SOUTHERN STYLE PEACH CAKE

Vanilla Peach Layer Cake
Kristin @ Yellow Bliss Road

Rolling Pins Up!

Today, I have an extra special treat for you from Kristin at Yellow Bliss Road cooking blog. This is a southern style cake in the truest sense of the word - peaches and cream!  Light, fresh and so delicious.

Let's talk about peaches. You will want to select the best peaches for your cooking project,  

• Freestone Peaches. Unlike clingstone peaches, the fruit from freestone peach trees easily separates from the pit; often the stone can be removed from the peach flesh by hand. This makes freestone peach types popular with home growers who can and preserve their fruit. 
• Clingstone Peaches.  Besides color, peach tree fruit are also distinguished by how their pits separate from the flesh. Clingstones are more difficult to remove from their pits. 
• Yellow.  Most peach trees in the United States produce fruit with yellow flesh. Flesh color can range from a soft yellow to an orange yellow or yellow streaked with red. 
• White, Unlike most peach trees in the United States, most Asian peach trees produce white-fleshed fruit. Although less popular than yellow varieties here, white peaches are available in the United States as well. 

There are other peaches available, such as Doughnut and  Nectarines. Both come in clingstone or freestone varieties, and both are peach mutants, and are not usually used in cooking. 

Sunny's Tip:  Be sure to clean the peach of the dark part surrounding the pit. I have found when I don't do this, there may be a bitter after taste to the baked peach. Select you peaches for ripeness by gently touching around the stem area.  The peach should give slightly.  If you are ripening your peaches, place them in a brown paper bag out of direct heat

I hope this helps make your peach baking just peachy!

💙💙💙

VANILLA PEACH LAYER CAKE

author kristin

prep 45 mins

cook 30 mins

total 1 hour, 15 mins

yield 8 -12 slices

INGREDIENTS

Cake

• 4½ cups cake flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup + 2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 eggs + 1 egg white
• ¾ cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup + 2 tablespoons milk

Peach Frosting

• 5 cups peeled and sliced peaches (5-6 fresh or 2 16-ounce packages frozen), divided
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• pinch of salt
• 2 10-ounce containers non-dairy whipped topping, defrosted
• 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1 fresh peach, sliced for garnish (if desired)

INSTRUCTIONS

Cake

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Prepare 3, 8-inch round cake pans by spraying liberally with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Sift together cake flour, baking powder and salt in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.
3. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar together until smooth and fluffy. Slowly add the eggs and mix well until combined.
4. Stir in sour cream and vanilla, and mix well until combined.
5. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add half of the flour mixture. Stir until fully incorporated. Scrape the sides of the bowl again and stir in the milk.
6. Add the remaining flour and stir until the flour is fully incorporated. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and give it one last stir.
7. Divide the batter into 3 prepared, round baking pans.
8. Bake in 325 degree oven for about 30-35 minutes. Cakes are done when tops spring back with a light touch, or a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before turning over onto a plate or baking rack.

Peach Frosting

1. Set half of the peaches in a bowl. Sprinkle with brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and a pinch of salt. Stir to coat completely and let sit on the counter for about 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, finely chop remaining peeled peach slices. Place chopped peaches in the refrigerator until ready to use.
3. Puree the peaches/brown sugar mixture in a food processor or blender on high speed for about 30 seconds, or longer if needed, until the mixture is smooth. Pour the peach puree into a fine mesh strainer and set it over a small bowl. Let sit until all of the peach puree has been strained through to remove any larger pieces of the fruit. Set aside.
4. Using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese until fluffy and smooth; about 2-3 minutes. Add the peach puree and beat until combined. Stir in the powdered sugar until well combined and smooth. Stir in vanilla and a pinch of salt. Fold in non-dairy whipped topping and chopped peaches just until combined.
5. Keep frosting in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Assembly

1. Place the first cake layer on your serving platter and frost just the top with the peach frosting (about ½" or so thick). Repeat with the next two layers, then frost the sides with an offset spatula (the long and skinny kind). Smooth top and sides until even, then top with sliced sliced fresh peaches for garnish, if desired.

Please drop by, again - coffee's on!