This tasty variation of the classic pineapple cake is equally good with
fresh apricots or cooked dried apricots.
| Topping |
| 1/2 cup sugar |
| 1 vanilla bean |
| 6 medium peaches |
| 6 tablespoons butter |
| 2/3 cup light brown sugar |
| |
| Cake |
| 1 1/2 cups cake flour (spoon flour into dry-measure cup
and level off) |
| 2 teaspoons baking powder |
| 1/2 teaspoon salt |
| 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, softened |
| 1 cup sugar |
| 1 teaspoon vanilla extract |
| 3/4 cup milk or buttermilk |
| 1/2 cup (about 4 large) egg whites |
| |
| 1 10-inch round cake pan, 2 inches deep |
1. To prepare the peaches for the topping, combine the sugar and vanilla
bean with 3 cups water and bring to a simmer in a large pan. To peel the
peaches, bring a pan of water to a boil. Cut a cross in the blossom end
of each peach and drop into the boiling water. Lift out with a slotted
spoon after about 15 seconds and peel peaches. Halve and pit peaches and
add to vanilla syrup as they are ready. After all the peaches are in the
syrup, bring the syrup to a simmer and turn off heat. Leave peaches in
syrup until ready to assemble cake. Peaches may be refrigerated, covered,
up to 1 day.
2. Set a rack in the middle level of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.
3. For the cake, combine the cake flour with the baking powder and salt;
stir well and set aside. Beat the butter and sugar with the paddle on
medium speed until soft and light, about 5 minutes, then beat in the vanilla.
Whisk together the milk and egg whites. Add about a third of the cake
flour mixture to the mixer bowl and beat until it is absorbed. Add
about half the milk and egg white mixture and beat smooth. Stop
and scrape bowl and beater. Continue with another third of the flour
mixture and the remaining liquid. Finally, add the remaining flour
mixture and beat smooth. Take the bowl off the mixer and give the
batter a final mixing with a large rubber spatula.
4. To assemble, drain the peaches and set on a pan lined with a towel
or paper towels. Melt the butter for the topping and pour into the cake
pan. Stir in the light brown sugar and place over heat for a few seconds
to melt sugar, stirring constantly. Remove pan from heat and add peaches,
rounded side down, arranging them evenly over the sugar and butter mixture.
Pour cake batter over peaches.
5. Bake the cake until baked through, about 30 minutes. Test for doneness
by inserting the point of a knife or toothpick in the center; it should
come out dry.
6. Cool the pan on a rack for 10 minutes, then place a platter over
the pan. Flip the pan so that it sits on top of the platter, but let the
cake sit for 10 minutes or so inside the pan and on top of the platter
before lifting off the pan. If some of the peaches stick to the pan, pry
them off and place them on the cake.
