Kathy Paterson fresh fruit cakes
Our wonderful hot summer has given us perfectly sun-ripened stonefruit that bakes very well into cakes
These three simple cakes are perfect carriers for our stunning stonefruit and are a great way to use a plentiful supply. Freestone fruit is preferable for ease of cutting, but if your fruit is clingstone, cut pieces from either side of the stone, then slice. All cakes are made using the creaming method and baked in a square tin because it’s easier to cut them into slices. They are at their best on the day they are made, but still very good one or two days later.
Fresh nectarine cake
Have the butter, eggs and sour cream at room temperature before you begin baking. Use white or yellow nectarine varieties or a mixture, as I did here.
Serves 8-10
125g butter, softened 1 ¼ cups caster sugar 2 large eggs 1 cup traditional sour cream 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 2 cups plain flour 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda Pinch salt 1 tsp ground mixed spice or cinnamon 3 large ripe nectarines, halved, stoned and sliced 1 Heat the oven to 180C. Grease and line a 23cm square cake tin. 2 Cream the butter and 1 cup caster sugar until light and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition. Add the sour cream and vanilla extract and mix well. 3 Sift the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda together with a pinch of salt and fold into the butter mixture. 4 In a small bowl, combine the remaining ¼ cup caster sugar and the mixed spice or cinnamon. 5 Spread half of the cake mixture into the prepared tin. Top with half of the sliced nectarines then sprinkle with half the spiced sugar. 6 Spread the remaining cake mixture on top and arrange the remaining sliced nectarines on top. Sprinkle with remaining spiced sugar. 7 Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for about 15 minutes in the tin before removing. Serve warm or at room temperature with cream sweetened with vanilla or elderflower cordial.
Make a change Fresh peach cake
I have left the skin on the peaches here as it bakes well in the cake as well as giving it a lovely colour — just wash and dry them before preparing. However you can peel the peaches if you prefer.
Serves 6-8
2-3 peaches, halved,
stoned and thickly sliced 1 cup caster sugar 150g butter, softened 1 ¼ cups plain flour 2 tsp baking powder Pinch salt 2 eggs, lightly beaten 125ml milk, at room
temperature ½ tsp vanilla extract or
vanilla bean paste Finely grated zest of 1
lemon ½ cup ground almonds 1 Heat the oven to 180C. Grease and line a 20cm square cake tin. 2 Place the sliced peaches in a bowl and mix with 2 tablespoons of the measured caster sugar. 3 Cream the butter and remaining caster sugar until light and creamy. 4 Sift together the flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt. Combine the eggs, milk and vanilla extract. 5 Sift flour once more over the butter mixture and fold in with the egg mixture and the lemon zest. Your cake mixture should be of soft dropping consistency. 6 Place in the prepared tin, then sprinkle over the ground almonds. Arrange the sliced peaches on top. 7 Place in the oven and bake for 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave for 15 minutes before removing from the tin. Serve warm with yoghurt or whipped cream. Also very good eaten on its own.