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Pound Cake with Fresh Peaches and Cream

Source of Recipe

From "What Can I Bring?" by Elizabeth Heiskell


Recipe Introduction

"This pound cake is made by one of the best bakers in Oxford, Mississippi. Linda and her husband had a precious restaurant and bakery on the square. This is one of those cakes that you just leave the knife inside because every time you walk by you have to get a little sliver. The first time I tasted this cake I died and then ate half of it."

List of Ingredients

Pound Cake:
â—¦ 3 cups granulated sugar
â—¦ 12 ounces (1½ cups) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the pan
â—¦ 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
â—¦ 6 large eggs
â—¦ 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan
â—¦ ¼ teaspoon baking soda
â—¦ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
â—¦ 1 teaspoon almond extract

Peaches:
â—¦ 5 ripe, in-season peaches, peeled and sliced
â—¦ ¼ cup granulated sugar

Cream:
â—¦ 2 cups heavy cream
â—¦ 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
â—¦ ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Garnish:
â—¦ Mint sprigs (optional)


Recipe

Prepare the pound cake:
Preheat the oven to 300° F. Beat the sugar, butter, and cream cheese with an electric stand mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 5 minutes.

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating to blend after each addition. Stir together the flour and baking soda in a separate bowl. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture on low speed just until blended after each addition. Add the vanilla and almond extracts; beat on low 2 minutes. Transfer the batter to a greased (with butter) and floured 10-inch tube pan.

Bake in the preheated oven until a long wooden skewer inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack 15 minutes. Remove from the pan to a wire rack, and cool completely, about 1 hour.

Prepare the peaches:
Toss together the peaches and sugar; let stand until the sugar dissolves, about 10 minutes.

Prepare the cream:
Beat the cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer fitted with whisk attachment on high speed until stiff peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes.

Slice the cake, and serve with the Peaches and Cream.
Garnish with mint sprigs, if desired.


Serves 6


• We call really good peaches 'elbow peaches.' These are the peaches that when you eat them the juices run down your arm to your elbow. Do not, I repeat, do not buy peaches out of season. Don't — just don't.