Just peachy!

After discovering the beauty of bundt cakes a few months ago, it seems the obsession has not ceased. My initial, and amazingly successful, efforts at making these cakes all focused on the chocolate variety, as detailed here and also here. Although I subscribe to the theory that there's really no such thing as too much chocolate, I recently decided that it was due time to branch out a bit in my bundt cake experimentation.

With spring in the air, the warmer temperatures and sunnier days seemed to call for making a cake that was lighter and brighter, perhaps one featuring fruit. Back to the Internet I went, and my search turned up several options that fit the bill. In the end, I opted to try the Peach Pound Cake recipe that I found in the southern food section of About.com. For once, I managed to follow a recipe as written (save and except the fact that I used faux buttermilk, made by combining a half cup of milk with a tablespoon of lemon juice).

While the peach bundt cake is made from scratch (as opposed to starting with a mix, which I usually favor due to time constraints and general laziness), it could not be simpler. The recipe does have one little "cheat", being that it calls for canned peaches. This, however, is a good thing, because even if decent fresh peaches were available, I simply refuse to expend the effort involved in blanching, peeling, pitting and slicing the fruit, as required when using peaches in their natural state.

It took no time at all to mix up the batter, and my minimal effort was rewarded with a cake that turned out to be truly delicious.


The recipe does not call for any type of glaze or frosting, and I can vouch for the fact that, taste-wise, none is needed. Served plain, or perhaps with a dusting of powdered sugar, this cake would be a wonderful substitute for a coffee cake at breakfast or brunch. With a dollop of whipped cream (or, in our case, more like a wallop of whipped cream), it makes an awesome dessert. Enjoy!


Peach Pound Cake (from About.com)

1 can (29 oz.) sliced peaches in heavy syrup
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 1/2 cups sugar
6 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking power
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspooon baking soda
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup reserved peach syrup

Heat over to 325 degrees. Coat bundt-pan with a butter and flour-type baking spray. Drain peaches, reserving 1/3 cup of the syrup. Chop peaches finely and set aside.

Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Beat in vanilla.

In another bowl, combine flour, baking power, salt and baking soda. Blend dry mixture into the creamed mixture, alternating with buttermilk; fold in reserved 1/3 cup of peach syrup and the chopped peaches. Spoon into prepared baking pan. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes (possibly less for a dark, nonstick-style pan), or until a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean when inserted near center of cake.

Cool in pan on a rack for 15 minutes. Invert cake onto serving plate to cool completely.