I enjoy baking in summer the most, not because of the overabundance of juicy fruits (though that’s a temptation for sure) but because the hotter it gets, the sweeter and lusher stone fruits become.

And peaches, with their refreshing and thirst-quenching qualities, are the epitome of summer fruit for me. I’ve meant to bake a peach cake for so long, but I can’t seem to resist the fruit.

Every time I order a few, they end up being gobbled within a day as-is, as a chilled glass of cold-brewed peach iced tea or as a peach pie.

This time I made certain that a few were kept aside just for an eggless coconut peach cake.

A little bit about peaches…

The fuzzy fruit is native to China, the northwest part of it. In India you’ll find them growing in the chilly, crisp environment found in the hills of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.

Nutritionally, peaches have a low profile, especially if you compare to other fruits. A cup of chopped up peaches will give you about 11 mg of vitamin C, and the daily intake required for potassium, fiber, and iron.

That said, if you have peaches as part of a balanced diet, they definitely offer tons of health benefits. And during summer, when the nectar-filled fruit is seasonal and the freshest, it has the most nutritional value.

But as ever, the wholesomeness of peaches is only partly why I love to bake with them. The universally loved fruit is supremely sweet and juicy, perfect for baking. And oh, you’ll never forget, the aroma of peaches as the cake bakes. Who knew 110 chemicals blend to give the fruit its pleasant floral muskiness?!

How to Make Eggless Coconut Peach Cake?

A peach’s taste is utterly distinct, and as it bakes, the flavor intensifies. If you let the juices seep into the cake, the sweetness and moisture make for the softest and moistest crumb ever.

That’s why I used a 9-inch square pan (a round tin will also work) to make the eggless coconut peach cake. The size keeps the cake thin enough for the juices to trickle till the very bottom layer of the batter. If you prefer higher cakes, opt for an 8-inch pan.

To make the batter, sift the dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder and desiccated coconut), mix them with raw sugar and then pour the wet ingredients (flax eggs, coconut oil, yogurt and vanilla extract) to get a thick consistency.

Pour the viscous batter into a prepared pan and smoothen the top with a knife very gently. On top, decoratively add sliced peaches, dust some sugar, and off the cake goes in the oven for a makeover!

Quick notes:

My go-to option is raw sugar because it has molasses which imparts a richer flavor to cakes. Plus, it’s less sweet than white sugar. If your peaches are slightly tangy or you don’t have raw sugar, regular white sugar will work too.

The coconut peach cake makes use of two flax eggs, but you can use regular eggs as easily. To anyone new to my blog or flax eggs, please do hop over to my Eggless Chocolate Chip Cookies blogpost. I explain flax eggs in detail there.

Always cut the peaches in thick slices. Thin slices will turn them into mush as the oven does its thing. Big pieces allow the fruit juices to permeate into the entire batter, making the cake uber moist.

The coconut oil (and yogurt) make it more so. Also, I prefer the nutty whiff that comes through coconut oil, but any neutral oil will work like a charm. Or you can switch to melted and cooled butter.

Baking the eggless coconut peach cake

About 30 minutes into the baking time, I advise keeping a close eye on the eggless coconut peach cake. You don't want to overbake this beauty.

Variations of the cake:

While the coconut peach cake is eggless, it does have all-purpose flour. Whole wheat flour is a great substitute. If you want a gluten-free version, use buckwheat flour as I did for my Plum & Apricot Cobbler Cake.

For a completely vegan coconut peach cake, I recommend using a plant-based yogurt.

If you don’t have desiccated coconut, add almond flour to the dry ingredients and adjust the liquid quantities accordingly.

Even the peaches are not necessary for the cake. It’s such a fantastic base that you can let your imagination run wild. Any fruit stone of your choice will be a delightful addition - cherries, plums, apricots, pears, apples, or even blueberries.

Digging in the Eggless Coconut Peach Cake

We had the peach cake as is, and it was sublime. The crunch from sugar, the texture of shredded coconut, and the bite of the peaches needed no additional company.

But if you are in the mood for it, go ahead top it off with a dollop of cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. You can even garnish it with a few slivers of almond, walnuts, pistachios, or some more coconut.

The eggless coconut peach cake is the embodiment of #TAFEverydayCake – relish to your heart’s content!

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