Flavor-Bursting Peach Crumb Cake Squares
Guaranteed impossible to eat just one! Browned-butter is the secret ingredient, after peaches of course!
We didn’t get our peaches out in Georgia this time; sorry Justin! In fact, we chose to use nectarines for this yummy offering. Nectarines are a variety of peach which are uber-delicious for cakes, pastries, and such. Give our Flavor-Bursting Peach Crumb Cake Squares a try. Oh, and let the Mountaintop Kitchen know if you only ate just one; we doubt you will!
When I lived in Appalachia, a yearly run down to Georgia at the end of May to grab a couple bushels of fresh-picked peaches was a yearly must-do as summer approached and the harvest was afoot. Tarts, pies, bars, cakes, and sweetbreads were all on the baking checklist. Peaches are absolutely one of my favorite fruits for baking into this and that. I bet they are one of yours too! We are no longer in Appalachia, but as soon as these nectarines became available here in the Sierra Madre Occidental, we were on them like a duck on a June bug — FAST! We hope you will conjure up this recipe and enjoy these Flavor-Bursting Peach Cake Squares; they won’t disappoint! Guaranteed! 🍑
Experience the sublime sweetness of our Peach Cake Squares. Each bite features juicy, sun-ripened peaches nestled in a tender, moist cake, crowned with a buttery, golden crumb. The secret ingredient, brown butter, adds a rich, nutty depth, enhancing the harmonious blend of flavors and textures. This summery delight is perfect for any occasion, promising to bring a touch of sunshine to your day with every luscious morsel.
On Measuring Ingredients: My preferred method of measuring is weight by grams. Baking by volume rather than weight can lead to varied and unexpected results. Flour is especially problematic when measured by volume (sifted, not sifted, spooned, not spooned, fluffed or not … you get the point). Grams are always the same; they are your friend as a baker. King Arthur Baking Company’s Ingredients Weight Chart is helpful for converting recipe weights.
On Altitude Adjustments: Before measuring ingredients, preheating your oven, or setting your timer; it’s important to consider any necessary adjustments for baking at higher altitudes, which is generally considered to be 3,500ft and above. Most recipes are written for sea level up to 3,500ft. Take at look at our baking at High-Altitude Baking Adjustments page for guidance.
For the Crumb Topping
¾ cup (105g) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
5 tablespoons (70g) unsalted butter, melted
Heaped ⅛ teaspoon salt
For the Cake Batter
6 tablespoons (84g) unsalted butter, browned
½ cup (110g) packed light brown sugar
¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature
⅓ cup (80ml) full-fat yogurt
1 ⅓ cups (190g) all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon (95ml) milk
For the Peach Topping
3 ½ cups (420g) chopped peaches/nectarines*
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
* Optional: The peel can be easily removed by cutting an X on the bottom of each piece of fruit, boiling the fruit for a minute, then immersing the hot fruit in an ice bath. Peel immediately. The peel was removed for this recipe.
Preheat the Oven: Conventional oven: Preheat to 350°F (175°C). Convection oven: Preheat to 325°F (165°C).
Prepare the Crumb: In a medium bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, packed light brown sugar, and heaped ⅛ teaspoon salt.
Add the melted unsalted butter and mix until the mixture forms crumbs. Set aside.
Brown the Butter for the Cake Batter: In a medium saucepan, melt 6 tablespoons (84g) unsalted butter over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the butter turns a golden brown and has a nutty aroma. We chose to lightly brown the butter, but more browning is good too for a deeper, nuttier flavor. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
Mix the Cake Batter: In a large mixing bowl, combine the browned butter, packed light brown sugar, granulated sugar, and pure vanilla extract. Beat until smooth.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Stir in the full-fat yogurt until well combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the milk, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
Prepare the Peaches: In a medium bowl, toss the chopped peaches with the all-purpose flour and packed light brown sugar until evenly coated.
Assemble the Cake: Spread the cake batter evenly in a greased or parchment-lined 9x9-inch (23x23 cm) baking pan.
Evenly distribute the prepared peaches over the cake batter, then sprinkle the crumb mixture over the peaches.
Bake in the preheated oven: Conventional oven: Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Convection oven: Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Time to bake this baby! Cool and Serve: Allow the peach crumble squares to cool in the pan on a wire rack. Once completely cooled, cut into squares and serve.
Enjoy your delicious Brown Butter Peach Crumble Squares, a perfect blend of buttery, fruity, and crumbly goodness!
Option: Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Equipment (Disclosure: Items below include affiliate links with Amazon USA. You pay the regular price, and I get a small commission.) I only recommend products that I own myself and know to be of excellent quality. I often get asked on social media sites about my kitchen tools, so here are most of them used to make this recipe.
8x8-inch square baking pan with 3-inch sides (This is the perfect size for a variety of brownies, bars, and traybakes.)
Ateco offset spatula set (These are perfect for applying icings and glazes or frosting your cakes.)
Mixing bowls (I like this oven-proof glass set of 10 for mixing and portioning out ingredients.)
Kitchen scale (Ingredients should be weighed rather than relying on volume.)
Oven thermometer (All ovens need calibration, an in-oven thermometer is essential.)
Silicone oven mitts (I’ve burned my hands too many times with cloth mitts.)
Whisk (This is a standard for combining ingredients.)
Silicone spatula set (These are great for mixing ingredients, loading your piping bag with frosting, and doing other tasks.)
Wire cooling rack (Every kitchen needs at least two.)
Thanks for popping in today! Frank— Mountaintop Kitchen
You have me confused. Did you or did you not peel the nectarines? If you did peel, did they peel as easily as peaches, i.e. dunked in boiling water momentarily or ???