Fabulously light and moist, this easy peach and redcurrant cake is delicious served on its own with tea, or with cream or ice cream as a dessert.
This is an easy to make, no-frills cake and yet it is possibly one of the best cakes I have made recently.
The fruit adds colour, flavour and texture and the ground almonds keep the crumb moist. It just shouts summer to me!
Peach and Redcurrant
It showcases two summer fruits. To begin with, I was considering making a peach melba cake with peaches and raspberries. They are a classic combination but I had some pretty redcurrants in the fridge which I had picked from my allotment so decided to try those instead.
A great move - I couldn't have been happier with the end result, the redcurrants complimenting the peaches as well if not better than raspberries.
Redcurrants also go remarkably well with white chocolate as I discovered making Redcurrant and white chocolate blondies
Ingredients
- Fresh Peaches - tinned peaches well drained can also be used
- Redcurrants - fresh or frozen
- Butter - I tend to use lightly salted butter as that is what I have in the fridge. If you use unsalted butter add a pinch of salt.
- Caster Sugar - I use golden caster sugar for most of my baking. It's the same as normal caster sugar, but it's unrefined, It is a little more flavoursome with light caramel tones.
- Eggs - large at room temperature to help prevent curdling
- Plain flour (US = all purpose flour)
- Baking powder
- Ground almonds
- Icing sugar (US = confectioner's sugar) to dust
Variations
If you don't have any redcurrants you could simply leave them out or substitute black currants or blueberries instead. Or as I originally planned, raspberries.
Ground hazelnuts cxan also be used in place of the ground almonds.
How to peel peaches
- Make a small slit in the skin at the stem end with a sharp knife and place in a heatproof bowl.
- Plunge the peach into a bowl of boiling hot water and allow to stand for 5 to 10 seconds.
- Remove with a slotted spoon and plunge straight into a bowl of cold water.
- Remove from the water, the skin will now peel away easily.
Plunge peaches first into boiling hot water and then cold.
The skins will easily peel away.
You may also like to try these peach recipes
- Peach Galette - Fab Food For all
- Peach and Pomegranate Jam - Recipes Made Easy
- Peach and Bramble Meringue Slice - Farmers Girl Kitchen
Step by Step Easy Peach and Redcurrant Cake
Step 1
Prepare the fruit.
Step 2
Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
Step 3
Beat the eggs in one at a time.
Step 4
Sift in flour and baking powder, fold in.
Step 5
Fold in the fruit and ground almonds.
Step 6
Spoon into a tin and spread level.
Step 7
Bake until golden, springy to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Step 8
Serve dusted with icing sugar.
Cook's Tip
- Choose firm but ripe peaches. If the peaches are very ripe and juicy they may make the cake a little soggy.
- This cake is made using the creaming method, for lots of tips on how to make the perfect cake using this method see How To Make the Perfect Victoria Sandwich
- Serve slightly warm with cream or ice-cream as a dessert
To serve
This peach and redcurrant cake is delicious served on it own or try with my mascarpone and redcurrant ripple ice cream
Had I had a few more sprigs of redcurrants I would have used them to top the cake for decoration. I think stems of currants look so pretty, like chains of little jewels. But I don't think it really matters, as it still looks good with just a dusting of icing sugar.
To store
The cake will keep for 3 - 4 days if kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator. For the best flavour allow to come to room temperature before serving.
Freeze for up to 3 months.
📖 Recipe
Easy Peach and Redcurrant Cake
Equipment
- 23 cm (9in) loose bottom or spring clip cake tin
- mixing bowl
- hand held or stand mixer
Ingredients
- 2 peaches
- 200 g redcurrants (7oz)
- 175 g butter (6oz) softened
- 175 g golden caster sugar (6oz)
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- 150 g plain flour (5oz)
- 1½ teaspoon baking powder
- 75 g ground almonds (3oz)
- icing sugar (confectioners sugar), to dust
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180℃ (160℃ fan)/350°F/gas mark 4. Grease the cake tin with butter or oil.
- Prepare 2 peaches: Peel, stone and cut the peaches into dice. Wash and dry 200g (7oz) redcurrants and remove from the stems.
- Beat 175g (6oz)butter and 175g (6oz) sugar together until very pale and fluffy, then beat in 3 eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add a tablespoon of the measured 150g (5oz) flour with the last egg to help prevent curdling.
- Sift the remaining flour and 1½ teaspoons baking powder into the bowl and fold in. Add the prepared fruit and 75g (3oz)ground almonds and gently fold in until combined.
- Spoon into the prepared tin and level the top. Bake in the centre of the oven for about 1 hour or until springy to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Allow to cool in the tin. To serve carefully transfer to a serving plate and sprinkle with icing sugar.
Debbie Appleton says
Oh heavehs, what a delicious cake this is. I made it this morning and should probably have waited until it had cooled completely before cutting it but could no wait any longer. Too tempting while it was still slightly warm. The peaches were soft and squidgy and offset by the fruity pop of the redcurrants. The sponge was soft, light but still moist. This cake will be gone in 24 hours, I predict! #eatmywayoutoflockdown2 ☺
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
I could hardly wait for it to cool down either it rather yummy both ways. Glad I'm not the only impatient one!
Kat (The Baking Explorer) says
I love a cake like this that doesn't need any decoration, it sounds absolutely delicious
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
I was really happy with this cake love all that juicy fresh peachiness with the colour and flavour fo the redcurrants it worked so well.
Helen - Cooking with my kids says
I love peaches, but I especially love the colour those redcurrents give the cake. I've never used them in baking before, but I think i'm sold! #bakingcrumbs
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
I can tell you I am sold on adding redcurrants to bakes. Each year my redcurrant produces more and more fruit so next year I will be doing more recipes with them in for sure.
Jo Allison / Jo's Kitchen Larder says
Such a delicious looking cake Jacqui! Love the fact that you've used redcurrants here as well as peaches, they add such a lovely bit of colour! Sponges with addition of ground almonds are one of my favourite ones too, soo good! Thank you for sharing with #BakingCrumbs 🙂
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
It wont be the last time I add redcurrants to a cake they work so well.
Jenny Walters says
Oh wow Jacqui! This sounds incredible. Just the thought of baking with peaches makes me feel all warm inside. This cake looks to die for! Would love a warm slice of this for breakfast/lunch or tea!!! I bet the redcurrants bring the whole cake together. Thank you so much for sharing with #BakingCrumbs
Camilla Hawkins says
Ooh yummy, this is my kind of cake, packed full of delicious summer fruits. Thank you for adding my Peach Galette:-)
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Your peach galette looks delicious too.