Vanilla and Peach Cake
Vanilla and Peach Cake
There are days when I want to make a fruit cake, but I don't want to spend hours in the kitchen. This cake with vanilla cream and peaches doesn't require complicated techniques, but it needs to chill overnight. I've made it several times for family anniversaries or just when I craved a refreshing dessert. It's the kind of cake that can be made a day in advance and doesn't pose any problems when assembling.
Quick Info
Total Time: 12 hours (including overnight chilling)
Active Time: about 1 hour and 10 minutes
Baking Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 10-12 (round pan, 20 cm diameter, with removable ring)
Difficulty: medium
Occasion: celebration cake, anniversary, fruit dessert
Ingredients
For the base:
3 eggs
75 ml vegetable oil
75 ml milk
150 g flour
4 heaping tablespoons sugar
1/2 packet baking powder
For the vanilla cream:
3 egg yolks
500 ml milk
1/2 vanilla bean (only the seeds)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
4 tablespoons sugar
1 packet gelatin (prepared according to the package instructions)
200 ml whipping cream
For decoration:
1 jar peach compote (halves)
1 packet clear cake gel
Preparation Method
1. Preparing the base
Preheat the oven to 180°C. In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar until completely dissolved. Add the milk and oil, then mix a little more. Finally, fold in the flour mixed with the baking powder. Pour the mixture into a 20 cm round pan lined with parchment paper. Bake the base for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let it cool well in the pan.
2. Vanilla cream
Heat the milk with the seeds from the vanilla bean. In a separate bowl, mix the egg yolks with the sugar and cornstarch until smooth. When the milk starts to boil, remove it from the heat and gradually pour it over the egg yolk mixture, stirring with a wooden spoon. Return everything to the pot over low heat and stir continuously until the cream thickens – this takes about 5-10 minutes. Let it cool for a few minutes.
3. Gelatin
Prepare the gelatin separately, following the instructions on the package (usually soaked for a few minutes in cold water). Add it to the slightly warm vanilla cream and mix until completely dissolved.
4. Whipped cream
Whip the cream until it holds its shape. Once the gelatin cream is nearly at room temperature, gently fold it into the vanilla cream. If I feel it needs more sweetness, I add a little sugar to taste, but not too much – I keep in mind that the peaches are sweet too.
5. Assembling the cake
Remove the base from the pan, take off the parchment paper, and put it back in the removable ring mold. Pour the vanilla cream over the base and smooth it out. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to set.
6. The fruits
Slice the peaches from the compote. Once the cream has set, arrange the peach slices over the entire surface of the cake. If I have some raspberries or other fruits, I add them on top for contrast.
7. The jelly
Pour the juice from the compote into a small pot, add the contents of the cake gel packet and a tablespoon of sugar. Mix and boil for exactly one minute. Let it cool just enough so it's not hot, then pour it evenly over the fruits, being careful to cover them.
8. Chilling
The cake should chill in the fridge overnight. The jelly and cream will firm up, and the base will absorb some flavor.
Why I make this recipe often
This cake is simple to make, especially since the ingredients are easy to find. I find it practical to do everything a day in advance and not have to decorate it complicatedly. It's refreshing, not too heavy, and keeps well in the fridge.
Tips and Variations
Tips
- I use only half of the vanilla bean, but extract works too if I don’t have anything else.
- It’s important that the base is completely cooled before pouring the cream, otherwise it risks sinking.
- If the cake gel doesn’t set, it means it didn’t boil long enough or the juice from the compote is too diluted.
Substitutions
- The peaches from the compote can be replaced with other canned fruits like apricots or pineapple.
- The gelatin packet can be swapped with gelatin sheets if you have them. Just make sure to follow the weight indicated on the packet.
- Instead of a vanilla bean, you can use vanilla essence or vanilla sugar.
Variations
- For a tangier taste, I add raspberries or even a bit of kiwi.
- If I want a taller cake, I double the amount of base and cream.
- For a different flavor, I add a bit of liqueur to the vanilla cream if I'm making it for adults.
Serving Ideas
- I slice it and serve it cold, straight from the fridge.
- It also goes well with a bit of plain whipped cream if there’s any left.
- If there are small leftover pieces, I make mini parfaits in glasses, with leftover base, cream, and fruits.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I use fresh peaches?
The original recipe uses canned peaches because they remain soft and sweet, and the juice is used for the jelly. If I use fresh peaches, I need to briefly boil them with a little sugar and water to make syrup.
2. I don’t have a removable ring pan. What should I do?
You can use a regular pan lined with plastic wrap to make it easier to remove the cake at the end. However, a removable ring is the most practical for layering.
3. Can I make the cream without gelatin?
The cream needs gelatin to set and not run. If I omit the gelatin, the cream will be more fluid and won’t hold the cake together.
4. I can’t find clear cake gel. Can I skip it?
If I don’t have cake gel, I can make a quick jelly with a little gelatin and the juice from the compote, but it won’t be as shiny. I can just put fruits, but they may oxidize.
5. How far in advance can I prepare the cake?
Ideally, it should chill overnight in the fridge, but it can also be kept for two days if well covered.
Nutritional Values
Approximately, for a medium serving (from 12): about 260-300 kcal. Of these calories, about 10 g come from fats, 35-38 g from carbohydrates, and 5 g from proteins. Most calories come from the cream and base, plus the sugar from the compote. Values are approximate and may vary depending on the type of cream or compote used.
Storage and Reheating
The cake keeps well in the fridge for 2-3 days, covered with plastic wrap. I do not recommend freezing it, as the gelatin cream does not return to its original texture after thawing. It does not require reheating and is served cold. If it sits too long in the fridge, the base may absorb moisture, but it remains good to consume.
First, we make the base: we mix the eggs with the sugar until the sugar dissolves, then we add the milk and oil and mix well. Finally, we incorporate the flour mixed with baking powder. We pour the mixture into a baking tray lined with parchment paper and bake for about 30 minutes at 180 degrees. Let it cool. Vanilla cream: we heat the milk together with the seeds from the vanilla pod. We mix the egg yolks with the sugar and cornstarch. When the milk starts to boil, we take it off the heat and add it to the egg yolks, mixing well with a wooden spoon. We put the mixture back into the pot that heated the milk and cook over low heat, stirring continuously. When it thickens (about 5-10 minutes), we let it cool slightly. Then we add the softened gelatin according to the instructions on the package. We stir well until it dissolves. We whip the cream and then carefully fold it into the vanilla cream, tasting and adding sugar if needed. We pour everything over the base and refrigerate. Let it set (about 2 hours). We slice the canned peaches and place them over the vanilla cream along with the raspberries. We heat the juice from the compote together with the contents of the jelly packet and a tablespoon of sugar for 1 minute, then pour it evenly over the cake. We let it sit overnight in the fridge, then serve it with love.
Ingredients: Ingredients: (20 cm pan with removable walls) Base: 3 eggs 75 ml vegetable oil 75 ml milk 150 g flour 4 tablespoons sugar 1/2 packet baking powder Vanilla cream: 3 egg yolks 500 ml milk 1/2 vanilla pod 2 tablespoons cornstarch 4 tablespoons sugar 1 packet gelatin 200 ml whipped cream for decoration: 1 jar canned peach halves 1 packet clear cake gel
