Floral white-peach cake for a family friend’s grandparents 60 year old wedding anniversary ☺️ they used to make cakes for my birthdays and give us their cake shop bread on Sundays, and it was really nice to get to celebrate together with their big family.
Bake wise, this cake reminded me the importance of not overmixing this batter – the third peach layer turned out obviously more dense than the blackberry or vanilla layer, just because it was mixed a tad bit longer to add in extra peach puree. It was the same batter otherwise, and I don’t think the 1-2 tbsp extra peach purée can change the texture so much. On the other hand, the blackberry layer was flavoured with freeze dried Blackberries and folded in (not whipped), and the texture stayed light and fluffy which I really enjoyed. Something to remember for next time!
The proportions for the 2 tiered layer cake is 1.5x of my usual cake recipe that makes a 3 layer cake. The top tier is made using my 4-inch round cake pan, and the bottom is my usual 7-inch round cake pan. Make sure to level out the tops of each layer. During assembly, I used a combination of Lychee custard, White peach puree, and strawberry balsamic puree (essentially a homemade strawberry puree with some dark balsamic vinegar to taste – it cuts the sweetness significantly). If i were to make it again I might give the lychee custard a miss. While it makes the cake super moist and fresh tasting, especially when it drizzles down each layer, it made the assembly and frosting so much more challenging as the layers kept sliding around each other. When it leaks it also messes up the crumb coat. Good thing the flowers covered the imperfections 😛
Otherwise, the technique to decorate the cake is inspired by by Rosie’s Dessert Spot’s Two Tier Buttercream Floral Spray Cake, and Cascading Floral Cake. I love her cakes and the easy way she explains it step by step!. She piped on rosettes and buttercream roses using a 1M, a 104 piping tip, 32 tip and 6B piping tips. Make the flowers individually in cut out squares of baking paper, and freeze, so they’ll be nice and set, and easy to assemble on the cake. Then fill in the extra with green leaves and extra rosettes (the No. 32 tip is particularly great for that). Super fun cake to make and assemble!
Makes one two tiered cake
| Vanilla Cake Recipe adapted from Kawaii Sweet World
4.5 cups cake flour Swiss Meringue Buttercream (should make 1.5x more) 7 large (210 grams) egg whites Cake Fillings 1 cup Peach Puree Additional Decorating Ingredients Piping Tips (1M, 104, 32, 6B) |
To make Vanilla Cake (Reverse Cream method):
Preheat the oven to 350°F. In the bowl of an electric mixer, mix together the cake flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt on low speed with the paddle attachment for 1 minute. Keeping the mixer on low speed, add the cubed butter and combine until the mixture resembles coarse sand (about 4 minutes). In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the wet ingredients and mix just until combined. Weigh out equal amounts into 3 7-inch cake pans. Flavor the layers: blueberry powder, white peach puree powder, and Vanilla. Do not overmix! Bake for about 32-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool completely before decorating. To make Swiss Meringue buttercream: In a large saucepan, place mixing bowl over a pot of barely simmering water. Add egg whites and cups sugar and whisk together until frothy. Whisk constantly until mixture reaches 160˚F (takes about 3 min). Sugar should be fully dissolved (no granules when rubbing mixture between finger tips). Mixture will feel hot to the touch (or like the temperature of warm milk). Once bowl is at room temperature, switch to paddle attachment, and whip together until soft peaks form. Add butter 1 Tbsp at a time. Once all butter is in, scrape down the bowl and continue beating until it reaches a thick whipped consistency. It may look lumpy – it’s a good sign, keep beating until it changes consistency to become smooth, thick and whipped. Add vanilla extract and salt and mix on med-high until incorporated and silky. To Assemble and Decorate: Trim off dome of the cake. Place first first layer on cake board, making sure to frost between each layer and crumb coat. Pipe on a border, and fill the inside with lychee custard and peach puree, alternating with strawberry balsamic jam. Layer on the cakes, add on the dowels with bubble tea straws, and place the small cake on the large cake to create a two-tiered cake. Frost and decorate with the flowers. |
My Dose of Sugar 