Peach Layer Cake

With bits of fruit mixed right into the cake batter, a layer of freshly made preserves, and nectar-sweetened cream cheese frosting, this cake is about as peachy as it gets! And yet, the flavor is not overwhelming — sweet and summery and bright — this Peach Layer Cake is sure to delight and impress.

My darling daughter, Harriet, turned one this week. Sigh. Despite all of my cynicism pre-motherhood, I am totally one of those moms who likes to take a million pictures of their child wearing ridiculous outfits…So needless to say, I had my heart set on getting one of those cliche pictures of baby covered in cake and frosting at her first birthday party. However, the thought of loading baby up with the metric ton of sugar found in most birthday cakes was cause for hesitation, even despite the insanely adorable mental image I’d been nurturing for weeks of Harriet’s sweet little face plastered in pink frosting. I decided to compromise: there would be cake, but it would at least have plenty of fruit in it. So, cake + frosting + fruit = healthy…right? Right!

Okay, so this may not be exactly healthy, but it is seasonal, it is delicious, and it does indeed have lots of fruit in it…for whatever that’s worth. This recipe is my own — created by combining about 5 diverse recipes (none of which was for peach cake) with a little guesswork and a lot of luck, but I will definitely be making it again soon — it was a big hit.

Ingredients:

– 5 c. fresh ripe peaches, peeled, pitted, and diced (about 7 medium peaches, plus one for decorating, if desired)

– 1 c. sugar

– 4 c. flour

–  2 tsp. baking powder

– 2 tsp. baking soda

– 1 tsp. salt

– 1/2 tsp. nutmeg

– 1 c. butter, room temperature

– 1 c. brown sugar

– 2 eggs

– 1 tsp. vanilla

– 2/3 c. milk

– 1/3 c. sour cream

– 2 8oz. packages of cream cheese, room temperature

– 1 c. powdered sugar

Directions: 

1. Prepare your peaches. Peaches should be ripe, but not overripe. Try to dice them into fairly small bits, but don’t worry yourself too much — the fruit will break down quite a bit throughout the cooking process

2. Put peaches into a medium saucepan over medium-low heat and cook with 1/4c. water

3. Stir frequently and bring to a boil

4. Add 1/4 c. of the sugar, stir well, return to a boil. Remove from heat

5. Preheat oven to 350F

6. In a large bowl sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg

7. In a separate bowl (use an electric mixer if you have one) cream together the remaining 3/4 c. of sugar, the brown sugar, and the butter

8. Add eggs, one at a time, to the creamed butter/sugar

9. Add vanilla, milk, and sour cream to the liquids and mix well

10. Add your dry ingredients to the wet. Mix well

11. Fold in 1 1/2 c. of your cooked peaches

12. Grease and flour 4 cake/pie tins (You can do this in batches if you don’t have enough tins)

13. Distribute batter evenly amongst tins

14. Bake in oven at 350F for 25 minutes, or until golden brown and a skewer or knife inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean

15. Allow cakes to cool for 20-30 minutes before (carefully!) removing them from tins.

Now, for the frosting…

16. Measure out 1 c. of your cooked peaches, trying to include as much of the juice from the pan as possible. Put peaches with juice into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth

17. In the bowl of an electric mixer beat both packages of cream cheese until smooth and creamy and free of lumps

18. Add powdered sugar, beat well

19. Add blended peach puree to frosting and mix well. (You can also add food coloring if you like — I added two drops of red plus three yellow to make a “peach” colored frosting)

20. Make sure that your cakes are completely cooled. Transfer the first one to a cake stand or serving platter

21. Using a sharp, serrated knife carefully create a flat work surface by shaving any rounded part of the cake, as shown below. You can also flip each cake upside-down — using the bottom of each cake as your flat surface as you work your way through the layers. I usually evaluate each as I go along

22. On the top of your first cake, heap about 1/4 of your frosting and spread just to the edges

23. Place your second cake directly onto of your first

24. Create your smooth surface, then spread the remainder of your cooked peaches (you should have about 3/4-1c. left) over the top of the second cake

25. Place your third cake directly on top of your second, create a smooth surface, and then cover with an additional 1/4 of the frosting

26. Place your final cake on top of the third

27. Cover top and sides of cake evenly with frosting

Don’t stress if your cake doesn’t look perfect — it takes lots of practice. As you can see, my frosting skills need a lot of work!

You can slice an additional peach if you’d like to decorate the top. Peach candies would also be a really cute way to decorate.

