Peach Pound Cake

1. Stage

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 10-inch fluted tube pan, and set it aside. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, five to seven minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the almond and vanilla extracts. Editor's Tip: You should wait until your oven has fully preheated before you start on the batter. That way, the oven will be hot and ready as soon as you finish it.

2. Stage

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Editor's Tip: You don't need to use a whisk to stir the flour mixture, but doing so will ensure you've eliminated any lumps in the dry ingredients. A random lump of baking soda in a slice of cake can ruin dessert.

3. Stage

Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture alternately with the sour cream, beating well after each addition. Fold in the peaches. Editor's Tip: You want to beat the batter only until everything is combined, and no more. Overbeating the batter can lead to an overly dense cake with too much chew. And fold ingredients with a careful, gentle hand—especially when it comes to the peaches.

4. Stage

Pour the batter into the prepared tube pan. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 60 to 70 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then, carefully remove the cake, transfer it to a wire rack, and let it cool completely. If desired, serve it with a dollop of whipped cream and additional peaches. Editor's Tip: It can be tricky to figure out how to get a cake out of a Bundt pan. It should come out easily if you greased the pan properly, but it may need a little assistance. Try gently banging on the pan's edges to loosen the cake.