Servings: 10-12
Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks/8 oz/226g) unsalted butter, softened, plus additional butter for greasing the pan
3 cups sifted cake flour (not self-rising; sift before measuring) plus additional for dusting
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups granulated sugar
7 large eggs, at room temperature for 30 minutes
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup heavy cream
Garnish: (optional)
Confectioners' sugar
Whipped Cream or Non-Dairy Whipped Topping
Serve with: (optional)
Marinated Peaches (see recipe below)
Special Equipment:
A 10-inch tube pan (4 1/2 inches deep; not with a removable bottom) or a 10-inch bundt pan (3 1/4 inches deep; 3-qt capacity)
Instructions:
Put oven rack in middle position, but DO NOT preheat oven.
Generously butter pan and dust with flour, knocking out excess flour.
Sift together sifted flour (3 cups) and salt into a bowl. Repeat sifting into another bowl (flour will have been sifted 3 times total).
Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes in a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment or 6 to 8 minutes with a handheld mixer. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low and add half of flour, then all of cream, then remaining flour, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down side of bowl, then beat at medium-high speed 5 minutes. Batter will become creamier and satiny.
Spoon batter into pan and rap pan against work surface once or twice to eliminate air bubbles. Place pan in (cold) oven and turn oven temperature to 350°F (180°C). Bake until golden and a wooden pick or skewer inserted in middle of cake comes out with a few crumbs adhering to it, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Cool cake in pan on a rack for 30 minutes. Run a thin knife around inner and outer edges of cake, then invert rack over pan and invert cake onto rack to cool completely. Once cake has cooled completely, transfer to a serving plate or cake stand. If desired, when ready to serve, dust top of cake with confectioners' sugar or serve with a dollop of whipped cream or non-dairy whipped topping and Marinated Peaches on the side or pass peaches around for guests to serve themselves.
Storing Cake:
Cake keeps, covered well with plastic wrap or in an airtight container, at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Makes 10 to 12 servings.
Marinated Peaches
Ingredients:
2 1/2 pounds (approximately 4 large peaches) fresh, ripe peaches, pitted and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup peach liqueur or peach brandy
1/4 cup dark rum
Instructions:
In a large bowl, combine the peach slices with the 1 cup of sugar, the peach liqueur (or brandy), and the rum. Stir to mix. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. (This can be done a day ahead.)
Source of recipe for Marinated Peaches: Diana's Desserts.
Photograph taken by Diana Baker Woodall© 2005
Source: Adapted from Gourmet Magazine, Sept. 2005
Date: September 9, 2005