Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 4 cups chopped peaches or nectarines, white or yellow
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup milk (I used almond, use what you love)
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
Frosting
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup water
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 5 large egg whites
- 1/2 + ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 3 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
- 1 jar tart cherry jam, for assembly
Instructions
- Make the cake. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. butter 2 9 by 13 inch pans, line with parchment leaving overhang to pull the cakes out later, and butter the parchment. If you only have 1 pan, bake one cake, let it cool a bit, remove it, and bake the second in the same pan.
- In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. I did this by hand but a hand or stand mixer would also work. Beat in the vanilla, followed by the eggs one at a time, until once again light and fluffy.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and flour. Alternately add the flour mixture and milk to the butter mixture, stirring until just combined. Fold in the peaches and divide the batter evenly among the two pans. If you only have one, pour half in and bake the other half when it’s done.
- Bake the cakes 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Cool completely in pan.
- Make the frosting. In a small saucepan, stir together the sugar, water, and honey. Cook over medium high heat, stirring frequently until the sugar dissolves. Then insert a candy thermometer and cook until the mixture reaches 240 degrees F. Alternately, you may use a small bowl of ice water to test a small amount of the hot syrup as it cooks. If it forms a soft ball in the water, it’s ready to go.
- Meanwhile, in the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment beat the egg whites and cream of tartar on high until stiff peaks form. Once the syrup and egg whites are ready, turn the mixer down to medium low and slowly drizzle the syrup in. once all the syrup has been added, turn the mixer back up to high and beat for about 13 minutes, until the mixture is fluffy and cool.
- Add the butter 1 tablespoon at a time to the running mixer – watch your fingers! Once all the butter has been added, if the frosting is soupy refrigerate it for about 15 minutes, then beat it again and it should come together. This always happens to me. Beat in the vanilla bean paste.
- Assemble the cake. Using the parchment overhang, remove one cake. Place it on a serving platter and use the frosting to make a boarder around the edge of the cake to hold in the jam. Spread the jam over the rest of the top of the cake. Place the other cake on top. Frost with the remaining frosting.
- Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Cake may also be frozen in pieces, wrapped in parchment and foil and placed in a zipper bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for about 1 hour.
Notes
Additional chilling time is necessary
Recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 40 minutes