Georgia Peach Cake

Coconut Layer Cake Murder

## Ingredients

**Cake Batter Ingredients**

* 1 cup softened, salted butter ***(2 sticks, 8 ounces, ½ pound)***
* 2 cups white ***(granulated)*** sugar
* 4 large eggs
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* ½ teaspoon baking soda
* ½ teaspoon cinnamon
* ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg ***(freshly ground is best, of course)***
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1 teaspoon almond extract
* ½ cup peach jam
* 3 cups all-purpose flour ***(pack it down in the cup when you measure it)***
* 1 cup buttermilk ***(or whipping cream)***

**Butter Sauce**

* ½ cup salted butter ***(1 stick, 4 ounces, ¼ pound)***
* ½ cup white ***(granulated)*** sugar
* ¼ cup peach brandy or liqueur ***(I used Drillaud Peach Brandy—you can use peach juice if you don't want to use alcohol in this cake)***
* 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

**Brown Butter Icing**

* ¼ cup salted butter ***(½ stick, 2 ounces, ⅛ pound)***
* 2 cups powdered ***(confectioners')*** sugar ***(pack it down in the cup when you measure it)***
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 2 Tablespoons heavy cream ***(that's whipping cream, but you could also use half-and-half, which is light cream)***
* ½ cup sliced almonds ***(optional—to sprinkle over the top of the cake after you frost it)***

## Directions

* Preheat oven to 325°F, rack in the middle position.
* This cake is made in a 9-inch by 13-inch cake pan, either metal or glass. To prepare your cake pan, either spray it with Pam or another nonstick cooking or baking spray, or generously butter the bottom and sides of the pan.

**Hannah's 1st Note: If Lisa and I are making this cake for catering, we use disposable foil cake pans. You can do this if you plan to give it to someone or take it to a potluck dinner. That way you won't have to ask for the cake pan back.**

**Hannah's 2nd Note: The following instructions are for an electric mixer. You can also mix this cake by hand in a large bowl, but it will take a strong beating arm to do it.**

**To Make the Cake Batter**

* Place the softened butter in the bowl of an electric mixer. With the mixer running at MEDIUM speed, beat the butter for a minute or two.
* With the mixer still running at MEDIUM speed, sprinkle in the white ***(granulated)*** sugar, beating as you sprinkle. Mix the butter and the sugar together they form into a light, fluffy mixture.
* Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
* Add the salt, baking powder, and baking soda, mixing until they are thoroughly combined.
* Mix in the cinnamon and the nutmeg.
* With the mixer still running, add the vanilla extract and the almond extract.
* Add the peach jam and mix that in until everything is thoroughly combined.
* Again, with the mixer running, add only one cup of the all-purpose flour. Beat it in thoroughly.
* Mix in ½ cup of the buttermilk or whipping cream.
* Add the second cup of all-purpose flour and mix well.
* Mix in the remaining ½ cup of buttermilk or whipping cream. Mix that in thoroughly.
* Add the remaining cup of all-purpose flour and beat on MEDIUM speed for 3 minutes, or until everything is thoroughly incorporated.
* Take the bowl out of the mixer and set it on the counter.
* If you haven't already prepared your cake pan, do it now.
* Use a rubber spatula to transfer the cake batter to the cake pan.
* Smooth out the top of the batter with the rubber spatula so that it's evenly distributed in the cake pan.
* Bake the cake in a preheated 325°F oven for 50 minutes, or until a cake tester, thin bamboo skewer, or long toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out without batter clinging to it.
* If there is gooey cake batter on the tester you used, bake your Georgia Peach Cake for another 5 minutes and test it again. Continue to bake your cake in 5-minute intervals until it tests done.
* Take the cake out of the oven and set it on a cold stove top burner or a wire rack to wait for its Butter Sauce.

