Marie Antoinette would be in sugar heaven. Peter Som, the fashion world’s favorite chef and the author of the cookbook “Family Style” shares his recipe for Whipped Cream à la Melba.
Whipped Cream Cake à la Melba
Serves 8 to 10
I discovered peach melba as a teenager on a family trip to the South of France— one bite of the canned peach half with the zing of that raspberry sauce atop cool vanilla ice cream, and sixteen-year-old me was smitten. I was determined to eat it anytime it was on the menu for the remainder of the trip, and if that’s not goals and commitment, I don’t know what is. This is that experience in cake form (because cake makes everything better).
Whipped cream cake appears a few times in Grandma’s recipe book. Grandma was a very practical person, so she no doubt loved the fact that it uses whipped cream in the cake for fat and lift, as well as in the topping. I’ve added Greek yogurt to the topping to stabilize it—you’ll have glorious fluffy swirls for hours without weeping or losing volume.
CAKE
Unsalted butter, for the pan
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan
2[1/2] cups heavy cream, chilled
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1[1/2] teaspoons vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
1[1/2] cups white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
Kosher salt
2 ripe but firm peaches, pitted and sliced
1/2 cup raspberries
RASPBERRY SAUCE
2 cups raspberries
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt
TOPPING
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup full-fat Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Place the bowl of a stand mixer in the fridge or freezer for 10 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the lower third of the oven. Butter and flour a 9-inch round cake pan and line with parchment paper.
Put the cream in the chilled mixer bowl and whip on medium-high speed for 3 to 4 minutes, or until stiff peaks form. Scoop out 2 cups of the whipped cream into a medium bowl, cover, and place in the fridge (this will be for the topping).
Add the eggs and vanilla to the whipped cream remaining in the mixer bowl and whip until just combined.
In a separate medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, then use a spatula to fold the dry ingredients into the cream mixture (the batter will be quite stiff). Pour the batter into the prepared pan and use a spatula or offset spatula to smooth and level the top. Bake for 60 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
Meanwhile, to make the raspberry sauce, put the raspberries in a blender and puree until smooth. Push the raspberry puree through a fine-mesh sieve into a small saucepan to remove the seeds. Whisk in the confectioners’ sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and 1/8 teaspoon salt and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Turn the heat down to low and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, until thickened. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and place in the fridge to cool and thicken slightly. (The sauce can be made a day in advance and stored in the fridge with plastic wrap pressed directly on the surface of the sauce to prevent a skin from forming.)
When the cake is cool, make the topping. Remove the reserved 2 cups whipped cream from the fridge, add the confectioners’ sugar, Greek yogurt, and vanilla, and whisk until fully incorporated and stiff glossy peaks form, about 3 minutes.
To assemble, place the cake on a platter, dollop on the whipped cream topping, top with the peaches and raspberries, and drizzle with the rasp- berry sauce. Slice and serve.
Hot Tip: Use canned or frozen peaches if fresh aren’t available.
Remix! Top with lots of berries instead of peaches.
Another Remix! Make it tropical—top with chopped mango and pineapple and drizzle with honey.
Order Peter Som’s “Family Style” HERE.