I think Harriet liked her cake….

This is one of those things that I actually think tastes even better the day after you make it — the preserves saturate the cake beneath it making it super moist and yummy….Enjoy!

Decadent Pineapple Upside-Down Cake (with vegan options)

When I asked my stepson, Mason, what dessert he would like for me to make he took the question very seriously. After much conflicted deliberation and mind-changing he decided upon Pineapple Upside-Down Cake. (It was between that and Coconut Cream Pie…so maybe that’s next.) I don’t think I had ever even tasted a real Pineapple Upside-Down Cake (outside of a shot glass, I mean), let alone made one, but after eating a piece of this (okay, more like six pieces…) I am certain I will be making this again. Soon.

Are there things that I would do differently? There are: I would probably make the whole thing from start to finish in a 10” cast iron skillet, so that the pineapple had a chance to caramelize a bit more and have a little more texture; I’d use brown sugar in the pineapple/cornstarch mixture to get a richer, deeper, more caramel-like flavor; I would use pineapple rings in the decorative first layer with the maraschinos to get that classic Pineapple Upside-Down Cake look. But regardless of the type of pan it was made in, what kind of sugar I used, or how pretty it was, there is no doubt that this was one darn delicious cake. Not only did my husband say that it was one of his favorite things I have ever made, but nary a crumb was left of it 24-hours later! With only three people in the house… I think it’s safe to say we liked this cake…and that a few pounds were gained between the three of us….

Ingredients:

– 1 c. sugar (or 1/3 c. brown sugar, 2/3 c. white)

– 3 Tbsp. cornstarch

– 20 oz. crushed pineapple

– 2 Tbsp. melted butter or Earth Balance/butter substitute

– 1/2 c. maraschino cherries

– 1 2/3 c. flour

– 1/2 tsp. salt

– 2 1/4 tsp. baking powder

– 1/3 c. vegetable shortening

– 2 eggs, beaten (or 1/2 c. applesauce for vegan version)

– 1/2 tsp. vanilla

– 1/2 c. milk (or almond milk for vegan)

Directions:

1. Mix 1/3 c. of sugar with the cornstarch. Add juice drained from the pineapple  (about 3/4 – 1 c.)

2. Cook in a saucepan, stirring constantly until sauce boils and becomes glossy and clear:

3. Add drained pineapple and melted butter/butter substitute. Mix well and remove from heat

4. Drain cherries and arrange in whichever pan you’d like to use. I used a 9” spring-form cake tin, but you could use a large skillet or a regular cake pan, even a casserole dish or bundt tin would work

5. Cover cherries with pineapple mixture

6. In a large bowl mix together the flour, salt, and baking powder

7. Cream the shortening with the remaining 2/3 c. sugar and the eggs (or applesauce). Beat until smooth and fluffy. Add the vanilla.

8. Add the flour mixture and the (almond) milk alternately to the creamed shortening, ending with the flour. Mix well.

9. Pour batter over pineapple, smooth evenly to cover

10. Bake in a preheated oven at 350F for 35-40 minutes. The center of your cake should be golden and barely springy when gently pressed with fingertips

11. Remove from oven and let cool 10-15 minutes

12. Turn onto a serving plate and let cool another 10-15 minutes. This part is important — the still hot pineapple juice will seep down into your cake, making it super moist and, well, pineapple-y….This part of the cooling process also allows your pineapple layer to set a bit. I rushed this part; as you may be able to tell from the pictures…

13. Carefully remove pan from cake

14. Serve warm. Do yourself a favor and throw some whipped cream or vanilla ice cream up on this beast….you won’t be disappointed….

Adapted from The Modern Family Cookbook, 1942

Peach-Poppyseed Fruit Kuchen

Kuchen is the German word for cake, though it is used to describe an assortment of desserts and pastries. This recipe for Peach-Poppyseed Fruit Kuchen is indeed cake-like, but truly has more in common with bread. With coffee or tea this lemony kuchen makes a perfect summer breakfast; with fresh whipped cream it is a lovely light, and health-conscious, dessert.

