Peaches and Cream Shortcake

 Peaches and Cream Shortcake

Peaches and cream. Don't you just love the sound of that?  I have always been drawn to anything that has the words peaches and cream.  My Mom made the best peaches and cream pie and I love peaches and cream ice cream.  Even just a bowl of peaches with some cream poured over them is enough to make me get all warm and fuzzy. This is such a simple recipe made with a light vanilla cake, fresh summer peaches and sweetened whipped cream with just a touch of almond and vanilla flavoring.  This is a keeper my friends.

Peaches and Cream Shortcake

Cake

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature...

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs plus 2 large egg yolks

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup whole milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter bottom of an 8-inch round cake pan, and line with parchment paper. Butter and flour paper and sides. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. 

With an electric mixer on high speed, beat butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs and yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. With mixer on low, alternately add flour mixture in 3 parts and milk in 2, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix just until combined. Spread batter in prepared pan.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes; invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Sweetened Whipped Cream                                                               

1 1/4 cups (10 oz) cold heavy cream

2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon almond extract

Whip the cold heavy cream, sugar and vanilla and almond extracts to a medium soft peak.  Chill until ready to use.

Peach Topping

1/4 cup honey

3 tablespoons water

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, to taste

1 large fresh ripe peach

Combine the honey and water in a saucepan and simmer to dissolve.  Remove from heat and add the lemon juice.  Cut the peaches into 1/2" slices and place them in the honey syrup as you go to prevent browning.  Set aside, spooning the syrup over the fruit every now and then until ready to use. 

Assembly

Once cake has cooled, use a serrated knife, split the cake in half horizontally. Place bottom half, cut side up, on a serving plate. Pipe in whipped cream on bottom half of cake. Carefully lay top half on top.  Arrange glazed peach slices on top of cake and surround peaches with more piped whipped cream.

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