Pair with a Lambic or Fruit Ale with Peach
I am soooo happy that most of us were able to “skip Monday” this week. I mean .. yay! It’s Tuesday! Except for the fact that it is soooo hard to stay motivated after a 3-day weekend, I love four day weeks for a multitude of reasons. I don’t think I need delve into the reasons. You know them. You experience them.
Our weekend was a pretty good one. I tried not to work as much as possible, as the big 3-0 was celebrated on Sunday. Zach and I did a couple of longer runs, we went to the Wyo football game (which they lost – but it was still fun), we attended a brewery grand opening (because how else would I spend my birthday?), and a nice dinner was the cherry on top.
Most of Monday was spent lounging, cooking, baking and trying to get my head back in the game.
While this lavender, peach cake was not necessarily born this weekend, I celebrated with it.
Now, you guys know that I DO NOT bake cakes. Like hardly ever do I bake cakes, and if I do bake a cake it’s normally a coffee cake, a single layer cake or a spongy cake. Multiple layer cakes are not my forte. It’s probably mostly because I have zero patience for them. I get bored, and then I screw them up because I rush through them.
While I am not typically a traditional fruit cake fan, there are a few exceptions; and because peach season is nearing its end, I knew I had to celebrate with one last hurrah for summer.
This lavender, peach cake is one of my favorites. When I want cake, this is the cake I make. Sometimes I’ll switch up the fruit, depending on the season, but the base always remains the same.
This one is hard to screw up you guys. It requires little work, little measuring, and little time. These are all key ingredients in a successful Justine cake.
Make this lavender, peach cake while you still can! Recipe is below! Pair it with a fruity ale, preferably one that has been brewed with peaches. Dogfish Head makes a FANTASTIC one in their Festina Peche. A lambic ale will also work! Enjoy your day! xo
Yields 6
10 minPrep Time
1 hrCook Time
1 hr, 10 Total Time
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar (preferably superfine)
- 4 large eggs, beaten
- 1 cup coarsely ground almond meal
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 teaspoons dry lavender, divided
- 3 large peaches, pitted and sliced
- 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F and spray a 9-inch cake pan with a nonstick spray. Set aside.
- To the bowl of your stand mixer, add the butter, oil and sugar. Beat until creamy and then add the beaten eggs, a little at a time until fully combined.
- Fold in the almond meal, flour, walnuts, vanilla extract, almond extract, salt and 1 teaspoon of the lavender until just moistened.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and smooth out the top. Carefully place the sliced peaches on top, overlapping as you go along.
- Place the pan in the hot oven and bake for 1 hour or until the cake has cooked through. If the top begins to brown too much, cover with foil. Remove from heat and let cool while you prepare the icing.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the confectioner's sugar and lemon juice.
- Once the cake is completely cool, drizzle the icing on top and sprinkle with the remaining lavender.
- Enjoy!
Notes
The cake will keep at room temperature for about 2 days, but it is best served the day of baking.