Ingredients:

– 2 1/2 c. flour

– 2 Tbsp. butter

– 1/4 tsp. salt

– 2 Tbsp. sugar

– Zest from one whole lemon

– 3/4 tsp. fast-action dried yeast

– 1 egg, beaten

– 2/3 c. warm water

– 2 Tbsp. poppyseed, prepared dessert filling (available in the baking aisle of most grocery stores)

Topping:

– 1 lb. fresh peaches – about three large fruits (though really you could use any stone fruit in this recipe and it would be fantastic)

– 2 Tbsp. butter

– 2 Tbsp. raw or demerara sugar

Directions:

1. Put the flour in a large bowl. Rub 2 Tbsp. butter in with fingertips, until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

2. Stir in the salt, sugar, zest, and yeast.

3. Add the beaten egg, prepared poppyseed, and enough water to make a soft dough.

4. Knead well on a clean and lightly floured surface for at least five minutes — dough should be smooth and elastic.

5. Put the dough back in to the bowl and cover with a piece of oil cling-film. Let rise at least 1 hour, or until doubled in size. It is very important that you place the bowl somewhere warm or the dough will not rise.

6. Once risen, tip dough out onto a floured surface and knead well again. Press dough into a buttered spring-form pan or a loose-bottomed flan tin. I used a 9” pan, but if you have a larger one (like 11”) I think it may better suit this kuchen to be a little thinner.

7. Halve, stone, and thickly slice the peaches. Arrange them over the top of your dough.

8. Leave uncovered to rise in a warm place for 45 minutes, or until doubled in size

9. Preheat oven to 400F

10. Brush the fruit with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar

11. Bake in oven at 400F for 15 minutes

12. Remove from oven, cover with foil, reduce heat to 350F and bake for another 35-40 minutes.

13. After finished baking, removing from oven and let cool for 10-15 minutes. Using a knife or thin spatula loosen the edges and remove kuchen from tin.

14. Transfer to a serving plate and sprinkle extra sugar over top, if desired.

15. Serve warm or cold, cut into slices. This is especially good warm with some sweet cream butter slathered over it…but then again, what isn’t?

 

Adapted from The Bread Book by Sara Lewis

Blackberry Shortcakes with Lemon Biscuits

I was so excited to find what appeared to be ripe, gorgeous local blackberries at the market the other today. Upon getting them home however, I discovered them to be horribly sour. Like, so sour as to almost be inedible. I assure you, my disappointment was immense… Since they couldn’t very well be eaten alone, I figured that the best thing to do was to make something sweet and delicious out of them. Inspired, I decided to do a spin on the classic strawberry shortcake. I love citrus in desserts, and berries with citrus are one of my favorite flavor combinations, so I decided to add lemon zest to the biscuits. The result was a bright, and surprisingly light dessert, and incredibly easy to make.

Ingredients:

Yields 6 Shortcakes

Berries:

– 5 c. blackberries

– 2/3 c. powdered sugar

– 2 Tbsp. water

 

Biscuits:

– 3/4 c. chilled buttermilk

– 2 Tbsp. lemon zest

– 2 1/4 c. flour

– 1/2 c. packed light brown sugar

– 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

– 1 tsp. baking soda

– 1/4 tsp. salt

– 6 Tbsp. chilled unsalted butter (3/4 stick)

– 1 Tbsp. raw or demerara sugar

 

Directions:

Berries:

1. Combine all ingredients in a saucepan

2. Stir over medium heat until berries soften and become syrupy — about 10-15 minutes

3. Remove from heat and let cool. Berries should be served at room temperature. Can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated.

 

Biscuits:

1. Preheat oven to 425F

2. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper

3. Combine buttermilk and lemon zest in a small bowl

4. In a large bowl mix flour, brown sugar, baking powder, soda, and salt. Be sure to break up any large clumps of sugar

5. Cut butter into small cubes and add to four mixture

6. Rub butter into flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs

7. Add the buttermilk mixture and combine with a fork until just blended. Dough will be sticky and may seem “loose” but don’t add more flour!

8. Transfer dough to a clean, lightly floured surface. Knead 4-5 times, but be careful not to overwork (over-handling will make your biscuits tough)

9. Pat dough out until about 3/4” thick

10. Using a 3” cookie cutter (you could also use a greased drinking glass or mug if you don’t own a cookie cutter), cut dough into rounds

11. Combine dough scraps, pat out, and cut into rounds until no dough remains. You should have 6-7 in total

12. Place rounds on your lined baking sheet and sprinkle with sugar

13. Bake biscuits at 425F for 15 minutes, or until golden and a toothpick or knife inserted into the center comes out clean

14. Cool slightly — about 15 minutes

15. Using a serrated knife, cut each biscuit in half. Spread blackberry mixture over each bottom-half, dividing equally. Place top half of biscuits on blackberries, then top each with an equal portion of the remaining blackberry mixture.

