How to Make a Peach Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Peach and carrot may sound like a strange combination but it definitely isn't. It's one of the most delicious cakes I've ever made.









PEACH CARROT CAKE
WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Makes one 6-inch cake, serves 8-10


Ingredients
For the cake
150 g salted butter
3 large eggs
2/3 cup (135 g) granulated sugar
1/3 cup + 1 1/2 tbsp (65 g) light brown muscovado sugar, firmly packed
1/4 tsp vanilla powder
1 1/4 cups (180 g) all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp sea salt flakes
1 tsp ground cinnamon
250 g carrots (about 1 3/4 cups when grated)
1 can (around 410 g) of peach halves in juice (2/3 cup of peach puree will be used in the cake, save the rest for filling)

For the cream cheese frosting
150 g softened butter
200 g cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 - 1 cup (110-150 g) powdered sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla powder

For the filling
Remaining peach puree

Caramelized peaches
3-4 fresh peaches (I used donut peaches)
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp light brown muscovado sugar, loosely packed

Fresh blackberries


Directions
Cake
1. Heat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Butter and flour two 6-inch (15 cm) cake pans.
3. Melt the butter and leave to cool.
4. Beat eggs and sugars until fluffy and lighter in color and texture, about 3 minutes. Add melted butter and vanilla and beat until combined.
5. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a bowl, then stir into the batter until just smooth.
6. Peel and grate the carrots. Put the peaches (without the juice) in a blender or food processor and process until smooth.
7. Add grated carrots and 2/3 cup of the peach puree to the batter and stir until combined. Divide batter between the two cake pans.
8. Bake for about 40-43 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.
9. Leave to cool in the pans for 20 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Cream cheese frosting
1. Beat butter until pale and fluffy. Add cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until just smooth.
2. Put the bowl in the fridge while you cut the cake.

Assembly
1. Cut both cake layers in half with a serrated knife so you end up with four cake layers.
2. Put the first cake layer on a cake board or directly onto a plate or cake stand. Spread a layer of frosting on the first layer, then spread a layer of the peach puree over. Repeat this until you've used up all layers.
3. Spread a thin layer of frosting all over the cake and put in the fridge while you prepare the topping.

Caramelized peaches
1. Slice the fresh peaches. Heat the butter over medium heat in a non-reactive skillet. Add brown sugar and swirl with a wooden spoon until the sugar melts.
2. Add the peach slices and caramelize for 2-3 minutes. Let cool completely, then put them on top of the cake with blackberries.