I’ve been buying the $10 bag of peaches at the farmers’ market lately, partly because they look so good and partly because I’m making a lot of peach-inspired dishes.

I decided to make this peach crumble coffee cake for a colleague’s wedding shower today. I doubled the recipe because I’m always worried there won’t be enough for everyone. I think it’s the Jewish mother gene buried deep within me.

It was a good idea to double the recipe though because the cake was a hit. Everyone was particularly fond of the crumb topping, which ironically took the least amount of time to make.

The cake itself is delicious, with fresh, juicy peaches studded throughout and swirls of cinnamon and brown sugar. But the topping really is the best part. It’s just butter, brown sugar, and flour, but when mixed together, sprinkled on the cake and baked for an hour, it becomes crispy and caramelized. It pairs well with the cake, which is more moist and not as sweet.

This cake calls for sour cream, which might sound odd but it’s actually a common ingredient in coffee cakes. It’s what makes the crumb moist and gives the cake a denser consistency.

The cake is perfect with a cup of tea or coffee in the morning. It’s also good to celebrate weddings, which I didn’t know until I made it.

A word to the wise: Use the best possible peaches you can find. You might be like, why would I do that if the peaches are going to be cut up and mixed into a cake batter? The answer is, you can still taste the peaches once they’re mixed in. I had a couple people comment today that they could taste how fresh the peaches are. I’m not saying everyone is attuned to this, but having good peaches makes a subtle difference.

Another tip is to keep an eye on the cakes as they bake. It will take about an hour for the middle to set, i.e., not be all jiggly and soft. Once the middle is set and a toothpick is inserted into the center and comes out clean, you’re good to go.

Here’s a song to get you started on your peach crumble coffee cake journey.

Peach Crumble Coffee Cake 

(makes one cake; double the recipe for two cakes)

Ingredients

for the coffee cake:

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 pinch of nutmeg
1/4 cup milk
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup softened butter
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups chopped peaches

for the crumb topping:
1 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup flour
6 Tbsp softened butter

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 10-inch springform cake tin and set aside.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl. In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix together the milk, brown sugar, sour cream, softened butter, egg, and vanilla until smooth. Add the dry ingredients all at once and mix until just incorporated. Fold in the peaches.

To make the crumb topping, cut the softened butter into the flour and brown sugar until pea-sized lumps form.

Pour the cake batter into the prepared tin. Top with the crumb topping. Bake the cake for about an hour, or until the center is set, the top is golden brown, and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow to cool on a wire rack. Enjoy!