RECIPE: Peach Bellini Layer Cake

In my opinion, Spring hasn’t truly arrived in Canberra until you start seeing new season stone fruit in the displays at Fyshwick markets. Sure, the cherry blossoms may have flowered and the air may be thick with ‘tree fluff’ but nothing says the warmer weather is finally on its way for me like peaches.

A few weeks ago, I popped into the markets for some flowers and fresh bread, and was lucky enough to spot a small display of yellow peaches. The glorious yellow-orange skin and fresh peach aroma was impossible to resist. I picked up half a dozen and set them aside for something special.

For me, this cake is a celebration of spring. Aided by the bubbles of the prosecco, the cake is light, fluffy and perfectly accompanied by a slightly tart peach compote. Shades of light peach, pale blush and pastel yellow reflect the colours of a beautiful Canberra spring.

So, when you’re next at the markets, why not pick up some new season yellow peaches and create something really memorable.

Peach Bellini Layer Cake

3 x 6 inch cakes. Serves 8 to 10 people.

INGREDIENTS

Prosecco cake

300 grams of plain flour

3½ teaspoons of baking powder

1 teaspoon of salt

150 grams of unsalted butter (softened)

300 grams of caster sugar

1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste

5 egg whites

300 millilitres of prosecco

Peach compote

250 grams of fresh peach flesh

1 tablespoon of caster sugar

1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar

50 to 100 millilitres of water

Peach buttercream

525 grams of caster sugar

300 grams of egg whites

750 grams of unsalted butter (softened)

2 teaspoons of vanilla bean paste

Peach gel food colouring

For presentation

Pink, yellow and green gel food colouring

Mother of pearl sprinkles

METHOD

Make the prosecco cake

1. Preheat your oven to 180◦
2. Grease three 6 inch cake tins and line with baking paper.
3. In a medium bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter until smooth.
5. Add the sugar to the butter. Cream for 3 to 5 minutes or until light and fluffy.
6. Slowly add the egg whites and vanilla bean paste to the butter and sugar mixture. Mix until combined.
7. Add the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the prosecco.
8. Evenly divide the cake batter between the prepared cake tins.
9. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out of the centre of the cakes clean. Set aside to cool.

Make the peach compote

1. Combine the peach flesh, sugar and apple cider vinegar in a medium saucepan.
2. Cook over a medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, adding water as necessary.
3. Remove from heat and leave to cool.

Make the peach buttercream

1. Combine the sugar and egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer.
2. Place the stand mixer bowl over a saucepan of water to create a double boiler. Ensure that the water does not touch the bottom of the stand mixer bowl.
3. Heat the sugar and egg whites to 70◦C, stirring occasionally with a whisk.
4. Once at temperature, transfer the stand mixture bowl to the stand mixer. With a whisk attachment, beat the eggs and sugar on a high speed until stiff peaks are formed.
5. Change the whisk attachment to a paddle attachment. Add the butter slowly on a low speed, ensuring that the butter is at room temperature.
6. Add the vanilla bean paste and combine.

Assemble the Peach Bellini Layer Cake

1. Set aside approximately two cups of buttercream for decorating the cake at the end.
2. With the remaining buttercream, tint to the desired shade using the peach gel food colouring.
3. Once the cakes are completely cooled, level them to ensure that the tops of the cakes are flat.
4. Using a small amount of buttercream, affix one cake to a cake board or plate.
5. Spread around half a cup of peach buttercream on the first cake. Then spread half the peach compote into the middle of the first cake. Repeat with the second layer of the cake.
6. Place the third cake on top of the first and second cakes.
7. Use the peach buttercream to frost the top and sides of the cake, smoothing with a scraper or palette knife. Chill in the fridge for approximately 30 minutes or until set.
8. Add a second layer of peach buttercream to the top and sides of the cake. Smooth with a scraper or palette knife.
9. Tint the remaining buttercream light shades of pink, green and yellow.
10. Add each of the coloured buttercreams to a piping bag fitted with a variety of tips (I used a 1B, 2D and some small star tips) and pipe decorations on top of the cake. Finish with mother of pearl sprinkles. Enjoy!

About the author

Amy Alyce is a Canberra based dessert blogger with a passion for brunch. By day she works as a lawyer, by night she writes recipes for her love project Blossom and Pearl. Follow Amy on Instagram at @blossomandpearl for dessert recipes and inspo!