With its simple combination of butter, flour, sugar and eggs, a classic pound cake is about as delectably Southern as its gets. The moist, tender flavor is great on its own, but it is made even yummier this time of year with the addition of fresh Louisiana peaches. This weekend, I broke out my reliable sour cream pound cake recipe and added a cup of fresh chopped Louisiana peaches to the batter—just enough to bring a hint of fruitiness while not changing the composition or baking time. I also added cinnamon, ground ginger and crystallized ginger, which gave the cake an almost coffee cake-like flavor. I adore the combination of peach and ginger, especially in sweet baked goods. When peach season hit last year, I went on a peach and ginger quick bread kick that my friends and family loved.
You can pick up fresh local peaches right now in some independent supermarkets or direct from Waterproof-based farmer Buddy Miller at the Red Stick Farmers Market. Or, head to the annual Louisiana Peach Festival in this weekend in Ruston, the heart of the state’s commercial peach harvest. The event has been a staple since 1951.
Peach Ginger Pound Cake Recipe
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3 cups sugar
6 large eggs, at room temperature
¼ teaspoon baking soda
3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
8-ounce carton sour cream, at room temperature
1 heaping cup (about 3 peaches) chopped ripe fresh peaches, juice strained off
1/3 cup crystallized ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
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1. Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Coat the inside of a tube or Bundt pan with baking spray.
2. Beat the butter at medium speed for about 2 minutes, until light and fluffy, then slowly add the sugar and beat about 5-7 more minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating just until the yellow disappears.
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3. Combine the baking soda and flour. With the mixer on low, alternately add the flour mixture and the sour cream to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the flour. Stir in the final 6 ingredients.
4. Bake for 1 hour and 25-30 minutes. Cool in the pan on a baking rack for about 15 minutes. Invert on a wire rack, and cool completely. Serve the cake plain, or topped with ice cream, whipped cream or fresh fruit.
Maggie Heyn Richardson is a regular 225 contributor. Reach her at hungryforlouisiana.com.