Peach Cherry Cake

The peach cherry cake, light, fresh, and simple, is perfect for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and everything in between. I kid you not. I am 100% all about eating the moist, fluffy cake studded with plump cherries and juicy peaches whenever the mood strikes.

That the lovely, easy cake permits me to go ballistic with stone fruits, the best part of summer, is the cherry on top (pun intended). But the star here is the yogurt. It keeps the crumb tender and moist. I bet it would do so for days if the cake ever lasted that long. 

How to make a peach cherry cake?

Yogurt and olive oil are natural partners in this no fuss, no muss cake. The plain Greek yogurt lends richness, while the fruity notes of the oil round out the flavor with a subtle but sublime savory hint. Add in polenta, and the soft crumb gains a lovely crunch and texture. Honestly, the cake has it all!

• To start, I whisked together whole wheat flour, polenta, sugar, baking salt, baking powder, and a pinch of salt. 
• In a separate bowl, I mixed Greek yogurt and olive oil with some vanilla to give the cake some flavor dimension. 
• I gently combined the ingredients by pouring the wet over the dry, keeping careful not to overmix.

Baking the peach cherry cake

If you own a cast iron skillet, then please hunt it down for this cake recipe. I cannot stress enough the magic it does – fashioning a spectacular golden crust where the fruit gems can shine through. But a baking pan will do in a pinch. 

• Grease the skillet (or pan) and pour the thick batter into it. 
• Level, then top with sliced peaches and pitted and halved cherries. Don’t be stingy. The cake puffs up as it bakes, overwhelming the fruity bits. To get the crumb-to-fruit ratio right in every morsel, decorate with more fruit than you’d expect. 
• Finish off with a few almond slivers and then bake for 35 to 40 minutes.

As ever, I ask you to keep an eye out from the 25-minute mark because oven temperatures vary. So, what might take 40 minutes for my oven, yours might do in 30. 

Variations of the peach cherry cake

Fruit: The versatile cake recipe allows you to make full use of any seasonal fruit. Think plums, apricots, apples, berries, or even grapes. Just plonk them on top and bake. 

Oil: Olive oil imparts just a whiff of a pleasant savory element. Although you can sub it with coconut oil or any neutral-tasting vegetable oil. Your choice. 

Sugar: I know most of my recipes have raw sugar, but since it was out of stock,for this cake, I made do with regular sugar. Any type of sugar would work here – cane, palm, or raw. 

Flour: All-purpose flour is one option. Another is to mix in a small quantity of buckwheat flour. Those who want a completely gluten-free cake recipe, try my plum apricot cobbler made with buckwheat and almond flour. 

Polenta: Also called cornmeal, it is gluten-free and easily available online and in supermarkets. In case you can’t get your hands on it, semolina creates the same effect – giving the cake crumbs some texture. 

Yogurt: If I didn’t have plain Greek yogurt in my pantry, I would buy it for the express purpose of baking the peach cherry cake. The extra effort is completely worth it. 

That said, homemade yogurt is a great substitute. Full-fat yogurt is even better, rather highly recommended. Remember to hang and drain it really well. Watery yogurt does no good.

Vegan version: Switch to a plant-based yogurt to make the recipe vegan. Any would do, as long as it is thick and luscious. 

Serving the peach cherry cake

The cake needs no adornment. Let it cool a tad, dust with icing sugar, and serve. You can have it completely cooled or warm, straight out from the skillet. You’ll soon find you need one more slice after the first, then another, and another until every last speck of the cake is gone. The peach cherry cake is really that good. 

If you make this lovely fruity cake, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I love getting to connect with you guys. You can also follow me on Instagram & Pinterest for more fabulous recipes.

📖 Recipe