Vanilla Bean Cake With Bourbon Soaked Peach Compote And Spicy Caramel Popcorn Recipes

VANILLA BEAN CAKE WITH BOURBON SOAKED PEACH COMPOTE AND SPICY CARAMEL POPCORN

Steps:

• Place the sliced peaches in a mason jar and fill with bourbon until the peaches are completely covered. Allow to sit at least overnight or up to a week. Strain out the peaches (but keep the peach-flavored bourbon for cocktails!) and place in a pan with the sugar, cinnamon, and ¼ cup of the bourbon. Cook until the liquid resembles a thick syrup, mashing the peaches occasionally and allow to cool completely. Blend for about a minute to break up the peaches more if needed.
• Grease and flour three 9-inch baking pans. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl, mix together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.
• Beat the eggs one at a time into the butter, making sure each egg is fully incorporated before adding another. Add the vanilla extract and the beans from the scraped vanilla bean. Beat well. Alternate between adding the flour and the milk, beginning and ending with the flourand mixing until just combined. Evenly distribute the batter into the baking pans and bake for about 20 - 25 minutes, or until lightly golden and a toothpick comes out clean after being inserted in the centers. Allow the cakes to cool completely before wrapping tightly with plastic wrap and freezing for a few hours, or overnight. (Freezing the cakes makes it easier to frost).
• Place the popcorn into a very large bowl. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper
• In a heavy-bottomed saucepan add the sugar and butter together and heat on medium-high until the mixture bubbles. Allow the mixture to bubble for about 3 minutes. Add in the remaining ingredients and mix until it comes together into a smooth sauce.
• Pour the caramel over the popped popcorn and mix well so all the popcorn is evenly coated Transfer the popcorn the baking sheets and bake for one hour, mixing the popcorn every 30 minutes. Break apart any clumps and allow to cool completely
• In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, add the sugar, agave nectar, and two tablespoons of the bourbon. Allow the sugar to absorb the bourbon then turn on the heat to medium high. Allow the mixture to cook and boil until it reaches a deep amber color. Remove from heat and add the heavy cream and mix well. The mixture will bubble a lot when you add the cream. Mix until smooth, then add the remaining bourbon, cayenne pepper, the beans from the vanilla bean pod, salt, and butter. Mix until it is a creamy sauce. Transfer to another container and allow to cool completely.
• Beat the butter until smooth and creamy. Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time mixing well between each addition. Add in the salt and mix well. Repeat with the heavy cream and the beans scraped from the vanilla bean pod. Take out about ¾ cup of the frosting and add the caramel sauce to it. Mix well.
• Level the cakes as-needed. Fit one piping bag with a large round tip and fill with the frosting that has the caramel. Pipe two touching rings of frosting on the outside edges of two of the cake layers. Fill the insides of the rings with the peach compote. Layer the cakes so that the one cake layer without the frosting and compote is on top. Frost the cake with the vanilla frosting. Place the cake in the fridge for about 30 minutes to slightly stiffen the frosting a bit, this helps with controlling the caramel we are pouring on top. Spoon caramel around the top of the cake. I did not do it in the middle where the popcorn is so that the popcorn does not get soggy. I placed a doughnut cutter on top to make it easier to avoid the center. Use the back of the spoon to spread the caramel evenly over the top of the cake, it will drizzle down on its own. Place caramel popcorn over the center of the cake. Serve!

ONE-BOWL PEACHES AND VANILLA BEAN BUNDT CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F. Generously spray 10- or 12-cup fluted tube cake pan.
• In large bowl, beat all Cake ingredients except peaches with electric mixer on low speed 1 minute, scraping bowl constantly. Increase speed to medium; beat 2 minutes. Pour into pan. Sprinkle peaches on top of cake batter.
• Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes; turn upside down onto cooling rack or heatproof serving plate, and remove pan. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Place cake on serving plate.
• In medium bowl, beat 2 oz cream cheese and the butter with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Beat in powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste until smooth. Spread mixture on top of cooled cake.

BRANDIED PEACH COMPOTE CAKE

Steps:

• For Vanilla Sugar:
• Combine sugar and vanilla bean in processor. Blend 2 minutes. Sift to remove vanilla pieces. (Can be made 2 weeks ahead. Store airtight.)
• For Compote:
• Combine 1/4 cup vanilla sugar, water, brandy, preserves and raspberries, if using in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves. Add peaches. Bring to boil; reduce heat and cook until peaches are barely tender, about 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer peaches to strainer set over bowl. Boil syrup until very thick and reduced to scant 1/3 cup, adding any juices that continue to drain from peaches, about 13 minutes. Strain syrup into small bowl; mix in peaches. Cool. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.)
• For Cake:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom of 9-inch-diameter springform pan. Combine cake meal and potato starch in small bowl; whisk to blend. Beat egg yolks and 1/2 cup vanilla sugar in large bowl until thick, about 2 minutes. Beat in margarine, then nondairy creamer and brandy. Beat in dry ingredients. Using clean dry beaters, beat whites and salt in another large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1/2 cup vanilla sugar and beat until stiff but not dry. Fold whites into yolks mixture in 3 additions. Transfer 1 cup batter to small bowl. Cover; chill. Pour remaining batter into prepared pan.
• Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack 10 minutes. Maintain oven temperature.
• Spoon reserved 1 cup batter in 1-inch band around edge of cake. Arrange peaches close together in spoke pattern in center, pressing ends into batter at edge. Spoon 2 tablespoons peach juices over fruit. Bake until band at edge is firm, about 35 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack; let stand up to 8 hours.
• Cut around pan sides to loosen cake; release sides. Garnish with fresh raspberries, if desired.