While some coffee cakes dabble in streusel — a few spare decorative crumbs — this one is the president of the SoCal Streusel Fanciers Society. It’s got a crunchy, cinnamon-sweet, buttery blanket of the stuff. What’s under the streusel? Warm, summer peaches nestled in an almond-infused cake. The cake has a lovely crumb: pillowy soft and moist.

This coffee cake is deeply cozy and satisfying, as only cake can be. It’s perfect for a home delivery of comfort — think newborn babies, impending deadlines, and term papers. It’s also the one we make when our favorite people come over for an afternoon cup of coffee, like dad. And sometimes, we just make it for ourselves, when we have a spare pint of vanilla and nothing on the calendar but the easy chair and a good book.

Servings: 8

Ingredients

For the streusel:

¾ cup all-purpose flour

⅓ cup light brown sugar, firmly packed

¼ cup granulated sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

6 Tbsp (3/4 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

For the cake:

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

¾ cup granulated sugar

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

1 egg

4 Tbsp (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

½ cup milk

1 ½ tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp almond extract

2 firm, ripe peaches, peeled, pitted, and sliced

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 350° and grease and flour a 9-inch round springform pan or square baking dish or pan. Note: If using a glass baking dish, reduce the oven temperature to 325°.

2. To make the streusel: In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, brown and granulated sugars, and cinnamon. Add the butter and, using a pastry blender or your fingers, cut or rub in the butter until coarse crumbs form. Set aside.

3. To make the cake: In a large bowl, stir together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

4. In a medium bowl, using a wire whisk, beat the egg, melted butter, milk, vanilla, and almond extract until creamy, about 1 minute.

5. Fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredients in two additions, stirring just until evenly moistened. There should be no lumps or dry spots. Do not overmix.

6. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. If you’re using a springform pan, arrange the peach slices in concentric circles from the center to the pan sides. If using a square pan, arrange the slices in rows. Gently press the slices into the batter. Sprinkle evenly with the streusel.

7. Bake the coffee cake until the topping is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes.

8. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the cake cool for 20 minutes. Remove the sides of the springform pan, if using. Serve the cake warm or at room temperature.

Recipe source: Williams-Sonoma