Peachy Keen Birthday Cake

 

~ Mary ~

 

I haven’t baked my own birthday cake since the ripe old age of 13.  That was over 30 years ago!  Why you ask – well that was the year my great mother Patty put me in charge of making my own birthday cake while she went off gallivanting.

Waldorf Astoria Red Velvet Cake no less.  I was excited and  thrilled!  Until the frosting – one part is milk heated with flour that must be COOLED BEFORE adding it to the bowl that’s got butter and sugar that’s been bwhipped to the bejesus.  Welllllll I didn’t let the milk part cool enough and proceeded to finish the cake.  When Patty came home she started to yell at me YOU DIDN’T LET THE MILK COOL!  There was more blah, blah, blah and belly aching and I’m sure she wanted to call me an IDIOT – oh wait she probably did! I said I did, I did let it cool!  Patty “OBVIOUSLY YOU DIDN’T”  – it was obvious – the frosting was all melty and saggy and very sad.  Me: Well it’s MY CAKE!  Then I ran to my room crying.

Thanks for the memories Patty!  Happy Birthday Mary!

So after a lot of therapy.  I am now able to once again attempt my own b-day cake.  Oh and did I mention? It’s John’s birthday too (Aug 1st).

I decided to do another masterpiece from Sky High Cakes

This is my adaptation of her Peach Melba Cake on page 79-81

I always think her cakes are a little on the short side so I upped the batter  half again as much as she calls for.  Not shown in picture – this is what I will do if I make it again.

 

 

I’m not going to lie – this cake was difficult in that it really needed to be COLD to almost freezing to hold up well.  Actually it was a big soupy mess – and it’s not even hot outside – but I figure it’s what I get for telling on my GREAT mother Patty – another saggy runny mess!! That’s why there’s no photo of a whole cake in all its glory.  Hopefully next time with the addition of the extra gelatin I won’t have a problem!

 

And let me say that it was so divine in flavor I can’t wait to tackle it again soon! Now if you’ll excuse me I need to go do some dishes!

 

Here are some other cakes you might enjoy:

Strawberry Butter

Mango Mousse

Tiramisu

Heaven & Hell

 

Day One

Cream Cake

 This was a lovely cake! Light, airy and flavorful!

Sift together and set aside

2 1/2 Cups Sifted Flour

5 1/2 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Salt

In chilled mixing bowl whip until SOFT peaks form

1 1/2 Cups Heavy Whipping cream

1 Tbsp Vanilla

When SOFT peaks form gradually turn down the speed and beat until STIFF peaks form while GRADUALLY adding

1 3/4 Cups Sugar

then add:

3 eggs  AND

3 Egg YOLKS

Mix until it goes back down to soft peaks – which is pretty quick.

Divide the flour mixture into thirds

SIFT one third over the cream mixture and FOLD in until just blended – repeat two more times.

Lastly fold in

5 Tbsp Buttermilk

Pour into 3 greased and floured and/or parchmented  round cake pans – this is a sticky one.

Divide batter – should be about 15 ounces per pan

Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes.

 

 

Peach Glaze

In small saucepan combine and simmer until reduced to

1/2 cup of liquid:

1/2 Cup Water

1/4 Cup Sugar

Remove from heat and add:

1/4 Cup Peach Schnapps or Liquor

When cake is finished baking and cool – brush a third of the mixture on each layer.

Wrap well and freeze or refrigerate.

 

Day Two

 It’s so important to do this a day in advance!  It will make assembling your cake a dream and not a sloppy mess!

Peach Mousse

In saucepan combine

1# Sliced, Peeled and Pitted Fresh or Frozen Peaches

2/3 Cup Sugar

1 Tbsp Lemon Juice

1/4 Cup Water

Bring to boil then simmer until fruit is soft.

Transfer to a blender and make a puree.

Reserve – set in cooler – wrapped up until tomorrow: 1 Cup for garnishing

In separate container soak:

1 Tbsp Unflavored Gelatin with

3-4 Tbsp Peach Schnapps or Liquor

Heat for 10-15 seconds in microwave until dissolved then mix with remaining puree.  I purposefully put in a lot more gelatin because you need that mousse to be so firm just like jello! so it will hold the weight of the cake layers.

 

 

Raspberry Frosting

In saucepan combine:

12 oz Fresh or Frozen Raspberries

Cook and smash until they’re juice is out.

Transfer to blender and puree

Put mixture through a sieve to get the seeds out.

Reserve 1/2 Cup for garnish.

Mix the rest with: 

1/4 Cup Sugar

1 Tbsp unflavored Gelatin

place over low heat until both dissolve

THEN COOL COMPLETELY

In chilled mixing bowl beat until stiff

2 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream

When finished DIVIDE in HALF

Use half for raspberry puree with sugar and fold these in together.

Set aside wrapped up in the fridge – let it set!

Use the OTHER HALF and fold in the peach puree that’s got the gelatin.

Wrap up, place in fridge and LET IT SET!

 

 

Day Three

Assemble Cake

Divide peach Mousse equally over TWO layers

Stack cake with the non-moussed layer on top.

Frost with Raspberry frosting and refrigerate a-2 hours before serving.

 

Garnish each plate with a little of each of the reserved puree.