Peach Explosion Cake

During my adjustment phase, after discovering my "little problem" I've learned the virtue of Aldi's gluten-free selection of baking goods.

Let's face it, I love their mixes.

But a simple cake, made straight from the mix, sometimes just isn't enough when you're sharing with friends. In that case, it makes a nice base for something else.

Like peaches, for example.

Lots of peaches. Lots of peachy peachy flavor. And this particular experiment didn't require that I hunt down a crate of out-of-season, outrageously expensive precious gems.

It just so happened, I had a superabundance of dried peaches on hand (Amazon has found my biggest weakness, there. I like dried fruits, I buy them bulk, by subscription. I can't help myself). I also had a can or two of cling peaches "in light syrup." 

Ingredients:

1 cup dried peaches, diced

1 (16-ounce) can (diced or chunk) peaches in light syrup

1 cup boiling water

3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided

2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, divided

 

1 box yellow cake mix, plus as many eggs as the mix calls for (Aldi's GF asks for 2)

1/2 cup oil (I prefer canola for this recipe)

3 Tablespoons buttermilk powder

peach syrup water (reserved from above)

 Directions:

In a medium bowl, combine water and diced dried peaches. Allow to stand at least one hour, until cool. Add canned peaches, syrup and all. Stir well. 

Drain syrup water from peaches, and DO NOT THROW IT AWAY. You will need this. 

Preheat oven according to cake mix instructions. 

In a small bowl, whisk together cinnamon and sugar.

Grease bottom and sides of a 9"x14"x2" cake pan. Sprinkle about half of the cinnamon sugar into the pan, shaking to create a thin layer across bottom and along sides. (Yes, sugar, not flour!)

Mix remaining cinnamon sugar into the peaches, coating completely.

Consult your cake mix box for proportions of egg, oil, and liquid, substituting the peach syrup blend for the liquid called for on the box (Aldi's GF yellow cake mix asks for 3/4 cup milk). In a medium bowl, mix oil, peach syrup, and eggs until completely blended. In a large bowl, whisk together cake mix and buttermilk powder. Create a well in the center, add in the liquids, and beat according to the  instructions on the box of mix.

When your batter is done, scatter 1/2 of the sugared peaches in the bottom of the pan, then gently fold the remaining peaches into the cake batter. Pour into pan, place on rack in middle of oven, bake at least 1 hour, or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean.

Allow to cool in pan, serve warm (plain, or with your favorite vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or even drizzled with a little sweet cream).