. Set aside.
Sour Cream Coffee Cake - it is important to have the butter very soft, around 74°F, and the eggs and sour cream at room temperature.
- Whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and table salt in a bowl. Set aside.
- Place the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla in the bowl of a mixer. Beat on medium until smooth. The mixture may curdle but that is fine, it will be fixed in the next step.
- Alternate adding the flour and sour cream to the batter one at a time starting and ending with the flour, I usually do 3 flours and 2 sour creams. The batter will be very thick.
- Place in the prepared baking pan and smooth out so it is flat.
- Add the peach filling to within ½" of the edge of the pan.
- Top with all of the brown sugar crumbs. Place it on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Place it in the preheated oven and bake for 70 to 80 minutes. Tent the coffee cake when the crumbs start browning too much. A cake tester should come out with no cake on it. It may have the peach filling on it since it will stay soft.
- Cool completely in the pan. Remove the rim. If using a cheese cake pan, see the Chocolate Strawberry Mousse Torte for the full instructions on easily removing the rim.
- This can be kept for 2 days at room temperature and then refrigerate the remainder. Serve at room temperature.
Notes
Nutrition
Jeanie says
Looks good and I'm thinking about substituting a different fruit.
Patti says
Looks yummy
Elsa says
There should be a step with how long to bake this. Or is it 1 hour and 20 mins? This seems a bit long.
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Elsa - This is a very deep cake and that's how long it took.