Ginger Peach Breakfast Crumble Cake

Name: Ginger Peach Breakfast Crumble Cake
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1¾ cups (220 g) all-purpose flour; 1½ tsp (7 g) baking powder; ¼ tsp (1 g) baking soda; 1 tsp (2 g) ground ginger; ½ tsp (1 g) ground cinnamon; ¼ tsp (1½ g) sea salt; ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into small pieces; ¾ cup (165 g) light brown sugar, packed; 2 large eggs, at room temperature; 1½ tbsp (15 g) fresh ginger root, peeled and finely grated or minced; ½ cup (120 ml) plain yogurt (full-fat or Greek); 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract; 4 (680 g) ripe peaches (medium), pitted and sliced into ½-inch (1.3 cm) wedges; 3 tbsp (37 g) granulated sugar; 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice; 1 cup (100 g) rolled oats (old-fashioned); ½ cup (110 g) light brown sugar, packed; ⅓ cup (75 g) unsalted butter, cold, cut into small cubes; ½ cup (60 g) whole wheat flour; ¼ tsp (1½ g) sea salt

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A tender, spiced breakfast cake with a gooey peach layer and a buttery oat crumble topping. Fresh ginger and warm spices complement juicy summer peaches, making this perfect for weekend brunch or a quick breakfast treat.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 40 min
Wait: 20 min
Total: 1 hr 25 min
Makes: 8 slices (one 9-inch cake)

Save to My Kitchen Jump to recipe

Ingredients

8 servings

For the cake
1¾ cups (220 g) all-purpose flour
1½ tsp (7 g) baking powder
¼ tsp (1 g) baking soda
1 tsp (2 g) ground ginger
½ tsp (1 g) ground cinnamon
¼ tsp (1.5 g) sea salt
½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into small pieces
¾ cup (165 g) light brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1½ tbsp (15 g) fresh ginger root, peeled and finely grated or minced
½ cup (120 ml) plain yogurt (full-fat or Greek)
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
For the filling
4 (680 g) ripe peaches (medium), pitted and sliced into ½-inch (1.3 cm) wedges
3 tbsp (37 g) granulated sugar
1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
For the crumble
1 cup (100 g) rolled oats (old-fashioned)
½ cup (110 g) light brown sugar, packed
⅓ cup (75 g) unsalted butter, cold, cut into small cubes
½ cup (60 g) whole wheat flour
¼ tsp (1.5 g) sea salt

Equipment (8)

9-inch (23 cm) round cake pan
Parchment paper
Two medium mixing bowls
Whisk
Measuring cups and spoons
Microplane or box grater for ginger
Knife and cutting board
Electric mixer (optional but helpful)

Steps

Before you start

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C)
Bring butter and eggs to room temperature for 1 hour
Select firm-ripe peaches that smell fragrant but aren't mushy
Line a 9-inch (23 cm) round cake pan with parchment paper

