With summer in full swing, it is time to enjoy fruits of the season—particularly stone fruits. Peaches, nectarines, plums, apricots, and cherries are all part of the Prunus genus and are therefore closely related. The name “stone fruits” was bestowed upon these summer beauties because their seeds are very large and hard, much like a stone. Out of the selection, one of my personal favorites is the summer peach. With its tender, succulent flesh, this fruit can be considered one of the most quintessential treats summer has to offer.

I recently visited the Orange County Fair and amongst the hullabaloo of deep fried Oreos, bacon wrapped donuts (Yes, those do exist!), and children covered in a rainbow of snow cone syrup, I stumbled upon a wonderful fruit stand with a fantastic selection of fresh produce along with an extensive menu of healthy, summer goodies. After perusing the menu, I decided to nosh on a sensible bowl of fresh peaches with almond yogurt, topped with homemade granola. I know it wasn’t the most adventurous choice, but let’s also keep in mind that it is also bathing suit season. This light combination was the perfect balance of natural sweetness, tart, and crunch…so naturally, I decided to turn it into cupcake.

Fresh fruit is great way to add another dimension of flavor and texture to your baked goods. At HEAC, we love using all sorts of fresh fruit and fruit purees in our cupcakes. When baked, the fruit will release its natural sugar and juices into the cake that not only lends a very distinct sweetness not found in regular sugar and sugar substitutes, but also yields a very moist, slightly denser cake.

Peach & Almond Cake

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Pinch of salt

3/4 stick unsalted butter

3/4 cup raw agave nectar or granulated sugar

1 egg, plus 1 egg white

1 teaspoon pure almond extract

1/2 cup of reduced fat milk

1/4 cup peaches, peeled, pitted, and diced

1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Line a regular-size cupcake or muffin pan with 12 grease proof cupcake liners. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium-size bowl. Set the bowl aside. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, with a paddle attachment, cream the butter until smooth, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and then add the agave nectar, egg, egg white and vanilla, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Adjust mixer speed to its lowest setting, and add the flour mixture and milk, alternating between the 2, beginning and ending with flour. Once combined, fold in diced peaches and almonds until they are fully combined. Using a 1/4 cup ice cream scoop, scoop batter into each individual well and bake for 15- 20 minutes, or until golden and baked through. Allow cupcakes to rest in pan for 1-2 minutes. Remove cupcakes and transfer to wire cooling rack. Cool the cupcakes completely.

Pair this recipe with your favorite frosting, glaze, or jam! Don’t forget to throw on a little granola for some crunch.

Check out this article on Dose of Divine

Happy Baking!

XOXO,

Daryl