Peach Coffee Cake with Pecan Streusel Recipe

Pecan Streusel

• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Cake

• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla paste or extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter (3/4 cup) softened but not melted plus a tablespoon or two for greasing the skillet
• 3-5 ripe peaches (I like lots of peaches but you can use less)

Directions

• Grease a 10″ cast-iron skillet with tall sides with 1 teaspoon of butter. Set pan aside.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Check the temperature with an oven thermometer.
• Prepare the Pecan Streusel: Stir together chopped pecans, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, 3/4 cup flour, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon nutmeg in a medium bowl. Add 1/2 cup cold butter pieces, and, using your fingers or a pastry blender, combine until it looks like tiny peas. Set aside.
• Prepare the Cake: Sift together baking powder, 1 1/2 cups flour, granulated sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg.
• Beat butter with a mixer until light and fluffy and pale yellow. Add sugar and mix until incorporated. This might take 3-4 minutes.
• Beat together cream, vanilla, and eggs. Add the vanilla and almond flavorings.
• Add the dry ingredients to the creamed butter/sugar mixture, alternating with the wet ones, starting with and finishing with dry. Do not overmix.
• Peel peaches and slice each into 8 wedges or chop into rough irregular pieces. Transfer the batter to a cast-iron skillet and smooth the surface. Arrange the peaches slices over the batter, pressing them into the batter just a bit. Cover the top evenly with the Pecan Streusel, pressing lightly.
• Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool in skillet about 90 minutes.

A few notes: Some people like to add a bit of cardamon. If you are one of those people, add 1 teaspoon to the streusel, and 1 teaspoon to the cake. You can use drained canned peaches but they are not as good. This makes a large cake, perfect for entertaining or church events or things like that. If you have nut issues, omit the pecans and the almond extract.