Peach Bourbon Cake

Please don't roll your eyes at a peach recipe in October. I promise guys, I'm not a complete dumbass. I know it's fall and I'm posting summer recipes. I'm just always behind; always late (but never to a meeting cause that's just rude). Look, if you give this recipe a chance (next year...again I'm sorry), I promise you'll thank me! Nothing makes me happy like watching one of my freshly baked cakes disappear a piece at a time. The night that I served this cake, I was over the moon ecstatic to watch it disappear in a matter of minutes! This cake demands your attention. As soon as you cut into it, the smell of bourbon draws you in & once you notice the juicy pear chunks in each layer there is no turning back. You'll take a piece & hope that no one notices you're going in for seconds. 

Okay, after this I'll stay on track and post in-season recipes... I'll try my hardest... ;-)

Peach Bourbon Cake

4 large peaches

2 tbsp butter

sugar

1/2 tsp ginger

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 1/3 cup sugar

1 cup butter, softened

3 eggs

2 egg yolks

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup bourbon

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tbsp butter and the peaches and give it a stir. Add a pinch of sugar & ginger. Remove from heat and once cooled, chop into tiny little pieces-reserving some for topping the cake; set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 & prepare 8" cake pans. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt & nutmeg in a large bowl; set aside. Cream butter & sugar together until fluffy, about 5 minutes. On low speed, add eggs one at a time. Alternate adding flour and buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour. Add bourbon. Fold in chopped peaches. Divide among 3 cake pans and bake for 25-30 minutes.

Bourbon frosting

1/2 cup butter

1/2 shortening

3/4 cup confectioners sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2-3 tsp bourbon

Cream the butter & shortening together until fluffy. Add confectioners sugar and mix until well combined. Add vanilla and bourbon. Taste & add more bourbon if necessary.

**Notes: I topped my cake with a drizzle of maple & almond slivers but honey & chopped toasted pecans would also work well. Also, the baby cake pictured above was a little 5" bourbon-free cake I made for a friend's daughter that I knew would be at the get together. **

Enjoy!