**To Make the Butter Sauce**

* Take out a medium-size saucepan

**Hannah's 3rd Note: Don't use a saucepan that's black or brown on the inside. You'll be using it again later when you make the icing and you need to be able to see when the butter turns brown.**

* Place the ½ cup of salted butter in the bottom of the saucepan.
* Add the ½ cup of white ***(granulated)*** sugar.
* Stir in the ¼ cup of peach brandy, peach liqueur, or peach juice.
* Do not add the vanilla extract yet. The mixture in the saucepan must cook first.
* Heat the three ingredients in the saucepan on MEDIUM heat until the butter is melted and the sugar has dissolved, but DO NOT let the mixture come to a boil.

**Hannah's 4th Note: You can do this in a microwave-safe bowl on HIGH for 90 seconds. (I used a 4-cup Pyrex measuring cup)**

* Pull the saucepan over to a cold stove top burner, shut off the burner you used, and add the Tablespoon of vanilla extract. ***(Be careful—it could sputter a bit.)***
* Use a food pick or a thin wooden skewer to poke holes all over the top of your cake. Don't be too gentle. You want the holds to go all the way down to the bottom of the cake. ***(I used a thin wooden skewer and poked about 45 holes in mine.)***

* Pour the warm butter sauce over the top of the cake as evenly as you can. If you used a saucepan, don't bother to wash it. You'll be using it again when you make the frosting.
* Let the cake sit out on the wire rack or cold stove top burner for at least 10 minutes so that the Butter Sauce has time to soak into the holes you poked and get all the way down to the bottom of your cake.
* Cover your Georgia Peach Cake with foil and refrigerate for at least 2 hours ***Overnight is fine, too.***
* When 2 hours have passed, leave the cake in the refrigerator and start making the Brown Butter Icing.

**To Make the Brown Butter Icing**

* Take your Georgia Peach Cake out of the refrigerator and set it on the kitchen counter.
* If you used a saucepan to make the Butter Sauce, you already have a medium-size saucepan that you can use. ***(It doesn't need to be washed first.)***
* If you used the microwave instead, make sure that the saucepan you choose is not colored black or brown inside. ***(I made this mistake once and I couldn't see when the butter had browned.)***
* Put the ¼ cup ***(half stick)*** of salted butter into the medium-size saucepan.
* Place the saucepan on the stovetop and heat it at MEDIUM-HIGH heat. The butter will melt and then it will brown. There's no need to stir until it begins to turn color.
* When the butter is a nice caramel color ***(this took about 5 minutes for me)***, slide the saucepan over to a cold stovetop burner and shut off the burner that you used.
* Stir in the 2 cups of powdered ***(confectioners')*** sugar.
* Put the 2 Tablespoons ***(⅛ cup)*** of heavy cream in a small cup and drizzle it in, stirring as you go until the frosting is smooth and spreadable.
* This is another one of those wonderful no-fail icings. if it turns out to be too runny, add a bit more powdered sugar. If it turns out to be too thick and stiff, add a bit more cream. Continue to adjust these two ingredients until the frosting is the right consistency to frost your cake.
* Using a frosting knife, spread your frosting all over the top of your cake. Make a smooth and even sheet of frosting.
* If you decided to use the sliced almonds, place them on top of your cake before the frosting hardens.
* Once your cake has been frosted and the frosting has hardened, cover it loosely with aluminum foil and place it in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve it.
* To serve, cut squares of your cake and remove them from the cake pan with a metal spatula. Place them on dessert plates.
* This cake is very rich and buttery. ***(There's almost a whole pound of butter in it!)*** Serve it with plenty of strong coffee or icy-cold glasses of milk. Anyone who likes peaches and almonds will love your Georgia Peach Cake.

Yield: Depending on how large you cut the squares of your cake, your Georgia Peach Cake will serve from 14 to 18 guests.

**Hannah's 5th Note: Mother absolutely loves this cake. She's always been very fond of peaches and she loves things that are flavored with almond. If you bake it and invite Mother, you'd better plan on serving her at least two slices, perhaps three.**