Doing Wheelies

Wheelchair Mom Blog | Foster Mom Parenting Blog | Wheelchair Mom | Central PA Mom Blog

Blackberry Peach Layer Cake

I didn’t have a whole lot of time for baking over the holidays this year, so I knew I wanted to make something special for Valentine’s Day. After all, whether you’re a big fan or you think it’s too much pressure and money for one day . . . it IS an excuse to have a nice meal with someone you love.

And nice meals are always better with a little cake. Especially when it’s a pretty little thing that’s packed with flavor and super easy.

And by easy . . . I totally mean I used a box cake mix to make it.

Blackberry Peach cake

The blackberry part of this recipe was a happy result of produce availability. Of course, when thinking about Valentine’s Day and desserts, my brain instantly goes to chocolate and strawberries . . . like every body else. Except, strawberries aren’t exactly in season right now . . . and as much as I adore them, I just can’t justify spending a ton on under-ripened, out of season berries.

While I recovered from stick shock, the half pints of blackberries caught my eye. They were gorgeous, plump . . . and most importantly, their price tag didn’t make me want to sob uncontrollably under the fruit section of the grocery store.

blackberry-peach-cake-filling-3

I started by baking a regular yellow box cake mix following the box’s instructions. I used a 9 inch springform pan, hoping to get a decent amount of height to have lots of gooey blackberry peach layers. Next time, I’ll opt for a smaller pan or make a double batch.

After pureeing the blackberries and pushing them through a mesh strainer to remove all the skin and other bits, I added them to a half pint of the homemade peach preserves I made over the Summer and simmered them with a little bit of water and sugar until it started to thicken up.

While I waited for the cake and the filling to cool, I whipped some heavy cream with confectioner’s sugar to make a super light whipped icing that works wonderfully with the sweet peach and tangy berry flavors.

After that, the hardest part is being able to slice the cake in even layers. I used a regular kitchen knife this time, which didn’t work as nicely as i had hoped . . . I’ll probably need to invest in a cake cutter to get better lines.
Blackberry Peach cake

5.0 from 7 reviews
Blackberry Peach Layer Cake
 
Print
Ingredients
  • 1 vanilla, yellow, or pound cake
  • 10oz (1.5 cups) fresh blackberries
  • 8oz (1 cup) peach jam
  • ½ cup water
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 1 pint heavy whipping cream
  • 1 cup confectioner's sugar
Instructions
  1. If using a box cake mix, prepare and bake following package instructions.
  2. Puree blackberries until smooth. Strain using a mesh strainer.
  3. In a small sauce pot, combine blackberry puree, peach jam, water, and sugar. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes until consistency reaches a thick syrup. Remove from heat and cool completely. (Filling will continue to thicken as it cools.)
  4. While the cake and filling cool, combine heavy whipping cream and confectioner's sugar and whip on high until soft peaks are formed. Refrigerate immediately until ready to assemble the cake.
  5. When all components are cool, level the top of the cake with a kitchen knife or wire cake cutter. slice cake into even parts, assemble with even portions of the blackberry peach filling, starting and ending with a cake layer.
  6. Dollop whipped icing on the top of the cake, using a rubber spatula to smooth down over the sides. Run a clean spatula across the top and sides for an even, smooth finish.

 

Subscribe to our newsletter for post updates and more

Reader Interactions

Comments

    • I have heard such good things about coconut milk whipped cream, and it would be awesome with the blackberry and peach flavors! Thanks for the idea! 🙂

      Reply

  5. Looks so delicious, I can’t wait to try out this recipe. Nothing makes a cake special like fruit and a whipped topping!

    Reply

  7. This sounds so good. Looks amazing. And seems pretty easy o would probably cheat on the blackberry part too lol

    Reply

  13. This cake just looks so delicious! I would love to make this for a Spring dessert and I know my family would love it!

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Rate this recipe:  

CommentLuv badge

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.