Old-Fashioned Peach Bread
Peach bread is a dessert bread that can be served as a lovely summer treat! This bread is similar to Banana Bread; however, it has a sweeter taste. Once you taste this peach bread, you will wonder why you have never made it before!
In this blog post, you will learn how to make a loaf of delicious peach bread.
How to Make Peach Bread
Start by preheating your oven and greasing a loaf pan. Drain your canned peaches well, then dice them into bite-sized pieces and set them aside. This helps prevent excess moisture in the batter and keeps the loaf soft but not soggy, which is key for a perfectly baked homemade peach bread.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, milk, melted butter, egg, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and well combined. In a separate medium bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt together to evenly distribute the dry ingredients. This step ensures your easy peach loaf bread rises evenly and has a light, tender texture just like in these Peach Streusel Muffins.
Next, pour the dry ingredients into the wet mixture and whisk gently until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can make the loaf dense instead of soft and fluffy. Once the batter is mostly smooth, gently fold in the diced peaches, making sure they are evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake for 65–70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. If you notice the top browning too quickly while baking, loosely cover it with aluminum foil and continue baking until fully cooked through. Consequently, this ensures the inside finishes baking without over-browning the crust.
Once baked, remove the loaf from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for 20–30 minutes. This cooling time is important, as the loaf needs time to set before slicing. Cutting too soon can cause it to fall apart. Once cooled, your moist peach bread loaf is ready to slice and enjoy, perfect for breakfast, dessert, or an afternoon treat.
How Long Can I Store My Peach Bread For?
In the refrigerator, you can store your peach bread for up to 5-7 days. In the freezer, frozen peach bread can last for up to 3 months.
Cool Completely: before storing, make sure the peach bread has cooled completely to prevent condensation build-up, which can lead to sogginess and mold.
Slice (Optional): For convenience, if you are freezing your peach bread, consider slicing the bread before freezing. This way, you can take out individual slices as needed.
Wrap Well: wrap the bread tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Alternatively, you can place it in an airtight container or a resealable plastic bag to keep it from drying out and to protect it from absorbing other odours in the refrigerator.
Label and Date: label the package with the date you made the bread to keep track of its freshness.
Thawing: To thaw, remove the desired amount of bread from the freezer and let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for a few hours.
Reheating: For a warm treat, reheat slices in the microwave for a few seconds or in a toaster oven until warmed through. If reheating the whole loaf, you can warm it in a 350℉/175℃/Gas Mark 4 for about 10-15 minutes.
How Do I Remove the Skin From my Fresh Peaches?
You will need to blanch your peaches to remove the skin from your peaches.
Blanching is the process of scalding your vegetables or fruit in boiling water for a very short amount of time and transferring them quickly to a very cold bowl of water or an ice bath. This allows the skin to fall off very easily.
These are the steps to blanch and prepare your peaches.
- Boil a pot of water, then insert your peaches for 30 seconds.
- Remove and transfer your peaches to an ice bath. The skins should then easily slide off and now the peaches are ready to be sliced.
- Slice your peaches evenly as this allows for a more even baking of the peaches.
Using a free-stone peach makes slicing and cutting your peaches much easier as the pit of the peach will not stick to the flesh and make slicing difficult.
Ingredients
Canned Peaches: canned peaches are the sweet and flavourful highlight of this recipe just like in this Peach Cobbler Recipe. Fresh peaches are often preferred for their vibrant flavour, but canned or frozen peaches work well, especially when peaches are out of season. You can use either fresh or frozen peaches as a substitute for canned peaches. Frozen peaches can be removed from the freezer and thawed. Strain the excess liquid from them. Once they are strained of excess liquid, dice up your peaches. Use a straight substitute for canned peaches.
Granulated Sugar: granulated sugar is added to provide sweetness.
Unsalted Butter: unsalted butter is used to add moisture and flavour to the bread. Olive oil or other types of oil can be substituted for the butter. The general substitution ratio is 1:1. So for this recipe, you would swap the 1/2 c. of butter for 1/2 c. of oil, either vegetable or olive oil. The bread will be only slightly different if you use oil instead of butter.
Milk: milk adds moisture to the bread. Whole milk is preferred as it increases the richness of the bread and its flavour.
Egg: the egg binds the ingredients together by adding structure.
All-Purpose/Plain Flour: all-purpose flour is the commonly used flour type, but whole wheat flour can be substituted for a heartier texture.
Vanilla Extract: vanilla extract enhances the flavour of the other ingredients.
Baking Powder: baking powder is the leavening agent and makes the bread rise.
Salt: salt is used for flavour enhancement.
For the best results for this bread, make sure that the ingredients are room temperature, especially the milk and egg.
Tips
- This recipe calls for two cans of peaches. That roughly works out to 2 cups of peaches with the cans being 250g of weight after they have been strained.
- Using butter in the recipe causes the peach bread to have the texture of bread whereas using oil causes the bread to have a more cake like texture.
- Letting the peach bread sit for 20-30 minutes until it has fully cooled allows the peach bread to be cut more easily without it falling apart. Therefore, you will get nicer slices of bread if you let it sit before cutting it.
- Serve after dinner as dessert or use this peach bread as a nice afternoon snack with your coffee or tea!
Try these other quick bread recipes
Old Fashioned Peach Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cans of peaches strained and diced
- 1/2 c. sugar granulated
- 1/2 c. milk room temperature
- 1/2 c. butter melted
- 1 medium egg room temperature
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 c. all-purpose/plain flour
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. fine salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉/175℃/Gas Mark 4. Grease a 9”x5” loaf pan and set aside
- Strain your canned peaches and dice them in a separate bowl.
- In a large bowl, whisk the sugar, milk, butter, egg and vanilla extract together.
- In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Pour the flour mixture into the liquid mixture and whisk together until just combined.
- Fold in the diced peaches.
- Pour into the greased loaf pan and bake for 65-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the loaf comes out dry. If the top of the loaf is browning too quickly, place some aluminium foil on the top of the loaf and continue to bake.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for 20-30 minutes. This loaf needs ample time to cool or else it can fall apart when cutting.
Notes
Author: Sarah Young
Peach Bread FAQ
What is peach bread?
Peach bread is a soft, moist quick bread made with fresh peaches and warm baking spices, perfect for breakfast, dessert, or snacking.
Can I use canned or frozen peaches?
Yes, fresh, canned, or frozen peaches all work well. If using frozen peaches, thaw and drain excess liquid first. Fresh and canned peaches also work well in this Rustic Peach Galette.
Do I need to peel peaches for peach bread?
Peeling is optional, but peeled peaches create a softer texture throughout the loaf.
Why is my peach bread dense?
Overmixing the batter or adding too much flour can make the loaf dense.
Can peach bread be frozen?
Yes, peach bread freezes very well for up to 3 months.
How do I keep peach bread moist?
Use ingredients like sour cream, yogurt, or oil, and avoid overbaking.
What spices pair well with peach bread?
Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and vanilla pair beautifully with peaches just like in this Peach Crumble Recipe.
Can I add nuts to peach bread?
Yes, pecans or walnuts make delicious additions.
How do I know when peach bread is done baking?
Insert a toothpick into the center of the loaf. It should come out clean.
Is peach bread considered a quick bread?
Yes, peach bread is a quick bread because it uses baking powder or baking soda instead of yeast.
What can I serve with peach bread?
Peach bread is delicious served warm with butter, cream cheese, coffee, or tea.
Can I make peach bread ahead of time?
Yes, peach bread often tastes even better the next day as the flavors continue to develop.