Paleo Peach and Cherry Breakfast Cake

To peel or not to peel, that is the question.

Peach and nectarine skin is a pretty contentious topic in my house.  When it comes to eating raw, Mom is very against skin, saying it’s too chewy, so I usually peel hers and add it to my salad or breakfast or whatever.

When it comes to baking, Mom is also very against skin.  I understand some of this premise.  When baked, skin can get tougher and stringy and turn what is a perfectly good dessert into something less enjoyable.

But skin is where flavor and nutrients are.  It can add a pink color to baked goods.  And depending on the piece of fruit, peeling can take off more than the skin and be wasteful.

Now that I’m buying mostly organic fruit and washing it well, as always, I find little reason to peel nice fruit even when I am baking with it.

That does not go over well.

It’s just easier and prettier and less wasteful and I think tastier.

I love Mom, like a lot.  A lot, a lot.

But we might have to agree to disagree on this thing.

Peach skin.  Yep, that’s what’s going to tear us apart 😉

Clearly, as the baker, if you choose to make this cake, and you should, it’s entirely up to you whether or not you peel your fruit.  In pretty much everything in life, I take a you do you and I’ll do me approach to things, and fruit skin is no different at all.

So besides the unpeeled peaches on top of this cake, there are also cherries.  The fruit is the star here, this cake is meant to be loaded up with it, every centimeter of the top covered with it.  Other than that, it’s not too sweet or complicated, so it’s the perfect way to kick off a day or unwind after a tough day with some tea or coffee.  And a good, vigorous discussion about anything, including stone fruit skin.

Paleo Peach and Cherry Breakfast Cake

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• Author: Laura
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 50 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
• Yield: 10 servings 1x

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Description

A fruit forward breakfast, snack, or dessert with a hint of cardamom and vanilla.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

3 small peaches, peeled or not, and sliced ¼ inch thick

1 cup cherries, pitted and halved

¾ cup almond flour

½ cup paleo flour blend (2 cups almond flour, 1 ¼ cups tapioca starch, ¾ cup coconut flour)

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon ground cardamom

1 teaspoon vanilla bean powder

½ teaspoon sea salt

½ cup coconut sugar, plus 1 tablespoon for topping

¼ cup coconut oil, room temperature

¼ cup olive oil

2 large eggs

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Oil an 8 or 9 inch round baking pan and line the bottom with parchment.

In a large bowl, beat the sugar and oils until well combined.  I did this by hand but a hand or stand mixer will work too.  Beat in the eggs one at a time.  Stir in the flours, baking powder, cardamom, vanilla, and salt until just combined.

Spread batter into the prepared pan and top with the fruit, covering all the batter and creating a pretty pattern if you so choose.  Sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon of sugar.

Bake the cake 40-50 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs, not batter.  Serve warm or cool completely in the pan.  Cake may be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days or frozen, wrapped in parchment and foil and placed in a zipper bag, for up to 3 months.  Thaw in the microwave about 1 minute.

Notes

Recipe adapted from David Lebovitz