We were having one of our neighborhood summer barbecues, and I wanted to make something with the beautiful peaches that were in season. I love stone fruit, so when it’s in season I try to eat as much of it as possible. Once I decided to use peaches, I immediately thought about what nuts would go with them. I really enjoy baking with nuts, and so does my mother, because they add nourishment, crunch, and a savory element that makes the cake just so much tastier. In short, they add nuttiness. Once I had landed on peach and pecan, I found that I could not say those two words together without doing a Scarlett O’Hara impersonation, so from there it was a natural leap to brandy frosting. Get it? Southern peaches? Brandy? I don’t know, maybe bourbon would have been better, but I prefer brandy. Be very careful not to include too much brandy in the frosting because it will liquify the frosting and make it nearly impossible to frost.
Recipe
Inspired by: https://natashaskitchen.com/royal-walnut-cake-video-recipe/
For Cake
Ingredients:
2 cups pecans
6 large eggs room temp
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
Method:
Toast 2 cups pecans in the oven until a little bit browned, but not bitter. Cool, then pulse in a food processor.
Preheat oven to 350˚F. Line the bottoms of two 9″ baking pans with parchment paper
Whisk egg for a minute until a little but foamy.
While mixing, add the sugar and beat on high speed until it reaches ribbon stage. 6-8 minutes.
Gradually sift the flour and baking powder into the egg mixture.
Gently fold in your pecans.
Bake right away in a preheated oven at 350˚F for 23-28 min
Let rest in the pans 5 min then run a knife around the edges of pan to loosen cake and transfer cakes to wire rack to cool completely to room temp.
For Frosting
Inspired by: https://food52.com/recipes/53924-lemon-raspberry-layer-cake
Ingredients:
6 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
2 1/2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tbs of brandy
4 peaches
Candied pecans
Method:
Place the egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whip attachment.
Combine the sugar and water in a medium pot and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Stir the mixture until it begins to simmer, then stop stirring and attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pot.
Cook the sugar mixture until it reads 235° Fahrenheit on the thermometer.
When the sugar reaches 235° F, begin whipping the egg whites on medium high speed. The idea is to get them to soft peaks by the time the sugar reaches 245° Fahrenheit.
When the sugar reaches 245° F, carefully pour it into the mixer in a slow, steady stream while the mixer is running. Continue to whip the mixture until it’s very white, thick, and the bowl is no longer warm to the touch. This could take 15-20 minutes, but make sure the mixture is cool, otherwise the butter will melt and your buttercream will not be thick enough.
Add the butter 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time, letting each addition incorporate fully before you add the next.
Stir in the brandy a little a time to make sure the texture of the frosting remains in tact.
Top the middle layer and the top of the cake with peaches. Decorate the top with candied pecans.
Never Enough Counter Space 