A few years ago, I had the "tough job" of participating in a bake-off at the Chrisholm Amish Farmstead in Ohio. As part of that event, we tasted 17 different desserts and one of them was this Amish peach kuchen recipe, "kuchen" is the German word for cake. If you are a peach lover,this recipe is for you!
❓ What is Peach Kuchen?
Yet, when I think of "peach cake", I think of a nice, fluffy peachy-colored cake but a "kuchen" isn't quite that. It really is more like a "Peach Cobbler Cake" Here is how the Farmer's Almanac describes it:
Kuchen (pronounced “koo-ken”) is the German word for “cake,” but a real kuchen is so much more than that! Traditional kuchen is like a delicious mash-up of cake and pie, topped with creamy custard.
The peach kuchen I sampled didn't have a classic custard top, so I am sure there are various versions of kuchens....this is a delicious one and if you have some peaches to use up, I'd highly recommend this one. It was kind of a cross between a cake and pie infused with the flavor of fresh peaches, so, a winner in my book.
🍑 The Peachy Amish?
Actually, this is a play on words. The last name "Beachy" is very common among the Amish and, in fact, there is even an offshoot sect called the Beachy Amish. They embrace more technology. But somewhere along the line, a small group saw their name get changed. This happened more often than people realize when people came to the USA from Europe. On Ellis Island, my Mom's family Italian surname of Scooti was mangled into Scorti, which is the name to this day. I am sure that is what happened to create the Peachy Amish. There are some Amish with the last name Peachy. But do many Amish grow peaches? How popular are peaches among the Amish?
Yes, the Amish do grow peaches. In fact, they are one of the few fruit crops that they are able to grow successfully in their colder climates. Amish farmers in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana are known for their delicious peaches.
There are a few reasons why the Amish are able to grow peaches successfully. First, they use traditional farming methods that are gentle on the soil and the environment. This helps to create a healthy growing environment for the peach trees. Second, the Amish are very skilled at pruning and caring for their peach trees. This helps to ensure that the trees produce a good crop of fruit each year.
Amish peaches are typically harvested in late July or early August. They are a delicious and refreshing fruit that is perfect for eating fresh or baking into pies and cakes. Amish peaches are also a popular ingredient in Amish jams and jellies. And every Amish cook has a favorite peach crisp, peach dump cake, or peach cobbler recipe. And ripe peach slices of a snack are also popular, nothing like simple!
🙋 FAQ Peach Cobbler Cake
Yes. Be sure to drain the peaches. We don't think the dish tastes quite as fresh as it does with tree-picked peaches, but this will turn out fine with canned.
Sure. Peaches are the most traditional, but just use the same proportional amount of fruit for a Strawberry Cobbler Cake or a Blueberry Cobbler Cake.
📋 Tips For a Great Peach Cobbler Cake
Here are some tips for making a great peach kuchen:
- Use ripe, juicy peaches. If the peaches are too hard, they won't release their juices and the kuchen will be dry.
- Don't overmix the batter. Overmixing will make the kuchen tough.
- Be generous with the cinnamon sugar topping. The cinnamon sugar topping is what gives kuchen its signature flavor and texture.
- Bake the kuchen until it is golden brown and the peaches are tender.
You'll want to make Peach Cobbler Cake in a 9-inch round pan prepared with cooking spray to keep from sticking. Even, though, the recipe doesn't call for it, I like to add a teaspoon vanilla extract for just a hint of extra sweetness. I add that into the bowl of butter, sugar, baking powder, flour mixture and then stir. I like to use all-purpose flour. As tempting as it is to use melted butter when making this, you want to use room temperature or cold butter so you get that texture of coarse crumbs. I like to lightly salted butter, but if you watching your sodium, the recipe does work with unsalted butter.
You could use a low speed stand mixer or hand mixer for this part, or just a good old-fashioned wooden spoon! Scrape everything from the sides of the bowl as you work up these room temperature ingredients!
This Peach Cobbler Cake is super topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. And you'll have yourself a Facebook, Pinterest, or Instragram worthy dessert! Some people love the peach-blueberries combination, so some people will top with ice cream and blueberries, but, for me, I just want to enjoy the pure peach. If I want blueberries, I'll make some muffins. Other variations instruct to drizzle a warm vanilla glaze on top. I could go for that, but the recipe works just fine without it too.
You can freeze Peach Cobbler Cake and thaw out later or store in an airtight container for a few days.
🍑 Additional Amish Recipes Using Peaches
THE AMISH COOKS AMISH SUMMER PEACH DELIGHT
A sweet summer favorite from Gloria and her family!
HOMEMADE PEACH STRUDEL
Check out this classic from 2013, this is an old recipe from the Amish Cook archives.
PEACH UPSIDE DOWN CAKE
This is a delicious peach recipe made and photographed by a talented young Mennonite photographer in Pennsylvania.
MENNONITE PEACH BREAD
This is a super recipe that comes to us from an Amish-Mennonite woman in Montezuma, Georgia, where peaches are king.
🖨️ Full Recipe - Amish Peach Cobbler Cake
Pennsylvania Dutch Peach Cobbler Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 2 tablespoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 stick butter
- 10-12 peach halves
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Mix in butter with two knives until the consistency of cornmeal.
- Sprinkle mixture over the bottom and sides of a greased 9 inch pan.
- Place peaches cut side up over the dough.
- Sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon and egg yolks and cream.
- Mix and pour over over peach halves. Bake at 400.
Claudine
This Peach Kuchen looks so good! My husband was stationed in Germany during the mid to late 1960's so I got to eat authentic kuchen while I lived there. It was mostly apple, but good none the less! Thank you for sharing this recipe. I am making it very soon.
I'd like to comment on your sweet daughter Aster's coloring page. It is really very pretty and very well done. I know that you will frame it for safekeeping. I can hardly believe she and Bea are growing up so fast. I remember you posting when they were born. Such pretty little ladies.
Claudine in Fort Worth, TX
Kevin
Thanks, Claudine, SIGH, they are growing up too fast for sure!
D. Smith
Kuchen is a totally different thing than a peach COBBLER, not even close. I LOVE peach anything, but cobbler is probably my favorite. I also have a recipe which I received at my wedding shower from one of my MIL's best friends for peach pie that is just to die for. 4 ingredients (besides the crust) mix in a bowl with a flat wire whip. Oh man, easy to do AND delicious is just the best.
Kuchen, the real kind, takes hours to make believe me I know. It's wonderful but I just buy the already made ones from my insurance man's wife who makes them and sells them as her sideline income business !! Helps us both. She sends them down with one of the other insurance guys who works for her husband whose mother lives in a small hill town just about 30 miles from me. Works out great. He puts them in a cooler and they stay frozen until he get them to my house. What a deal !!
Kevin Williams
I'd love to try authentic kuchen, I think the word probably gets misused. Your my insurance man's wife needs to start a side business of selling them!