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The combination of tender, moist peach cake layers, filled with peach filling, and a luxurious covering of fluffy cream cheese frosting, will leave your senses tingling with anticipation. Whether you're hosting an elegant soirée or a laid-back summer gathering, this Peaches and Cream Layer Cake is the epitome of elegance and comfort, guaranteed to leave your guests begging for more.
So, grab your baking tools and embrace the joy of creating a dessert that embodies the warmth of summer and the sweetness of life.
Peaches and Cream Layer Cake Ingredients
- Frozen peaches: This recipe uses the juice from the thawed peaches. Adding the peach solids to this cake batter would be too much for this delicate cake.
- Whole milk: The fat in whole milk helps to tenderize the cakes crumb. It also interacts with the flour to create just enough gluten to form the cakes structure.
- Egg whites: helps create structure.
- Peach flavoring: helps enhance the peach flavor.
- Cake flour: has a lower protein content than all-purpose flour which helps create a delicate crumb.
- Granulated sugar: Sugar not only sweetens the cake but it also helps tenderize, leavens and browns.
- Baking powder: is a leavener that contains baking soda and cornstarch. Baking soda reacts twice. The first is when it comes into contact with liquid and then when it is heated. Baking soda can’t be used as a substitute for baking powder.
- Salt: helps bring out the sweetness in the cake.
- Unsalted butter: tenderizes, moistens, leavens, browns, and flavors.
How To Make Peach Filling
- Place thawed peaches in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.
- Over a bowl pour peach puree over a sieve to remove the solids. The puree will be thick. Use a spoon to stir and press the puree through the strainer.
- Place peach puree in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add sugar and cornstarch mixture and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly to keep lumps from forming.
- Once the puree thickens, remove from the heat. Cool for 5 minutes. Chill for about 2-3 hours in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Tips For Making Super Smooth and Fluffy Cream Cheese Frosting
- Make sure your butter and cream cheese are very soft!
- The cream cheese is added in last. Be sure all the other ingredients are well mixed before adding the cream cheese in for a super smooth frosting.
- Don’t over mix the frosting once the cream cheese has been added or it will turn soupy.
Cake Assembly
- Place a nonslip mat on top of a cake turntable and place a cake board on top.
- Center the first cake layer on top of the cake board, making sure there's even spacing from all around the edges.
- Fit a piping bag with a round piping tip or coupler and fill the piping bag with frosting.
- Pipe a frosting dam around the outer edge of the cake.
- Fill the center with half of the peach filling and spread out in an even layer with a small offset cake spatula.
- Place the second cake layer on top and gently press to adhere to the bottom cake layer.
- Pipe a frosting dam around the outer edge and spread the remaining filling out in an even layer until it reaches the frosting dam.
- Add the third cake layer (bottom side up) on top and gently press to adhere.
How To Crumb Coat A Cake
- Apply a thin layer of frosting over the top and sides of the cake, creating a crumb coat.
- Chill the crumb coated cake in the freezer for 15 minutes or in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Icing The Cake
- Apply a large amount of frosting to the top of the chilled cake and spread out in an even layer with an offset spatula. You should have excess frosting hanging off the sides.
- Place a parchment paper lined acrylic disk on top of the cake making sure the disc and the cake board line up. Apply a generous amount of frosting to the sides of the cake, making sure it covers the bottom cake board completely.
- Use a cake scraper to gently touch the bottom cake board and the top acrylic disk and rotate the turntable to smooth out the frosting, cleaning your cake scraper with each rotation. Add more frosting to any areas that have gaps and continue to smooth.
Cake Decorating Tools
- 3 8-inch round cake pans
- Nonstick baking spray
- Sieve
- Stand mixer
- Food processor or blender
- Nonslip mat
- Cake turntable
- 8-inch round cake board
- Piping bags
- Parchment paper
- 8-inch round acrylic disk
- Cake scraper
- Offset spatula
- Wilton piping tip #1M
Apricot Glaze
Apricot glaze helps give the peach topping a professional finish and shine. Use a light hand when applying the glaze.
Peaches and Cream Layer Cake Baking Schedule
- Day 1: Bake cake layers and prepare filling.
- Day 2: Prepare frosting, assemble, decorate and serve cake.
Make Ahead
- Cake layers can be made up to 3 days in advance, wrapped in plastic in an airtight container, stored in the refrigerator.
- Peach filling can be made up to 5 days in advance, stored in the refrigerator.
- Cream cheese frosting is best made the day of assembly.
Cake Storage
- Cake layers can be stored wrapped in plastic in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Filling can be made up to 5 days in advance, stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Assembled cake can be stored in an airtight cake container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.
