Peach Shortbread

Shortbread is underrated. It is nearly perfect in its unadulterated state but tastes pretty amazing covered in fruit, dipped in chocolate, crunchy, soft, and even as a pre-packaged Lorna Doone cookie. This recipe is for a beautiful, slightly sweet shortbread layered with some of the most amazingly delicious peaches I have ever tasted.

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Peach Shortbread

Preheat the oven to 375°. Spray or line a 9x13" pan with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar, baking powder, flour, salt and spices. Using a pastry blender or your hands, blend the butter and egg into the flour mixture (it will look crumbly). 

Firmly press three quarters of the mixture in the bottom of the pan. Layer the peach slices over the base and then sprinkle the remaining crumbs evenly over the peaches. Bake for 30 minutes or until the top and sides are slightly brown. Make sure to cool completely before cutting into slices.

1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
3 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 large egg
2 peaches, pitted and thinly sliced (could also substitute another type of rock fruit)

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David's Birthday Cake

There are a lot of fun things to do on a Sunday in the summer but watching the parents of this sweet, happy, ever moving and very determined one year old smile as he destroys his birthday cake is pretty great. 

Happy Birthday, David!

Sadie's Birthday Cake

I had the honor of introducing cake to Sadie on her first birthday. Watching her take a teeny and somewhat anxious bite reminded me of how sweet babies can be and also that adults are gluttonous pigs.

I think that I could speak on behalf of the adults at the party by saying that as Sadie was timidly touching the cake, we were (1) wishing that we had the self control to be as modest as Sadie if we were presented with a three layer cake and (2) thankful that we had a partner to stop us from diving head first into the cake at that exact moment. 

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Golden Vanilla Cake with Banana Frosting
from King Arthur Flour

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Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350°. Lightly grease and flour your choice of pan(s): one 9" x 13" pan, two 9" round cake pans, three 8" round pans.

In the bowl of a mixer, whisk together the sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the butter and beat in low speed, until the mixture appears sandy.

Combine the milk and vanilla and add to sandy mixture. Mix at low speed for 30 seconds, then increase the speed to medium and beat for 30 seconds. Scrape the bottom and sides of the mixing bowl.

With the mixer running at low speed, add 1 egg. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 30 seconds. Repeat this procedure with the second egg. Continue adding the eggs, scraping after each addition, until all 4 are added.

After the last egg is added, scrape the bowl once more, then beat at medium-high speed for 30 more seconds. Transfer the batter to the pans of your choice.

Bake for 40 minutes for a 9" x 13" pan; 27 minutes for 9" layers; 24 minutes for 8" layers.

The cake is done when it's golden brown around the edges and just beginning to pull away from the edge of the pan. A toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean.

Make the frosting: In either a mixer or food processor, beat butter, bananas, and vanilla until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar until fully combined (adjust amount based on taste).  You may also add a bit of lemon juice to stop the frosting from browning slightly.

Cake
14 ounces sugar
13 3/4 ounces all purpose flour (I use King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour)
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
6 ounces unsalted butter, soft
10 ounces milk, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 large eggs

Banana Frosting
2 cups ripe bananas
1 cup butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

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