PREP/BAKE/COOK TIME: 3 Hours
Makes 10 Servings

NOTE: Although the recipe takes three hours in total; curd, meringue and jam all can be made ahead.

INGREDIENTS

CAKE

½ Cup – Confectioner’s Sugar for Dusting

2 ½ Cups – All Purpose Flour

1 ½ Cup – Granulated Sugar

1 Tsp – Baking Powder

1 Tsp – Baking Soda

1 Tsp – Table Salt

1½ Cups – Vegetable Oil

1 Cup – Buttermilk

1 Tsp – Pure Vanilla Extract

1 Tsp – Apple Cider Vinegar

PEACHY CURD

Yolks of 6 Large Eggs (Saving the Whites for Meringue)

2 Tb – Granulated Sugar

½ Tsp – Pure Vanilla Extract

1 Tsp – Fresh Lemon Zest

1 Tb – Fresh Lemon Juice

½ Cup – Simply Peach Juice Drink

Pinch of Salt

6 Tb – Unsalted Butter

MERINGUE

Saved Egg Whites Separated for Peachy Curd

1 ½ Cups – Granulated Sugar

1 Tsp – Cornstarch

¼ Tsp – Pure Vanilla Extract

1 Tsp – Apple Cider Vinegar

Pinch of Salt

MIXED BERRY JAM

2 Cups – Frozen Mixed Berries

1 Cup – Granulated Sugar

1 Tsp – Fresh Lemon Zest

1 Tb – Fresh Lemon Juice

1 Tsp – Pure Vanilla Extract

Pinch of Salt

THE NITTY GRITTY

Preheat oven to 350° F.

On two sheets of parchment, trace a circle using the bottom of a 9” cake pan on each sheet with a marker or a pen. Set aside for later use.

Grease and flour two 9” cake pans with about 1 Tb each of room temp butter and flour for both; also set aside till ready to use.

CAKE – In a large mixing bowl, whisk together All Purpose, sugar, leavening and salt till blended. Add wet ingredients to dry; blend together using a whisk or hand mixer with a whisk attachment till a smooth batter forms.

Transfer cake batter evenly into cake pans. Tap each pan on the counter a few times to get rid of any air bubbles.

Place batter filled pans onto middle rack of oven about two inches apart; without pans touching either side of oven.

Bake for approximately 30 minutes.

Once baked, let cakes cool in pan on a wired rack for 15 minutes before turning out. Turn out cakes by placing one hand holding a clean towel underneath over the cake, flip pan over with the other hand; releasing cake into towel. Turn cake over – top side facing up; cool completely.

MERINGUE (Recipe yields two meringue discs) – While cakes are baking, in a large metal mixing bowl, add egg whites, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla extract, vinegar and salt. Using a hand mixer – also with the whisk attachment – beat egg whites mixture at medium speed till frothy. Increase speed to medium-high; continue beating till meringue doubles in volume and soft glossy peaks form.

Flip each parchment ink/marker side down onto two baking sheets. Add a small dab of meringue to each corner of both baking sheets to secure parchment. Scoop out even amounts of meringue onto the center to each drawn circle. Smooth out meringue within the circumference of each circle using an offset spatula.

Once cakes are baked and transferred to a cooling rack, place both baking sheets with meringue into oven. Reduce heat to 200° F and ‘bake’ for approximately 1 hour; turning both pans only once at the 30 minute mark. Turn heat off after the hour’s up; keep meringue in oven for another 30 minutes. Remove meringue from oven and let cool completely. Keep meringue attached to parchment till ready to use.

NOTE: You can make meringues 1 – 2 days ahead. Once cooled; peel meringue carefully from parchment and store in an airtight container at room temp till ready to use. Store other meringue disc in the fridge for up to two weeks. Use the extra meringue for a makeshift Pavlova topped with whipped cream and fresh berries.

PEACHY CURD – In a bowl over a double boiler at medium heat, combine egg yolks, lemon zest, lemon juice, Just Peach Juice Drink, sugar, vanilla and salt; whisk with vim and vigor till light and frothy.

While still whisking, add butter to egg yolks mixture 1 Tb at a time till each has completely melted. Transfer bowl with curd to a larger bowl filled with ice and cold water to chill. Continue whisking till curd has thickened. Place chilled curd in fridge till ready to use.

NOTE: If you’re making curd ahead, skip the ice bath and let cool at room temperature before storing in an airtight container. Keep in fridge for up to one week.

MIXED BERRY JAM – In a medium saucepan, add frozen berries, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla extract and salt; bring to a rapid simmer at medium high heat, stirring frequently. Cook till jam thickens and coats back of spoon. Transfer pot to an ice bath to cool; continue stirring.

NOTE: If you’re making jam ahead, skip the ice bath and spoon into a sterilized small Mason jar while still warm. Allow jam to settle for 15 minutes before sealing. Seal jarred jam securely with lid and ring; cool to room temp on a wired rack, undisturbed. Once cooled; store jam in fridge for up to 2 weeks.

ASSEMBLAGE – Place one cake layer on a serving plate. You can also place it upside down to work with a flat surface; you won’t go to Hell if you don’t – I don’t. Spread Mixed Berry Jam evenly around cake; leaving about a half inch gap from the edge. Carefully peel parchment from Meringue; place on top of jammy cake layer. Pile on Peachy Curd atop meringue and spread liberally till just before dripping off the sides. Top with second cake layer dome-side up; sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar.

Store any unused portions in an airtight container and refrigerate. Cake will stay fresh for up to 4 days.

MARCH 27, 2021