One of the first recipes I have ever used, this cake serves as the base for so many different cakes, loaves and even muffins. Over the years I have adjusted the recipe to one that requires about five minutes preparation and is virtually fail-proof. It only requires one bowl, so that clean-up is a cinch! The key is not to overwork the batter and be gentle with it. The pan needs to be well-oiled so that the cake can turn out without issue.
I usually use a standard glass pie plate so that there is a beautiful round shape to the end result. Once the batter is gently placed in the pie plate, I arrange peach slices (canned ones that you buy in the grocery store are fine or even little peach cups that the kids take in their lunches work) around the rim of the cake so that they are evenly spaced and just sitting on top of the batter. As the cake bakes, the batter will rise and embrace the fruit and bake around it. Ideally the fruit should still be visible once the cake is baked. But sometimes it does slip down a bit. I also keep a container of Natural Turbinado sugar in my baking cupboard and sprinkle the sugar crystals lightly over the cake before I slide it into the oven. This gives it just a little glazed look and an extra touch of sweetness.
Let’s begin!
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and assemble your ingredients, measuring cups, spoons and spatula.
In a bowl, combine one egg and one cup vegetable oil together and whisk lightly. Add one cup of white sugar, whisking for about one minute. Add your dry ingredients of 1 + 3/4 cups all purpose flour and 2 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder alternating with one cup of milk. I’ve used homogenized milk in the past, but generally we are a 1% percent milk family and that works just fine. Add one teaspoon of vanilla or almond and gently mix together, not overworking the batter. Note that I rarely use vanilla but favour almond as that is what was used often in our household growing up. It adds a more sophisticated taste to the cake. That’s it! In less than five minutes, about the time it takes to preheat the oven and your cake is ready to be baked!
You can bake the cake as a plain cake without adding peaches to the top. I have also made this adding a teaspoon of cinnamon to the flour and lining the top with a generous helping of apple slices that are peeled and cored. Don’t put chunky apple pieces on as they will need longer to soften in the oven and the result may be a well-done cake with apples that are not necessarily appetizing. If using the apple variation, I recommend sprinkling a dusting of brown sugar and cinnamon on top so that the cake really has a fall feel. The apple variation is great to serve at Thanksgiving with a generous dollop of homemade whipped cream on the side!
Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 cup milk (skim, 1%, 2% or homogenized is fine)
1 teaspoon almond extract (vanilla is fine if you’d prefer)
Lolita Bakes! 