Peachy-KEENtucky Cake First Place Kentucky State Fair

Peachy-KEENtucky Cake: 2024 Kentucky State Fair, First Place Cake: by Karri Perry

Almond-Vanilla Cakes filled with fresh peach skillet jam, brown sugar-cinnamon crumbles, frosted with both a peach and vanilla Swiss-meringue buttercream.

 

Peach Skillet Jam-make ahead

4 large fresh peaches-peeled and finely chopped

1 teaspoon lemon juice

2 Tbs light brown sugar

1 teaspoon arrowroot powder

 

Cook peaches in a skillet on medium, until sugar melts and the mixture thickens. Allow peach mixture to cool completely before using. In a pinch you can substitute quality peach preserves.

 

Brown Sugar-Cinnamon Crumble-make ahead

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

4 Tbs unsalted butter-softened

1/2 cup flour

1 tsp cinnamon

Pinch of salt

 

Mix together with a fork until mixture is crumbly. Spread mixture on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake in a 350°F oven for 7-9 minutes. Allow it to cool before using.

 

Vanilla-Almond Cakes

1 1/2 cups sugar 

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3 Tbs melted butter 

2 large eggs

2 egg whites

2 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp almond extract

1/2 cup sour cream

1 1/3 cup room temperature buttermilk

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2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 tsp baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

 

Mix dry ingredients-set aside.  Mix together sugar, eggs + egg whites, oil, butter, extracts and sour cream.  Mix well, scrape sides of bowl. Begin adding the flour mixture (using 1/3 of dry ingredients, followed by 1/2 of the buttermilk.) Alternate flour and buttermilk.  Pour batter evenly into 3 greased and parchment lined 9-inch cake pans.

 

Bake cakes on the middle rack of a preheated 350°F oven.  Bake for 20-24 minutes, until set and a toothpick comes out cleanly.  

 

Turn cakes out onto cooling racks.  Remove parchment paper.  Cool completely before frosting.

 

American Vanilla Buttercream for stacking layers

20 Tbs softened unsalted butter. (2 1/2 sticks)

2 cups confectioners sugar-sifted 

Pinch of salt

1 tsp good vanilla extract

Whip the butter until very light and fluffy. Add vanilla and salt. Add sifted confectioners sugar, whip until smooth.

 

Swiss Meringue Buttercream-for frosting the outside of cake

5 egg whites

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 tsp Vanilla 

32 Tbs (4 sticks) cool-unsalted butter cut into cubes. (Be sure butter is softened-but still cool-not oily at all)

4 Tbs Peach Syrup (I used Torani brand link here: Peach Syrup) (for half of frosting)

1 tiny drop of peach food gel to peach flavored frosting if desired.

 

Add sugar and egg whites together-heat to 165°F using a double boiler.  After sugar is dissolved and 165°F is reached, begin whipping up egg whites-until stiff peaks form-add vanilla.  Once bowl is at room temperature, begin adding the butter a little at a time. Continue to mix until frosting is thick.  Trouble-Shooting Tip if frosting is too soft: Refrigerate bowl containing the stiff-peak egg whites along with the whisk attachment for 20 minutes. After chilling for 20 minutes, resume whisking to thicken the frosting.  Divide frosting.  Add vanilla to one half of frosting for accents.  Add peach syrup to flavor the other half (for the body of the cake), if desired add a tiny drop of peach food gel to tint the peach flavored frosting.

 

Assemble the Cake:

Place a cake layer on a plate or platter.  Frost with American buttercream, add crumbles, add peach filling.  Repeat for the second layer, then add the top layer. Frost entire cake with the remaining American buttercream.  Next frost the cake with the peach flavored/tinted Swiss meringue buttercream frosting then add accents with the vanilla buttercream.  

I like to use off-set spatulas for spreading the frosting. I use a piping bag and a decorator tip to add the accents to the cake edges.

 

Garnish:

Create an almond paste peach with leaves. Color the almond paste (Marzipan) with food gel (peach/green). Using peach colored almond paste,  shape a 2” ball into a small peach and use green colored Marzipan to create leaves. Roll candy peach in fine sugar.  Place finished peach in airtight container, place on cake just before serving.  Top cake with remaining crumbles, and the almond paste peach and leaves.

     Here we are entering the cake!!  It's always a huge relief to get to the check-in table.