Unless you have a lot of time on your hands this afternoon, it might be a challenge to add this cake to the dinner menu.

In any case it could prove to be the right coda to Sunday lunch with a cup of Java.

This Peach Coffee Cake was culled from MAINE CLASSICS (Running Press, Spring 2011) by Mark Gaier & Clark Frasier .

Peach Coffee Cake

People don’t think of Maine as a place where stone fruit grows, but there are actually very good peaches here and they are perfect with this coffee cake. Have it at breakfast or brunch, but try it for dessert with our Blueberry Crème Frâiche Ice Cream too.

Yield: 6 servings

4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup shortening
2 cups buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking soda
Six peaches, peeled and thinly sliced
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Sift together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Blend in the shortening. Remove 1/2 cup of this mixture and save for the topping.

Blend the buttermilk and baking soda in a bowl and add to the dry ingredients.

Layer the peaches at the bottom of a 9-inch pan. Pour the batter over the peaches. Melt the butter and drizzle on top. Add the 1/2 cup of reserved topping mixture to the brown sugar. Mix and sprinkle over the cake.

Bake about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick placed in the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool for 15 minutes before serving.

(* Recipe from Maine Classics, reprinted by permission of the publisher, all rights reserved, Photo by Ron Maniville)