Peaches and Cream Cake
Layers of soft vanilla cake brushed with homemade peach syrup, whipped cream frosting, and fresh peaches coated with just the right amount of brown sugar. It's deliciously light, not too sweet, and the ideal easy Summer cake!
Servings 15 slices
Ingredients
Vanilla Cake Layers
- 2 1/2 Cups (265g) sifted cake flour* DIY recipe in notes
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 Cups (300g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 Cup (113g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4 large egg whites, room temperature
- 1/2 Cup (120ml) vegetable oil
- 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 Cups (300ml) full-fat buttermilk*, room temperature OR whole milk mixed with 1 Tbsp white distilled vinegar
Peach Syrup
- 1 large yellow peach, diced with the skin on (about 135g)*
- 1/3 Cup (67g) granulated sugar
- 1/3 Cup (80ml) water
Brown Sugar Peaches
- 1 1/2 Cups (205g) fresh yellow peaches, peeled and diced
- 2 Tbsp (25g) brown sugar light or dark
Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting
- 6 Oz (170g) full-fat brick-style cream cheese*, cold
- 2/3 Cup (80g) powdered sugar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 2/3 Cups (400ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
Garnish (Optional)
- 4 fresh peach slices
Instructions
Make the Vanilla Cake Layers
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and prepare three 6-inch or two 8-inch round cake pans by spraying the sides with baking spray and fitting a parchment paper circle to the bottom of each pan.
- In a medium bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk together and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter at high speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar and cream it together with the butter at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping the bowl and paddle at the halfway point. Turn the mixer to low and add the egg whites one at a time, mixing until they are just combined and scraping down the bowl and paddle as needed. Add the vegetable oil and vanilla, increase the mixer speed to high and beat for 1 minute.
- Turn the mixer off and add the flour mixture all at once. Mix the ingredients on low speed until just combined, then slowly pour in the buttermilk. Continue mixing at low speed for about 30 seconds, until the batter is uniform and combined. The batter will be slightly thin.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans and bake for 28 to 32 minutes. They’re done when they spring back to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs on it. Let the cakes cool in their pans for 5 minutes, then remove them from the pans and allow them to cool completely on a wire rack.
Make the Peach Syrup
- In a small saucepan, combine the diced peaches, sugar, and water. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently and mashing the peaches against the side of the pan when they become soft enough. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from heat, cover, and let steep for 30 minutes.
- Place a fine mesh sieve over a glass jar or measuring cup, then strain out the peaches and collect the syrup. Place the syrup in the refrigerator until chilled to room temperature or colder, about 40 minutes.
Make the Brown Sugar Peaches
- When the cake layers and peach syrup are cooled and you plan on assembling the cake relatively soon, make the brown sugar peaches. Peel and dice 1 1/2 fresh yellow peaches and place in a medium bowl. Add 2 tablespoons (25g) of brown sugar and toss to coat. Set aside or store in the refrigerator while you make the frosting.
Make the Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting
- Make the whipped cream cheese frosting right before you assemble the cake. Begin by placing the mixing bowl of your stand mixer (or the large bowl you'll be using with your hand mixer) into the refrigerator for about 20 minutes to chill before you begin. You can use this time to level your cake layers and set up your workspace.
- Into the cold mixing bowl, add the 6oz of cold cream cheese and beat on medium speed with the whisk attachment until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the 2/3 cup (80g) of powdered sugar and mix on low speed until mostly incorporated, then turn the mixer to medium-high speed and mix for about 1 minute. Scrape down the bowl and whisk attachment as needed.
- Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, then turn the mixer to medium-high speed and slowly pour in 1 2/3 cups (400ml) of cold heavy whipping cream. Once all the heavy whipping cream has been added, continue mixing on medium-high for just about 30 seconds longer, keeping a close eye on the mixing bowl to watch it thicken. It should come together into a thick, silky whipped cream frosting consistency at this point. To check the consistency, turn the mixer off and dip your spatula into the frosting. It should hold a peak when you hold it upright.
Assembly
- Once the vanilla cake layers are completely cooled, level them to your desired height. Add a swipe of whipped cream cheese frosting onto a cardboard cake circle and place the first cake layer on top. Brush with the cooled peach syrup, then add a thin (1/4 inch) layer of whipped cream cheese frosting. Add about 1 cup of the frosting into a piping bag and pipe a dam (circle) around the edge of the cake layer. Fill in the center with half of the brown sugar peaches, then top with a swirl of whipped cream cheese frosting. Place the second cake layer on top and repeat the filling and stacking process before placing the final cake layer on top, upside down so that the bottom of the cake layer becomes the top of the cake.
- Frost the cake with the rest of the whipped cream cheese frosting, using a small icing spatula to create swirls and rustic texture. Store the cake in the refrigerator and garnish with fresh peach slices before serving, if desired. This cake will yield the cleanest slices when refrigerated for at least 2 hours.
Notes
*DIY Cake Flour Recipe: if you can’t find cake flour locally, here’s how to make a homemade version using all purpose flour and cornstarch. Keep in mind that if you do use the homemade version, the gram measurement will weigh more (295g instead of 265g) since all-purpose flour is heavier than cake flour.
*DIY Buttermilk Recipe: add 1 Tbsp of white vinegar to a jar and top it with 1 1/4 Cups of whole milk. Stir and let sit for 15 minutes before using in the recipe.
*Peaches: I used fresh, ripe yellow peaches for this cake, but you can also use:
- Canned Peaches in Heavy Syrup: separate the peaches from the syrup, brush the syrup onto the cake layers, and use 1.5 cups of the peaches for the filling as-is – no need to sweeten further with the brown sugar unless you really want to.
- Canned Peaches in Juice: Separate the peaches from the juice, measure out 1.5 cups of the peaches set aside in the refrigerator. Meanwhile add ½ cup (120ml) of the juice into a small saucepan along with ¼ cup (50g) of granulated sugar. Heat over medium-low until the sugar is dissolved, then bring to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes, until reduced slightly. Cool the syrup until room temperature or colder, then use it to brush onto the cake layers during assembly. Toss the drained peaches with 2 tablespoons (25g) of brown sugar for the filling.
- Frozen Peaches: use as-is for the peach syrup. For the filling, thaw the peaches in the refrigerator and toss them with a teaspoon of lemon juice (to keep them from browning), then toss with 2 tablespoons (25g) of brown sugar.
- The vanilla cake layers can be made ahead and stored at room temperature, covered tightly in plastic wrap, for up to two days. Alternatively, you can cover with plastic wrap and store in the freezer for up to two months before thawing to room temperature.
- The peach syrup can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
- The brown sugar peaches are best made the day of assembly, but you can make them ahead and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. The sugar will begin to soften the peaches after coating them.
- The whipped cream cheese frosting must be made right before you plan on assembling the cake. It comes together in minutes with cold ingredients, so it shouldn't add too much time to the assembly process.
- The assembled peaches and cream cake can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For the cleanest slices, refrigerate for 1-2 hours after assembling.