16. Top shortcakes with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Serve and enjoy!

Adapted from Bon Appetit, June 2009

Mint-Chocolate Icebox Cake

Imagine if a box of Thin Mints and fresh whipped cream had a baby….delicious, yes? You need not merely imagine it, this recipe for a Mint-Chocolate Icebox Cake is not only insanely delicious, but ridiculously easy too.

Sort of an old-fashioned version of ice cream cake, icebox cakes are not as common or popular as they used to be, but have seen a renewal in popularity in recent years as many other retro things have become en vogue again. I had always wanted to try icebox cake — traditionally made with Nabisco Chocolate Wafers layered with plain whipped cream and left in the refrigerator or icebox overnight so that the cookies soften and the cream becomes firm– it is right up my alley. For all of the time that I prattle on about the benefits of eating seasonally/locally/organically it is only fair that I confess something here. I love Cool Whip. Notice I did not say whipped cream. No, I adore the completely artificial, terrible-for-you stuff that comes in a flimsy plastic tub. Specifically I like it semi-frozen, and I am both ashamed and completely serious when I say that I have been known to eat an entire tub by myself. Like a family-size tub. In one sitting. With a spoon….Yeah. So, like I said a whipped cream and cookie cake: totally my wet dream.

What finally inspired me to try making an icebox cake however, was watching The Barefoot Contessa in the waiting room at my doctor’s office. Ina Garten made a Mocha Chocolate Icebox Cake that looked absolutely killer. I decided to make my own more kid-friendly version to celebrate my stepson, Ethan, coming to visit us. The Mint-Chocolate version I made has received rave reviews. It was a little bit messy and runny at first, but after sticking it in the freezer for a bit it was absolutely to-die-for! And this is just about as easy as it gets — especially if you buy the chocolate wafers from the store.

Ingredients:

– 2 packages store-bought chocolate wafers, or, try my recipe for  homemade ones

For mint whipped cream:

– 4 cups heavy whipping cream

– 3 Tbsp. sugar

– 1 tsp. peppermint extract

– Green food coloring (optional)

– Chocolate sauce, chocolate chips, or chocolate shavings for garnish (optional)

Directions:

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer combine cream, sugar, and peppermint extract. Beat on high speed until thick and stiff peaks form

2. In a spring-form cake pan make one layer of chocolate wafers. I like to break up a few cookies to fill in the extra spaces

3. Cover wafers completely with a layer of the mint whipped cream

4. Make a second layer of wafers

5. Continue layering whipped cream and wafers until you reach the top of the cake tin, ending with a layer of cream

6. Cover with cling-film and chill. For a more traditional icebox cake leave in the refrigerator overnight, but my preference is to stick it in the freezer until firm

7. Once thoroughly chilled remove cling-film, remove from pan and decorate

8. Slice and enjoy!

Chocolate Wafer Cookies Recipe (Vegan)

These cookies are fantastic for making ice box cakes, like the Mint-Chocolate one in the following blog entry, but they are also sublime on their own. This recipe is vegan but I will include options for a non-vegan version as well. Adapted from     The Joy of Baking.

Ingredients:

– 1 1/2 c. flour

– 1 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

– 1/4 tsp. salt

– 1/4 tsp. baking soda

– 1/2 c. sugar

– 2/3 c. light brown sugar

– 10 Tbsp. Earth Balance or other butter substitute, or butter

– 4 Tbsp. almond milk, or regular milk

– 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

1. In a large bowl combine flour, cocoa, salt, and baking soda

2. In a separate bowl cream together butter (substitute) and sugars

3. Add (almond) milk and vanilla to sugar mixture

4. Fold dry mixture into wet

5. Stir until well integrated and batter comes together

6. Flip batter out onto a dry surface and knead briefly

7. Form batter into a log shape and roll in wax paper. Place in refrigerator to chill overnight, or for a minimum of 1 hour

8. Once batter has chilled, preheat oven to 350F

9. Unwrap dough and slice into 1/4” – 1/2” disks. Personally, I like thicker wafers for ice box cakes, and thinner wafers for snacking…

10. Line cookie sheets with wax paper, place 9-12 cookies per tray, and bake for 11-13 minutes

11. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, remove from trays to finish cooling. Recipe makes 28-36 cookies, depending on width. Enjoy!