Ginger Peach Cake

Ginger Peach Cake

The secret to this cake is buying the best peaches possible.  I wait every year for Local Peaches to come in season.  They are so addictively delicious.  I sauté the peaches in butter and a little ginger and sugar.  The Peaches are inside the cake, in between the layers, and on the outside.

  

INGREDIENTS:

Sautéed Peaches (x2 all items)

1 ½ lbs (about 3 cups) sliced peaches for inside of cake.

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

a pinch of kosher salt or sea salt

Double these ingredients when you buy them because you do 3c for inside and 3c for in between the layers. 

If you want more peaches for decorating the outside of the cake you need to buy more as well. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t.  Depending upon my mood.

For the Cake:

1 1/2 sticks of butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

4 eggs, at room temperature

3 cups unbleached white flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt

1 1/2 cups sour cream

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1 ½ lbs of peaches (cooks down to about 1 ½ cups cooked peaches (note:  1 ½ lbs is about three cups of fresh cut peaches which will then cook down to about 1 ½ cups. -- Also remember to reserve the liquid from the cooked peaches for the frosting.

For the Frosting:

1 ½  8-ounce block of cream cheese, softened

1 ½  sticks of unsalted butter, softened

1 ½  lbs powdered sugar

1/4  cup of peach syrup (liquid after you cook the peaches)

(if you like A LOT of frosting in between your layers and on top do 2 cups/lbs/ sticks of cream cheese, butter, and sugar instead of 1 ½ )

SAUTÉ PEACHES FOR THE INSIDE OF THE CAKE: 

(You can of course sauté all your peaches together at the same time when you make them in between the layers as well, but I like to do them separate so I have the right amount of liquid.)

Peel and cut your peaches.  Peaches are going inside the cake so you can decided if you want larger or smaller slices.  Heat a large skillet to medium high heat.  Add butter and peaches.  Sprinkle with sugar.  (if the peaches are not naturally sweet you may need more sugar.  The peaches I use are very sweet and only need a little sugar)  Add ground ginger and a pinch of salt.  Drain liquid. Set both aside to cool.  Don’t throw away liquid.

FOR THE CAKE: 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Butter and flour 2 8-inch-round cake pans.  Set aside.

In a mixing bowl cream together the butter and the sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time, mixing them completely into the butter mixture after each addition.

In a separate bowl combine all of the remaining dry ingredients:  flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Mix or sift together well.  Add the dry ingredient mixture alternately with the sour cream.  Stir in the vanilla extract.

Fold in 1 1/2 cups of the cooked peaches into the cake batter.  Divide batter evenly between cake pans.  Baked for 40 to 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  (While the cake is cooking I usually sauté my peaches for in between the layers) 

Remove cakes from oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Then invert onto cooling racks to finish cooling.

SAUTÉED PEACHES FOR IN BETWEEN THE LAYERS:  

Peel and cut your peaches.  Heat a large skillet to medium high heat.  Add butter and peaches.  Sprinkle with sugar, ground ginger, and a pinch of salt. Separate into 3 different bowls equally. (Don’t drain the liquid like before, you need it this time!) 

FROSTING:

With the paddle attachment mix together your cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar in your mixer until well blended.  Mix in reserved peach syrup from your cooked peaches. This step is up to you.  It depends on the consistently you want your frosting.  If you need yours a little more stiff add more powdered sugar if not add more peach syrup.

ASSEMBLING THE CAKE:

After your cake is cooled (you can also freeze it for later) cut each layer in half so you have 4 layers.  You can do it with a knife or use my mom’s string technique. J

(Now if you don’t want to cut your layers, you don’t have to. You can just have 2 larger layers.  Maybe I’ll try that next time.  You can really do it however you want.)

Put a little frosting on the base of your cake stand/platter for a “glue”. 

Lay down your first layer and take a chop stick (or whatever tool you want) and poke your cake all over. 

Then take 1 of your sautéed peach bowls (with the syrup) and scatter over the layer evenly.  Try to keep the juice an inch away from the edge so they don’t get too soft. 

Take your frosting and spread it over the peaches CAREFULLY.  I usually dollop the cream cheese over the peaches in different places so when I spread it, it doesn’t pull up the peaches too much.

Add your next layer and repeat the last step until all your layers are on.  Once you’re down to placing your top layer I like to turn it upside down so it is more flat and uniform and you don’t have to worry about all the crumbs when you put your frosting on the outside.

And the last step is to cover it with the remaining frosting and add peaches to the outside if you want!

Enjoy!