Peaches and Cream Cake

I adapted this from a strawberry shortcake Cooking Light recipe I like to make. The turbinado sugar on top is a must, it caramelizes in the oven leaving a crisp and rich flavored crust for this tender desert.

Peaches and Cream Cake
4 cups sliced peaches
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup skim milk
2 egg whites (at room temperature)
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon turbinado sugar
2 cups whipped cream


Preheat oven to 375°.


Line a 9-inch round cake pan with wax paper. Coat pan with cooking spray, and dust with 1 teaspoon flour; set aside.

Cream butter at medium speed of a mixer; gradually add 1/2 cup sugar, beating until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes).

Combine 1 3/4 cups flour, baking powder, and salt; stir well. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

Beat egg whites and cream of tartar at high speed of a mixer until foamy. Gradually add 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Gently stir about one-fourth of egg white mixture into batter. Gently fold in remaining egg white mixture.
Pour batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle turbinado sugar over top of cake. Bake at 375° for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan, and let cool completely on wire rack.

Slice shortcake in half horizontally. Place bottom half, cut side up, on a serving plate. Spread 1 cup whipped cream over cake layer, and arrange half of peaches over whipped cream. Top with remaining cake layer, cut side down. Spread remaining cup whipped topping over top cake layer, and arrange remaining half of peaches over whipped cream, or just serve them on the side.