Nothing tastes quite as sweet as nostalgia. Take it all the way back with a classic peach Melba inspired cake that hits all the right notes, just like its namesake, Dame Nellie Melba. A delicate vanilla sponge layered with creamy vanilla buttercream, sweet peach jam and fresh raspberries, it’s far too good to relegate to one season.
Preheat the oven to 160oC, and line two 20cm round springform cake tins.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter, sugar and vanilla for 2-3 minutes, or until it has become pale and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Then add half the flour, and gently mix to combine.
Add the milk, and gently mix to combine. Then add the remaining flour and gently mix to combine.
Evenly divide the batter between the two tins, and place the tins on the same rack in the oven and bake for 40 minutes or until lightly golden in colour and cooked through in the centre.
Leave cakes to cool in their tins for a few minutes before removing them from their tins and allowing them to cool on a wire rack.
Once the cakes have cooled, make the icing by beating the butter and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer for about 2 minutes, or until the butter has become pale and fluffy.
Add the icing sugar and beat for 1 minute until the icing sugar is well combined. Remove 1/2 cup of the icing into a separate bowl and set aside.
Place one cake top side up on a serving plate or stand, and spread some icing over the top of the cake.
Spreadthepeachjamoverthetop of the icing, keeping it thicker in the centre so it doesn’t flow over the edge of the cake. Roughly chop up 1 punnet of raspberries, then place these evenly over the jam.
Place the next cake on top, top side down and gently press down so it sits evenly. Then ice the entire cake in the buttercream.
Add some pink food colouring to your reserved icing, and mix until you have a shade you like. Spread this coloured icing around the bottom edge of the cake, giving the icing a textured effect.
Decorate the top of the cake with the remaining raspberries, and cut slices of the fresh peach. For a pop of gold roll some of the raspberries in edible gold powder before placing on the cake.