Simple, rustic, and a little unexpected, my Maryland Peach Cake recipe features one of summer's best fruits surrounded by a yeasty crust. The fresh flavor of the peaches contrasts beautifully with the sweet dough, and it all comes together with a delicate vanilla glaze. Be sure to watch the how-to video!
Heat milk (either in a microwave-safe dish or in a small saucepan) until it is between 115-120F (46-48C). Always stir before checking the temperature.
1 cup milk
Pour milk into a large mixing bowl and then sprinkle yeast over top. Take a large pinch of sugar (about 1 teaspoon) and sprinkle that in as well to help the yeast grow quickly. Let sit for 5-10 minutes or until yeast has bloomed/is foamy (if it does not become foamy you will need to start over).
2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast, 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
Once yeast is foamy, add sugars, salt, egg, and melted butter and stir until well-combined
2 Tablespoons light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon table salt, 1 large egg, 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
Gradually add flour until dough is completely combined. Kneading is not required, just mix until you have dough that is well-combined.
3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
Transfer dough to a large, lightly oiled bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap or a clean towel. Place in a warm, draft-free place and allow to rise until doubled in size (typically 1-2 hours for me).
Once dough has risen, lightly grease a jelly roll pan (I lightly grease with a bit of butter). Turn dough out into pan and use a spatula to spread the dough over the pan, pushing the dough up the sides of the pan to form a ridge that’s about ½”- 1” (1.25-2.5cm) thick. If you need to use your fingers to manipulate the dough, it will help to lightly dust them with flour first.
Cover dough and let rise for 20-30 minutes or until increased in size by approximately 50%. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375F (190C) and slice your peaches, if you haven’t already and prepare your egg wash by whisking together egg and 1 teaspoon water.
1 large egg, 1 teaspoon water
Assembly
Once dough has risen again, layer your peaches evenly onto the cake within the ridge, slightly overlapping them and gently pressing them into the dough. You should be able to fit 3 long rows of peach slices.
1 ¾ lbs peaches²
Use a pastry brush to lightly but thoroughly brush the ridge of the cake with egg wash and sprinkle the ridge with granulated sugar, if desired.
2 Tablespoons Coarse granulated sugar for sprinkling
Transfer to 375F (190C) oven and bake for 17-20 minutes. If you used the egg wash, your edges will be a beautiful golden brown.
Glaze
While cake is still warm, prepare glaze by whisking together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract. If your glaze is too thick, add another splash of milk, and if it’s too thin add a bit more sugar. The glaze should fall in a ribbon from your whisk when the whisk is lifted out of the bowl.
½ cup powdered sugar, 1 Tablespoon milk, ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Drizzle glaze over warm cake.
Serve warm or allow to cool before slicing. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
¹Substituting instant yeast:You can substitute instant yeast, though I prefer the results when making with active dry. To make with instant yeast, stir together yeast, sugars, salt, and about half of the flour. Add warm milk and stir well. Stir in egg and butter and then gradually stir in remaining flour until dough is completely combined. Proceed with the recipe as written (from step 5). Dough may not take as long to rise this way.²Peaches:Fresh peaches are best. The riper they are the more flavorful your cake will be, but if they’re too soft they’ll be difficult to slice. Frozen peaches may be used but often don’t have the best flavor. I recommend thawing and patting dry before using. I do not peel my peaches and prefer the look of the cake with the peel intact, but feel free to peel yours before slicing if you prefer.³Storing:Cover peach cake and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If left out of the refrigerator, it is prone to becoming moldy quickly, and when stored longer than 3 days it can become soggy. This cake can be frozen.