Week 11 - Peach Vanilla Bean Bundt Cake

I have been trying to get some non-chocolate sweets recently, as my 7 year old gave up chocolate for Lent.  That's a pretty big commitment for a kid!  He is doing really well with it and remembering when his Dad and I forget.  I wanted to support him by offering sweet options that don't include chocolate.  I found this Peach Vanilla Bean Bundt Cake on pinterest that looked delicious!  The pin led me to the blog Week of Menus.  You can find the complete recipe by clicking on the link. 
I was tempted to buy canned peaches to dice and peach baby food for the strained peaches, but I opted to go with fresh.  It's not quite peach season, so it was slim pickings at the grocery store.  I found 5, what I thought were, decent peaches.  Once I got home I got started.  I love making bundt cakes.  I am not sure exactly why, but I think that part of it is how nice they look coming out of the pan, needing little to no decoration.  It's that simple elegance without the hard work! :)
The batter was pretty standard and straight forward. I have to say that I used vanilla extract instead of the vanilla bean.  The only vanilla bean I could find at my grocery store was going to cost $7, so I opted out of that.  I used 2 tsp of vanilla for the flavor. I got it all mixed up and poured into my greased and floured baking pan.  I love the Pam spray for baking.  It shoots out the oil and flour in one making it so easy!  It also smells really yummy, like you are already baking the cake!  I poured in the first layer of cake.

I then added my layer of peaches.  The recipe calls for 1 and 1/2 cups, but when I poured my peaches in, it didn't seems like enough, so I diced up another 1/2 cup of peaches to go in, then I poured on the top layer.

I did leave the skin on.  I figured it wouldn't hurt, and I had already diced up some of the peaches by the time I realized it.  I don't feel like it changed the cake, and it saved some time! :)
I put it in the oven and set the timer for 50 minutes at first.  The tester didn't come out quite clean, so I left it in to closer to 60 minutes.  Then let it cool in the pan for a little while.  I took it out of the pan to cool, and it was a little brown on top with some bubbles, but otherwise looked pretty good.

I was going to make the syrup to drizzle on top of the cake, but when I cut into the last peach to make the strained peach, it was no good.  Bummer!
I cut into the cake to get a slice for the kids and myself to taste test.  The cake looked great with the layer of peaches!

Since we didn't have the syrup on top, I decided to heat the pieces in the microwave for about 10 seconds (didn't need long as it was still a little warm from baking) and put a scoop of vanilla ice on top.  YUMMY!! 

The kids and I both ate it up pretty quickly.  I would like to try the syrup next time, but this cake doesn't have to have it to be delicious!  Definitely recommend this one.  Perfect for a spring brunch or just because.  I think I will have to make this one for a dessert auction we will be having at church.