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Suggested Recipes
Peaches and Cream Layer Cake
Yield:
12
Prep Time:
1 hour
Cook Time:
40 minutes
Additional Time:
1 hour
Total Time:
2 hours 40 minutes
When it's peach season in Texas, I have to celebrate the season with this Peaches and Cream Layer Cake that's filled with peach filling and frosted with cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
SPECIAL TOOLS
- 3 8-inch round cake pans
- Nonstick baking spray
- Sieve
- Stand mixer
- Food processor or blender
- Nonslip mat
- Cake turntable
- 8-inch round cake board
- Piping bags
- Parchment paper
- 8-inch round acrylic disc
- Cake scraper
- Offset spatula
- Wilton piping tip #1M
PEACH CAKE
- 10 ounces frozen peaches (2 cups)
- ¾ cup whole milk
- 6 large egg whites
- 2 teaspoons peach flavoring
- 2 ¼ cups (9 ounces) cake flour
- 1 ¾ cups (12 ¼ ounces) granulated sugar
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces and at room temperature
PEACH FILLING
- 16 ounces frozen peaches, thawed
- ¼ (1.76 ounces) granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch, mixed with 3 tablespoons cold water
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3 cups (13.2 ounces) powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- Pinch of salt
- 16 ounces cream cheese, cut into cubes and softened
FRESH PEACH GARNISH
- 3 fresh peaches
- 1/3 cup apricot preserves
Instructions
PEACH CAKE
- Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 3 8-inch round cake pans with nonstick baking spray and set aside.
- Microwave peaches in a microwavable bowl, covered, until peaches have softened and are juicy, about 5 minutes. Place peaches in a sieve set over a small saucepan to remove the solids. Over medium-high heat, bring the strained peach juice to a boil, stirring occasionally until the juice turns into a syrup and measures about ¼ cup, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the milk. Transfer milk mixture to a clean bowl and whisk in the egg whites and peach flavoring until combined.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment attached, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt on low speed until combined. Add butter one piece at a time and mix until pea-sized pieces remain, about 1 minute. Add half of the milk mixture and increase the speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add in the remaining milk mixture and beat until combined, about 30 seconds.
Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans and smooth the tops out with a rubber spatula. Give the pans a few light taps on the counter to settle the batter and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, about 20 to 25 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking. - Let cakes cool in their pans for 10 minutes on wire racks, and then invert on to racks to cool completely, about 2 hours.
PEACH FILLING
- Place thawed peaches in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Over a bowl pour peach puree over a sieve to remove the solids. The puree will be thick. Use a spoon to stir and press the puree through the strainer.
- Place peach puree in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add sugar and cornstarch mixture and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly to keep lumps from forming. Once the puree thickens, remove from the heat. Cool for 5 minutes. Chill for about 2-3 hours in the refrigerator until ready to use.
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed for 5 minutes. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, lemon juice and salt. Reduce the speed to low and beat for 1 minute.
- Increase the speed to medium and beat until fluffy, about 4 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium-low and add the cream cheese and beat until smooth, about 1 minute. Do not over beat or the frosting will become soupy.
ASSEMBLE
- Place a nonslip mat on top of a cake turntable and place a cake board on top. Center the first cake layer on top of the cake board, making sure there's even spacing from all around the edges. Fit a piping bag with a round piping tip or coupler and fill the piping bag with frosting. Pipe a frosting dam around the outer edge of the cake. Fill the center with half of the filling and spread out in an even layer with a small offset cake spatula. Place the second cake layer on top and gently press to adhere to the bottom cake layer. Pipe a frosting dam around the outer edge and spread the remaining filling out in an even layer until it reaches the frosting dam. Add the third cake layer (bottom side up) on top and gently press to adhere.
CRUMB COAT
- Apply a thin layer of frosting over the top and sides of the cake, creating a crumb coat. Chill the crumb coated cake in the freezer for 15 minutes or in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Apply a large amount of frosting to the top of the chilled cake and spread out in an even layer with an offset spatula. You should have excess frosting hanging off the sides. Place a parchment paper lined acrylic disk on top to the cake making sure the disk and the cake board line up. Apply a generous amount of frosting to the sides of the cake, making sure it covers the bottom cake board completely.
- Use a cake scraper to gently touch the bottom cake board and the top acrylic disk and rotate the turntable to smooth out the frosting, cleaning your cake scraper with each rotation. Add more frosting to any areas that have gaps and continue to smooth. Once the frosting is smoothed, chill the cake in the freezer for 15 minutes or in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before removing the acrylic disk.
- Using an offset spatula, gently remove the disk by sliding the spatula underneath the disc and rotating the turntable until the disc releases. Peel off the parchment paper. Apply more frosting to the top of the cake where needed and smooth out the top.
- Fit a piping bag with Wilton piping tip #1M and pipe a shell board around the top edge of the cake. Chill the cake in the refrigerator while you prepare the fresh peach topping.
FRESH PEACH TOPPING
- Cut the peaches in wedges and place peaches in a decorative fashion on top of the cake. Microwave the preserves in a small bowl until fluid, about 30 seconds. Strain the mixture through a sieve into a bowl. Using a pastry brush, gently dab the preserves over the peaches.
- Carefully transfer cake to a serving platter and serve.
Notes
Cake layers can be stored wrapped in plastic in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Filling can be made up to 5 days in advance, stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Assembled cake can be stored in an airtight cake container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 685Total Fat: 47gSaturated Fat: 26gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 136mgSodium: 601mgCarbohydrates: 60gFiber: 2gSugar: 31gProtein: 9g
*Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary.*
Michelle says
What peach flavoring do you recommend using as I have found most either taste fake or are not strong enough.
Mary says
I like LorAnn Peach Flavor, however if you're sensitive to the imitation flavors you can leave it out completely. The peach juice reduction in the recipe will give it a natural peach flavor.
Kristie says
I made this cake yesterday and it was delicious!! It's very time consuming with all the steps. But its worth it. One thing different I did was substitute peach yogurt smoothie for the milk. So good!!
Mary says
It is a labor of love but so worth it. Glad you liked it!