Gluten-free Peach & Almond Cake

It's that time of year again when beautifuI stoned fruits are cheap & plentiful.  I love to make the most of any seasonal ingredient so when delicious peaches, nectarines and apricots become available I'm so very happy.

I tweaked a recipe I regularly use to make this cake. Based on a  the River Cafe Apple & lemon cake. I've substituted the apple & lemon for peaches & almonds and wheat flour for rice flour to make it totally gluten-free.

This is a great dessert cake for any coeliacs out there. The cake has ground almonds & rice flour instead of regular flour but you could also just substitute the rice flour for gluten-free self-raising flour. If you don't have to worry about the gluten just use regular SR flour. 

You will need a 23cm loose bottomed tin, buttered and lined with parchment paper

Set the oven to 150c/300f/gas2

If you prefer to measure your ingredients rather than weigh them, then here's a Detailed  Conversion Chart... just click onto the link.

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Ingredients
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4 medium sized ripe but still firm peaches

150gms/5oz ground almonds

110gms/4oz unsalted butter melted

300gms/11oz caster sugar

½ tsp almond extract

2 large freerange eggs

6 tbsp rice flour and   

1 tsp gluten-free baking powder   (sift the 2 ingredients together)      
(or substitute the rice flour & baking powder for 6 tbsps gluten-free SR flour or 6 tbsp regular SR flour)

extra tbsp caster sugar for sprinkling over the cake

a handful of flaked almonds to top

METHOD:-
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Blanch the peaches and remove the skin
Cut in half and stone them
Slice thinly into slices
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Beat the eggs and sugar together until thick & creamy
Slowly add the melted butter & almond extract mixing well
Fold in the ground almonds, rice flour, baking powder
Add 2/3rds of the sliced peaches reserving the remainder for the top and mix gently through the batter
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Pour into the prepared tin
scatter over the remaining peaches and sprinkle with the tbsp caster sugar and the flaked almonds
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place in the centre of the oven and bake for approximately 1 hr 20 mins -1 hr 30 mins
Check after  1 hour 10 mins  but mine has always taken a while longer
This is a moist cake but a skewer should still come out clean when inserted into the centre of the cake.
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remove from the oven and leave in the tin until completely cold.
I like to put the cooled cake in the fridge for an hour or so, it makes it so much easier to slice. If you can't wait just dig in
Remember this is a dessert although it would make a great afternoon tea.
 It's delicious with whipped Cream or Greek Yoghurt in fact I had the last slice of this one for a cheeky little breakfast this morning with my coffee  shhhh!!!! don't tell a soul

Mmmm!!! so delicious