Description
This indulgent Southern-style pound cake combines a dense, velvet-crumbed cream cheese batter with a caramelized layer of spiced peaches. It serves as the perfect centerpiece for any gathering, offering professional bakery results with home-kitchen comfort.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 cups diced peaches, drained (syrup reserved)
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Prepare the oven. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F and sift the flour and salt together in a medium bowl.
- Cream butter and sugar. Beat the softened butter and granulated sugar for five minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Integrate cream cheese. Add the room-temperature cream cheese to the butter mixture and mix until smooth and fully emulsified.
- Add eggs individually. Incorporate the large eggs one at a time, mixing briefly after each addition to maintain batter stability.
- Stir in vanilla. Add the vanilla extract and mix briefly to distribute the aroma evenly throughout the batter.
- Incorporate flour slowly. Turn the mixer to the lowest speed and gradually add the flour mixture until just combined to avoid overworking the gluten.
- Fold in peaches. Gently fold one cup of diced peaches into the batter using a spatula until evenly distributed.
- Prepare fruit topping. Whisk the cinnamon, brown sugar, and nutmeg into the reserved peach syrup, then toss the remaining peaches in this mixture.
- Prepare the pan. Spray a 12-cup bundt pan with flour-based baking spray and spread the spiced peaches and a portion of their juice into the bottom.
- Layer and bake. Spoon the batter over the peaches, smooth the top, and bake for one hour and fifteen minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Glaze the cake. Allow the cake to cool for twenty minutes, invert onto a wire rack, and drizzle with a glaze made from whisked powdered sugar and remaining peach syrup.
Notes
- Ensure all dairy and egg ingredients are at room temperature to prevent a dense or gummy layer at the base of the cake.
- Use the spoon-and-level method to measure your flour to avoid packing it into the cup and drying out the crumb.
- Tent the cake with aluminum foil if the edges brown too quickly before the center has finished setting.
- A heavy-duty bundt pan provides the most consistent heat distribution for this long-baking, dense cake.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 mins
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Southern
