Spring is coming. I can feel it and my grocery store had the most beautiful nectarines yesterday, so we are making my favorite goat cheese cake with nectarines and almonds…
If you are not a fan of goat cheese or unfamiliar with the idea of a cake made with this creamy, tangy delight then I beg you to stick with me on this dessert because it is absolutely wonderful.
Goat cheese has an extra soft and creamy texture which will make your cake so moist and delicate. It also adds a light tanginess to the overall flavor of this cake that is reminiscent of cheesecake, because goat cheese can be substituted one-for-one with cream cheese or ricotta in many cake recipes.
If you are looking for a tender, moist, beautifully flavored cake then I would love for you to give my goat cheese cake a try. Let’s get started…
Begin by whisking 8 ounces of room temperature fresh goat cheese with 3 large eggs, 1/3 cup of a good olive oil, a teaspoon of pure vanilla extract and an optional, but highly recommended 1/4 teaspoon of almond extract.
Note: When you are shopping for fresh goat cheese, it typically comes in little 4 ounce portions (just grab 2 of them) and there is occasionally a honey goat cheese option. I almost always use honey goat cheese. Now you can absolutely make this cake with plain goat cheese, but I love the flavor of honey goat cheese, so you have options.
Add 3/4 cup of brown sugar and 1/2 cup of granulated sugar and mix vigorously until you have a smooth pale yellow batter.
Now, whisk 1 1/3 cups of all purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt and 2 teaspoons of baking powder into the batter until it is just combined. Like with most cake batter, you are gonna want to avoid over mixing this batter, so it stays light and fluffy. As soon as you no longer see dry ingredients left behind, you are done mixing.
You can bake this cake in a 9″ deep cake pan, a 9″ springform pan or a 10″ oven safe skillet, just make sure that your vessel is generously buttered, greased or sprayed with your favorite non-stick baking spray.
Slice 2 large nectarines into medium wedges and arrange them over the top of the cake batter.
Sprinkle some sliced almonds and course sugar over the top and bake in a 350 degree oven for 48-52 minutes.
Note: This cake usually bakes from the outside in, so at first the outer edges will get super puffy and some of the nectarines will sink down into the cake. If the outer edges begin to brown too much before the center is set, I like to cut a circle out of the center of a sheet of foil and let it lightly over the cake, so the outer edges are protected from over browning, but the middle cake still get some of that heat.
Once the center of this beauty feels set to a light touch, pull it out of the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing into it.
Have you ever seen such an inviting dessert? You can literally see everything you are going to love about it as soon as you look at it. Love at first sight if you will…
Those golden brown edges are caramelized and sweet. The center is tender and incredibly moist. The nectarines are soft and their very best flavors have been extracted during the bake.
All you need is a little dust of confectioners sugar….
This cake just screams spring. It is light, airy and cheerful and the nectarines and almonds add something beautifully unexpected. You could use peaches or even plums here too, but there is something perfect about the juicy sweetness of a good nectarine.
And if you are a goat cheese lover like myself, you should definitely give my vanilla honey goat cheese cookies a try too!
Goat Cheese Cake with Nectarines & Almonds
Ingredients
- 8 ounces of fresh goat cheese, room temperature
- 3 large eggs
- 1/3 cup of olive oil
- 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
- a splash of almond extract (optional)
- 3/4 cup of brown sugar
- 1/2 cup of granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
- 2 teaspoons of baking powder
- 1 1/3 cups of all purpose flour
- 2 large nectarines, medium sliced
- 1/4 cup of almonds, thin sliced
- 2 tablespoons of course sugar (for topping)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350° and generously grease a 9” cake pan, springform or oven safe skillet
- In a large bowl, combine 8 ounces of room temperature goat cheese with 3 large eggs, 1/3 cup of olive oil, a teaspoon of pure vanilla extract and an optional splash of almond extract
- Add 3/4 cup of brown sugar and 1/2 cup of granulated sugar and whisk until well combined
- Add 1 1/3 cups of all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt and mix until just combined
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly
- Arrange the sliced nectarines over the cake and sprinkle the sliced almonds and course sugar over the top
- Bake in a 350° oven for about 45 minutes or until a toothpick will come out of the center of the cake mostly clean
- Enjoy warm with some whipped cream
- Chill leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days
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