Move over, banana bread — it’s time for this peachy bourbon loaf

For the last several months, banana bread has become the MVP of many people’s pandemic stress-baking roster — and understandably so. It’s a cheap, easy way to get something sweet on the table without waiting for dough to proof or creating layers to frost, while also using up the inevitable overripe bananas of the bunch.

But it’s peach season here in the South (marked in part by the annual Peach Truck tour which – though it looks different this year due to social distancing – travels up the coast delivering Georgia peaches) so I thought it’d be nice to create a loaf that showcased peaches as the star.

The key to this recipe is really found in the first step, which is a play on a fruit compote. By softening the peaches in bourbon, it brings out their natural sugar and “fruitiness,” while also infusing the bread with a touch of caramel flavor.

Bourbon Peach Bread 

1½ cups all-purpose flour
1¼ teaspoons baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
1 cup brown sugar, plus 2 additional tablespoons
⅓ cup sour cream
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons of bourbon
2 large eggs
1 cup grated or finely chopped peaches

In a small saucepan, combine bourbon, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, and 1 cup of peaches, over medium high heat. Stir until the peaches have softened and the sugar has dissolved into the bourbon. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine vegetable oil, sour cream, vanilla extract and two eggs. Fold in the remaining dry ingredients and stir until completely combined, followed by the peach mixture.

Grease a standard loaf pan (I like to line it with parchment paper, too, just for an easier removal from the pan) and add the batter. Place in an oven that has been heated to 350 degrees. Bake bread until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 60–65 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let bread cool in the pan for one hour, before popping it out on the rack.