Vanilla Genoise cake adapted from Cooking Tree

4 Eggs
100g Sugar
3g Vanilla extract
25g Unsalted butter
30g Milk
110g Cake flour

Swiss Meringue Buttercream

4 large egg whites
228g granulated sugar
194 grams unsalted butter, softened*
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt

To make Vanilla Whipped Cream

4 teaspoons cold water
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin or 1 sheet leaf gelatin
1 cup cold heavy whipping cream (240 ml)
¼ cup powdered sugar (30 grams)
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pink food coloring

Decorations

3 large fresh peaches
Apricot glazing gel (slightly warmed up)

To make Vanilla Genoise Cake

Place eggs over a double boiler, add sugar and vanilla extract, mix and until mixture is about 40 degrees. Remove from heat. Whip until rich and fine foam forms. End by whipping at low speed, to stabilize the air bubbles. 

Place unsalted butter and milk on a double boiler to melt. 

Sift in the flour and mix well. Add a little dough to the melted butter to incorporate. Add this mixture into the main batter. 

Place the batter into a lined cake mould (18cm ideally). Bake in an oven preheated to 170 degrees for about 37 minutes, remove from the mold and cool.

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 make Vanilla Whipped Cream

Add water and sprinkle the unflavored gelatin on top. Allow to sit for 3 to 4 minutes. (If using leaf gelatin, soak in room temperature water, then squeeze dry prior to using.)

Transfer the gelatin mixture to a double boiler until gelatin is fully dissolved. This will just take a few seconds. Stir the mixture, then set aside to cool slightly. (If using leaf gelatin, warm up 3 tbsp of cream to around 60 degrees, then place the soaked leaf gelatin inside to melt down).

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer, combine the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Whip the mixture until it starts to thicken and soft peaks form, then turn the mixer to low speed. Slowly pour in the gelatin mixture until well combined. Increase the mixer to medium speed and continue mixing until stiff peaks form.

To Assemble and Decorate

Place the peaches on a kitchen towel to remove moisture.

Cut the top and bottom of the cooled sheet, slice it across to make 3 layers.  Trim off excess of the layers so that each is around 15cm (freeze beforehand helps). Place first layer on cake board, and brush on peach jam. Add peaches between each layer. Layer with swiss meringue buttercream buttercream, making sure to frost between each layer and crumb coat. Use a serrated scraper to create stripes across the cake. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Place on pink whipped cream, and then use a straight scraper to neaten the edges. Pipe on small peaches and white details using whipped cream.  Watch the video to see detailed process of decoration.