Summer Peach Loaf Cake with Sweet Streusel Topping and Vanilla Glaze

Celebrate summer peaches with this moist loaf cake, topped with a sweet streusel layer and drizzled with a vanilla glaze. Perfect to enjoy with your morning coffee, afternoon tea or any time you slice it!

Happy Monday!

Summer is winding down with Labor Day approaching but the season still has some sweetness left to offer with fresh peaches!

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We have some friends that generously share their Mac’s Pride Peaches with us every year.

These peaches are the ‘Big Red’ variety, available from mid-to-late August from McLeod Farms, (family owned and operated since 1916!) in McBee, South Carolina. They’re sweet and juicy, eaten on their own, but I’m always looking for other ways to enjoy them, enter this Summer Peach Loaf Cake!

This loaf cake (or quick bread) is great to enjoy with your morning coffee or afternoon tea.

It has four components:

🍑 a simple batter you stir together, no mixer needed

🍑 a layer of fresh peaches with a touch of sugar and cinnamon

🍑 a sweet streusel topping

🍑 and a vanilla glaze, optional but recommended!

You’ll need a 9 x 5 inch pan for this recipe; here are the ingredients:

🍑 Streusel Topping

2 tablespoons packed brown sugar

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cubed

🍑 Loaf Batter

2 cups *all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 large egg, room temperature

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup neutral flavored oil

1/2 cup sour cream (or Greek yogurt), room temperature

1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

🍑 Peach Layer

1 1/2 cups peeled and chopped peaches (about 2 medium peaches)

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

🍑 Vanilla Glaze

3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted to remove lumps

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2-3 tablespoons milk

*Note: To make this gluten free, swap out all-purpose flour for

King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour.

Note:  Ingredients that are naturally gluten-free, may come in contact with gluten during processing or packaging, so if you’re on a strict gluten-free diet, you’ll need to consider your other ingredients beyond your flour.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper that hangs over the edge of pan. Spray parchment paper; set aside.

Make the streusel topping first:

Mix the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon together. Using a pastry cutter or fork, cut cold butter into the brown sugar mixture until pea-size crumbles form. Refrigerate or freeze until ready to use -> the colder it is, the less likely it is to melt into the batter and lose its crumbly texture.

🍑 Peach layer:

Peel and dice peaches in 3/4 inch size pieces. You’ll want 1 1/2 cups (about 2 medium peaches). Combine the peaches with 2 tablespoons sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside.

🍑Loaf batter:

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together; set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk the egg and granulated sugar together until combined. Whisk in oil, sour cream, milk, vanilla extract, and almond extract.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, stirring to combine; do not overmix.

Pour/spread half of the batter into prepared loaf pan. Spoon/spread the peaches (and any juices) evenly on top.

Pour/spread remaining batter evenly on top, then sprinkle with the streusel topping on top.

Bake for 60-65 minutes, tenting loaf loosely during last 15 minutes of baking time to prevent over browning.

Loaf is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean with no raw batter; a few crumbs are okay. Cool completely in the pan set on a wire rack before slicing to prevent loaf from falling apart.

Optional Vanilla Glaze

3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted to remove lumps

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2-3 tablespoons milk

Whisk together sugar, vanilla extract and milk, one tablespoon at a time, thinning to reach desired consistency. Drizzle over cooled loaf and allow to set before slicing.

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Print Recipe

Peach Loaf Cake with Streusel Topping and Vanilla Glaze

A moist loaf cake studded with fresh summer peaches and topped with a sweet streusel and vanilla glaze. Enjoy with your morning coffee, afternoon tea or any time you slice it!

Prep Time25 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr

Total Time1 hour hr 25 minutes mins

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: loaf cake, peach bread, quick bread

Servings: 12 slices

Equipment

• 9 x 5 loaf pan

Ingredients

Streusel Topping

• 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter cold and cubed

Loaf

• 2 cups all-purpose flour spooned & leveled
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg room temperature
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup neutral flavored oil sunflower, avocado, vegetable or canola
• 1/2 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup whole milk room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Peach Layer

• 1 1/2 cups peeled, chopped peaches 3/4 inch dice, about 2 medium peaches
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Vanilla Glaze

• 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar sifted to remove lumps
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 - 3 tablespoons milk

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray or line with a parchment paper sling, spraying paper to keep paper in place.

Streusel Topping

• Make the streusel topping first. Mix the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon together. Using a pastry cutter or fork, cut cold butter into the brown sugar mixture until pea-size crumbles form. Refrigerate or freeze until ready to use. The colder it is, the less likely it will melt into the batter and lose its crumbly texture.

Peaches

• Mix the peach layer ingredients together in small bowl; set aside.

Loaf

• In large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together; set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the egg and granulated sugar together until combined. Whisk in oil, sour cream, milk, vanilla extract, and almond extract.
• Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, stirring to combine; do not overmix.
• Pour/spread half of the batter into prepared loaf pan. Spoon/spread the peaches (and any juices) evenly on top. Pour/spread remaining batter evenly on top.
• Sprinkle streusel evenly on top of batter.
• Bake for 60-65 minutes, tenting loaf loosely during last 15 minutes of baking time to prevent over browning.
• Loaf is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean with no raw batter; a few crumbs are okay.
• Cool bread completely in the pan set on a wire rack.
• Once completely cooled, drizzle with vanilla glaze if desired. Cover and store leftover bread at room temperature for 1 day or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Vanilla Glaze

• Whisk together sugar, vanilla extract and milk, one tablespoon at a time, thinning to reach desired consistency. Drizzle over cooled loaf and allow to set before slicing.

Notes

• Allow loaf to cool completely before slicing to prevent it from falling apart.
• For accurate measuring of flour, fluff your flour from the canister or bag and then spoon into your measuring cup so it’s overflowing, then level off with the edge of a knife. Scooping flour directly from the bag or canister will yield a heavier cup and larger amount that can negatively affect your recipes.
• Baking times will vary depending on pans and your oven. Oven temperatures vary widely, depending on brand, age, whether electric or gas and it’s not unusual for an oven to run 25 - 50 degrees hotter or colder. Preheat your oven at least 20 minutes and know your oven and its hot spots. Use an inexpensive oven thermometer to monitor your oven’s temperature. Shield top of bread with foil to prevent overbrowning if needed for longer baking time.
• Freezing Instructions: Baked and cooled bread freezes well up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
• Peaches: Cut peeled peaches into 3/4 inch chunks. Fresh peaches are best, but you can use frozen chopped peaches if desired. For best results, thaw peaches first and blot dry with paper towels. Feel free to substitute nectarines; do not use canned peaches as they are too wet.
• Sour Cream & Milk: Use a mix of sour cream (or yogurt) and whole milk for best flavor. Lower fat or nondairy milks work as a substitute for the 1/2 cup whole milk in a pinch.
• To make this gluten free, swap out all-purpose flour for King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour.  Ingredients that are naturally gluten-free, may come in contact with gluten during processing or packaging, so if you’re on a strict gluten-free diet, you’ll need to consider your other ingredients beyond your flour.

If you’re lucky enough to still have fresh peaches, find ‘Just Peachy’ Recipes for Summer,

including Easy Peach Dumplings for Summer’s Last Hurrah, a crowd-pleasing dessert

to enjoy over Labor Day weekend, with minimal effort for maximum enjoyment!

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