by James Martin

Peach And Crème Fraiche Crumble Cake

Peach And Crème Fraiche Crumble Cake

This is the kind of cake I like to make at home: it's really simple, but the crumble adds a nice crunchy texture. When peaches aren't in season, you can use tinned peaches - just drain them well before adding them to the cake batter. Plums and damsons also work well, but avoid fruit with a high water content, such as strawberries and raspberries, or you'll end up with a soggy cake.

Serves: 12 - 16

Ingredients:

For the cake:

  • 450g self-raising flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 200g butter, plus extra for greasing
  • 350g demerara sugar
  • 6 eggs
  • 150g crème fraîche
  • 25ml peach schnapps or peach juice
  • 100ml peach purée
  • 7 peaches, halved and stoned, or 2 x 400g tins peach halves, drained

For the crumble:

  • 60g plain flour
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 30g butter, diced?
  • 30g demerara sugar
  • For the topping
  • 100g crème fraîche
  • 100g cream cheese
  • 50ml double cream

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F/Gas mark 1 and grease and line a 24cm high-sided, loose- bottomed cake tin.
  2. To make the cake, place the flour, baking powder and butter in a bowl and rub together to form a breadcrumb-like texture. Stir in the sugar.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, crème fraîche, peach schnapps or juice, and purée together, then pour onto the dry mixture and mix to a thick batter.
  4. Pour half into the prepared tin and tap the tin gently to settle the batter. Place the peach halves, cut-side up, onto the batter in concentric circles, then top with the remaining batter, smoothing over the top.
  5. Bake in the centre of the oven for 13/4 hours until golden and risen. A skewer inserted into the centre of the cake should come out clean - if it doesn't, return the cake to the oven for a further 5 minutes and repeat. Leave the cake in the tin to cool completely.
  6. While the cake cools, make the crumble to go on top. Turn the oven up to 180°C/350°F/ Gas mark 4.
  7. Place the flour, ground cinnamon and butter in a bowl and rub until the mix resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the sugar and stir to combine. Spread out over a baking sheet and bake for 6-8 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Set aside to cool on the baking sheet.
  8. For the topping, whisk the crème fraîche, cream cheese and double cream together then spread over the cake while it's still in the tin - this will give you a neat finish. Scatter the crumble over the top to cover the cream then ease the cake out from the tin.

James Martin will be at the BBC Good Food Show taking place in Northern Ireland at the Belfast Waterfront from Friday 14th - 16th October. 

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