Strawberry-peach Swirl Pound Cake
Over the weekend I picked up the July/August 2010 issue of Everyday Food Magazine (one of my faves). They always have a nice selection of simple but flavorful recipes...and their desserts always end up becoming some of my favorites. This month they featured a recipe for Blackberry Swirl Pound Cake which I really wanted to try. Unfortunately I didn't have any blackberries on hand and with temperaures reaching 100 degrees outside (plus humidity) I wasn't really up for a drive to the store. So I looked at what I had...and came up with this Strawberry-peach adaptation.
Strawberry-Peach Swirl Pound Cake
Makes 1 loaf (adapted from Everyday Foods).
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
- 1 1/2 total cups peeled peaches and strawberries fresh or frozen - if frozen, bring to room temperature over a strainer and allow excess juices to drain
- 1 1/4 cups sugar plus 2-6 tablespoons sugar for berries
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon course salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature
1. Preheat oven to 350 (Fahrenheit). Lightly butter 5x9 inch loaf pan and line with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides; butter parchment. In a food processes, puree strawberries and peaches with 2-6 tablespoons of sugar (depending on desired sweetness). In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder.
2. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together butter and 1 1/4 cups sugar until light and fluffy, 5 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and beat to combine, scraping down bowl as needed. With mixer on low, add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
3. Transfer half the batter to pan and dot with 1/2 cup strawberry-peach puree. Repeat with remaining batter and puree. With a skewer or thin-bladed knife, swirl batter and puree together. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, about 1 1/4 hours. Let cool in pan on a wire rack, 30 minutes. Lift cake out of pan and place on a serving plate; let cool completely before slicing. Store cooled cake, wrapped tightly in plastic at room temperature, up to 3 days.
Optional: Top with a dollop of remaining fruit puree and/or some sweetened whipped cream (I added a touch of lemon zest while mixing mine and it was delicious).
Notes: I think the end result of this cake was pretty tasty. I might have preferred a cake that was slightly sweeter, but by topping the individual servings with fruit puree and whipped cream it brought the sweetness level up to a range that I liked a bit more. Would I make this again? Yes. Maybe next time I'll try the original recipe and see how the results differ.
For the original recipe be sure to check out the July/August issue of Everyday Foods (they will probably make it available online sometime soon too).
Monday, July 19, 2010 
Reader Comments (14)
Oh my, how delicious are these pictures! This is real torture right now!
This looks amazing! I've got some strawberries just waiting to be used up. Guess I know what I'm using them for now!
I had peach coffee cake for the first time a couple weeks ago and it occurred to me that you don't see dessert recipes with peaches often enough. Or I don't. This looks marvelous.
This looks SO good!
Oh Wow! Now I'm hungry. Looks delicious.
Good gravy! I have that issue sitting right next to me in my 'magazines to go through' pile. I think I know what my next baking project is, yummmm!
Oh my goodness, this looks so good. I have to make this soon!
oweee, it looks amazing!
Wow this looks sooo amazing!
This looks delicious! I love the photos.
I have it in oven right now and I can't wait!! It smells so good!! :)
that looks soooo delicious!!
Wow that looks delish! Plus I have all the ingredients at home - love it when that happens :) Thanks for the recipe !
Hey I came across this via Pinterest and I was wondering if I could use 1/2 of peach butter in place of the puree that you make in this. I think it would turn out alright but I was just wondering if anyone had an opinion. Thanks :)