SUNKEN PEACH CAKE

Prep Time: 1½ Hours
Yields: 8 Servings

Comment:
Ruston, Louisiana grows some of the best tasting peaches in the world! In late May, truck farmers begin lining the highways to sell these fresh-picked delicacies. If you can find them, use Ruston peaches to make this cake extra special.

Ingredients:
4 medium peaches, peeled and cut into 8 slices each
2 tbsps plain bread crumbs
2 cups flour
2 tsps baking powder
3 large eggs, separated
pinch of salt
4 tbsps butter
5 tbsps vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
⅔ cup milk

Method:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 10" x 3" springform pan. Sprinkle bottom of pan with bread crumbs and set aside. Sift together flour and baking powder then set aside. In a mixing bowl, beat egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff then place in refrigerator. In a separate mixing bowl, beat butter and oil until smooth. Add sugar, vanilla and egg yolks, one ingredient at a time, and beat until creamy. Alternately add flour mixture and milk, one tablespoon at a time, beating continuously. Fold in stiff egg whites. Pour batter into springform pan and smooth top. Carefully lay peach slices outside up on top of batter. Be careful not to push down. Bake 45 minutes. NOTE: Do not open oven door for the first 30 minutes because cake will fall. Serve with Bittersweet Plantation Dairy Peachy Keen Creole Cream Cheese Ice Cream and whipped topping.