1
Mix dry cake ingredients
- In a medium bowl, whisk together 1¾ cups (220 g) all-purpose flour, 1½ tsp (7 g) baking powder, ¼ tsp (1 g) baking soda, 1 tsp (2 g) ground ginger, ½ tsp (1 g) ground cinnamon, and ¼ tsp (1.5 g) sea salt.
- Set aside.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Dry ingredients are evenly combined
Tip: Whisk thoroughly to distribute the leavening agents and spices evenly; don't skip this step as lumps of baking soda make bitter spots in the cake.
2
Cream butter and sugar
- In a large bowl, beat ½ cup (113 g) room-temperature unsalted butter with ¾ cup (165 g) packed light brown sugar on medium speed for 3–4 minutes until pale and fluffy.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl halfway through.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Mixture is light tan and noticeably airy
Tip: Do not rush this step; proper creaming incorporates air, which makes the cake tender. If butter is too cold, it won't blend smoothly.
3
Add eggs and ginger
- Add 2 room-temperature large eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Beat in 1½ tbsp (15 g) finely grated fresh ginger and 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract.
- The mixture should look thick and slightly curdled, which is normal.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: All eggs are fully incorporated and ginger is distributed throughout
Tip: Adding ginger at this stage means the fresh flavor won't be lost during baking. Use a microplane for the finest texture.
4
Alternate dry ingredients and yogurt
- Reduce mixer speed to low.
- Add half of the flour mixture, then ½ cup (120 ml) plain yogurt, then the remaining flour mixture, mixing briefly after each addition just until combined.
- Do not overmix.
- The batter will be thick but smooth.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: All flour streaks are gone and batter is uniform
Tip: Overmixing develops gluten and makes the cake tough. Stop as soon as you see no white flour streaks; some lumps are fine.
5
Prepare and toss peaches
- While the batter rests, toss 4 medium ripe peaches (pitted and sliced into ½-inch wedges, about 680 g total) with 3 tbsp (37 g) granulated sugar and 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice in a bowl.
- Let sit for 2 minutes so the peaches release light juice.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Peaches are coated in sugar syrup
Tip: Choosing firm-ripe peaches (not hard, not mushy) ensures they hold their shape and stay tart enough to balance the sweet cake.
6
Spread cake batter and layer peaches
- Pour the cake batter into a parchment-lined 9-inch (23 cm) round cake pan and smooth the top.
- Scatter the peach slices and their juices evenly over the batter, pressing them in gently so they nestle into the batter.
- Don't worry if some juice pools—it will bake into the cake.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Peaches are distributed evenly and partially embedded in batter
Tip: Reserve the best-looking peach slices for the top layer; they'll be visible when you serve.
7
Make the crumble topping
- In a bowl, combine 1 cup (100 g) rolled oats, ½ cup (110 g) packed light brown sugar, ½ cup (60 g) whole wheat flour, and ¼ tsp (1.5 g) sea salt.
- Cut in ⅓ cup (75 g) cold unsalted butter using a pastry cutter, two knives, or your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs with pea-sized butter pieces still visible.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Mixture is crumbly with visible butter pieces and no dry flour
Tip: Keep the butter cold—work quickly and avoid overblending, or the crumble will be dense instead of crunchy.
8
Top with crumble and bakeOven 350°F / 175°C
- Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the peaches and cake, breaking up any clumps.
- Bake in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 35–40 minutes until the crumble is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the cake portion (not a peach) comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Crumble is deep golden, cake is springy when lightly pressed, and toothpick emerges clean or nearly clean
Tip: If the crumble begins to brown too quickly (after 25 minutes), loosely tent the pan with foil; every oven is different.
9
Cool in the pan
- Remove the cake from the oven and set the pan on a wire rack.
- Let it cool for 10 minutes in the pan so it sets just enough to handle.
- The cake will still be warm and slightly moist in the center—this is ideal for breakfast cake texture.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Cake is warm to the touch but not steaming
Tip: Don't let it cool completely in the pan or it will steam and become soggy. The residual heat finishes the bake.
10
Turn out and serve
- Place a serving plate over the pan, then invert the cake onto the plate so the crumble side is now up.
- Gently peel away the parchment paper.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Cake is released and plate is clean
Tip: If you prefer not to invert, simply serve directly from the pan with the crumble on top—both look beautiful.

Good to know

Tips

Peak peach season is June through August; this cake is best made when local peaches are at their most fragrant and flavorful.
Peaches brown quickly once cut; toss them with the lemon juice immediately to prevent oxidation, or slice them directly into the sugar mixture.
Don't skip creaming the butter and sugar properly in step 2—this is what keeps the cake tender despite the wet filling underneath.
For a less sweet cake, reduce the brown sugar in the cake batter to ½ cup (110 g) and the crumble to ⅓ cup (73 g), though you may need to add 1 extra minute to the bake time.

Make ahead

The cake can be baked up to 1 day ahead. Wrap it tightly in foil or plastic wrap after it has cooled completely. You can also prepare the dry cake ingredients and crumble topping the night before and store them separately in airtight containers.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 2 days, covered loosely. Refrigerator: up to 4 days in an airtight container. Freezer: up to 2 months, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and foil (thaw at room temperature for 2–3 hours, or warm individual slices in a 325°F oven for 10 minutes). The crumble will soften slightly when reheated, but the cake will be delicious.

Substitutions

ripe peaches (medium) → 4 cups (600 g) thawed frozen peach slices or fresh nectarines. If using frozen peaches, do not thaw them first—use straight from the freezer and skip the rest-and-release step; you'll add about 3 extra minutes to the bake time.
plain yogurt (full-fat or Greek) → sour cream or full-fat Greek yogurt. Both work equally well and provide moisture and tang. Use the same amount.
rolled oats (old-fashioned) → chopped raw almonds or pecans mixed with 2 tbsp additional whole wheat flour. The texture will be chunkier and nuttier. Use ¾ cup (90 g) nuts total.
fresh ginger root → 1 tsp additional ground ginger in place of the fresh. The cake will taste spicier and less aromatic, but still delicious. Use only ½ tsp additional in the dry ingredients if doubling the spice seems too intense.