It’s peach season and our local fruit from Niagara has been particularly delicious this summer! This chocolate cake served with juicy golden peaches is a lovely treat.
By Kathryn McLean
September is commonly considered autumn. August ends and summer ends at the same time. But nature doesn’t follow that rule. Yes, the days are shorter and cooler, but typically the weather remains warm and “summer” produce continues to grow and ripen.
Peaches and nectarines are still being picked throughout September, and you can usually find them at both farmer’s markets and grocery stores. In-season peaches and nectarines are so much sweeter, juicier and more flavourful than the ones you can buy at other times of the year. So you should make a point to enjoy lots of them while they’re still available.
Peaches and nectarines work well in salads. Use them in a fruit salad with berries and mango or try a peach-tomato salad. Simply combine equal parts tomato and peach, either cut in small wedges or in chunks, with some thinly sliced red onion. Dress with a squeeze of fresh lemon. You can use green onion in place of red, add fresh herbs like basil, mint, cilantro or parsley, or dress with another vinegar-based dressing. It’s an easy, refreshing salad that tastes great during the middle or end of summer.
Towards the end of summer when the weather is getting cooler and you’re craving something a little more comforting, try fresh peaches with chocolate. A chocolate cake or a pan of brownies served with slices of juicy peaches is a perfect end-of-summer treat.
If your peaches are a little firm, or if you just want to create a little more syrupy juiciness for serving, you can macerate the fruit: slice six peaches and sprinkle 2 Tbsp of white sugar over them. Toss gently to distribute the sugar. Set aside at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes. The sugar will draw out the natural sugars in the peaches making them a little syrupy and you can spoon that over the cake slice along with the fruit.
Do you want a simple, classic chocolate cake recipe to bring this together? Here’s one I often turn to, adapted from an old Hershey’s cocoa ad.
Make it in two 9” layers, with buttercream between the layers. Or as I often do, in one large 9”x13” pan that allows you to skip the icing step and get to eating cake and peaches sooner. Or serve with brownies.
Chocolate Cake Recipe
Ingredients
½ cup room temperature butter
2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
½ cup cocoa
1¾ cups all purpose flour
¾ tsp each baking powder and baking soda
Pinch of salt
1¾ cups milk
Directions
Preheat oven to 350F. Butter the pans or line them with parchment paper. Beat the butter and sugar until fluffy in a medium- or large-sized bowl. Add eggs and vanilla and beat again to combine.
Add all the dry ingredients (cocoa, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt) and mix gently until the mixture begins to thicken without being too powdery. Add the milk and beat until smooth.
Pour the batter into the pan (or pans) and bake rounds for 30-35 minutes, or the rectangle for 35-40 minutes. Check to see that the cake is cooked by testing the centre with a skewer or thin sharp knife. It should come out clean or with crumbs, no liquid sticky batter.
Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before topping it out onto a cooling rack.