Peach Cake

• Roasted peaches and peach schnapps are the secret to this recipe. It's a way to get the peach flavor without drowning the batter in peach juice and ending up with a gummy mess.
• I started with a recipe from Cook's Illustrated. They used almond extract in the batter and topping. I used cinnamon and peach schnapps instead.
• I made a few other changes. They said to use light brown sugar but I only had dark brown. I forgot to add the vanilla, and the cake was fine so maybe that's an optional ingredient. I did not have vegetable oil spray and just used vegetable oil.
• The sliced peaches for the topping marinate in a yummy mix of peach juices and schnapps. Do not add those juices to the cake (the batter cannot support all that liquid). Drink it! It is divine!

2½ pounds ripe peaches

For the peach slices 
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons peach schnapps

For the peach chunks 
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons peach schnapps
Vegetable oil (spray)
1/3 cup Panko breadcrumbs (added later)

Batter
1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon salt
1¼ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 large eggs
1/3 cup sugar
½ cup packed brown sugar
½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
¼ cup sour cream
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Topping
3 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon peach schnapps

Peach Slices and Roasted Peach Chunks

• Cut and reserve 24 half-inch peach slices.
• Toss peach slices with sugar, lemon juice, and peach schnapps. Set aside. 
• Preheat oven to 425°.
• Line a large jelly roll pan with foil and spray with vegetable oil spray. 
• Cut the rest of the peaches into chunks for roasting. 
• Toss peach chunks with sugar, lemon juice, and peach schnapps. Place chunks on the jelly roll pan -- arrange in a single layer.
• Roast peach chunks at 425° until juices thicken and start to caramelized on the corners of the pan (20-25 minutes). 
• Cool peaches. 

Batter

• Measure flour, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon into a small bowl. Mix. Set aside.
• Whisk together eggs with sugars. 
• Whisk in the melted butter. 
• Whisk in the sour cream and vanilla extract. 
• Whisk in the dry ingredients until combined. 

Assemble and Bake

• Preheat oven to 350°. 
• Oil a 9-inch springform pan with vegetable oil (spray). 
• Toss peach chunks with Panko breadcrumbs.
• Put half the batter into the pan. Smooth top.
• Add the peaches, taking care to not knock the the Panko breadcrumbs off the peaches.
• Top peaches with remaining batter, spreading gently so that you do not knock the Panko breadcrumbs off the peaches.
• Arrange the 24 peach slices on top. Do not add the liquid -- just drink it. It's wonderful!
• Mix topping ingredients and sprinkle on top.
• Bake at 350° until top is set and golden and cake is done inside (50-60 minutes). 
• Cool 10 minutes. Loosen edges with knife and remove springform rim. 
• Finish cooling (2-3 hours, if you can bear to wait that long).