Peach Blossom Cake (MasterChef)

Since the success from 2009, I must admit that the name, MasterChef has been a very selling commercialised brand to me. Although this cooking game show has been selling lots of books, magazines, cookware and other products, it has inspired me a lot from my cooking point of view. 

Now, the name, MasterChef and its logo are widely used around the world. Accordingly to Wikipedia, the show is now produced in more than 35 countries worldwide and airs in at least 200 territories. Knowing that MasterChef is commonly known in every household now, I have decided to cook and bake with the MasterChef theme for the whole month of September 2012.

Amongst all the Australian MasterChef judges, celebrity chefs and contestants, Merle Parrish, the "poster girl" of Country Women's Association of Australia is a great inspiration to me. At age 78, Merle, had published her first book, Merle's Kitchen. How does she do it? It started when Merle had a one-off appearance on Australian MasterChef season three at 2011 and this peach blossom cake is the cake that she baked in the show. Merle won her first baking contest at the age of seven. Her subsequent 70 years of baking triumphs plus her appearance on MasterChef have given her the confidence to finally write this beautiful book.

Since this episode of MasterChef last year, this recipe has been in my to-bake list for ages and now it seems a great opportunity for me to bake this beautiful cake. Inspired by the current blooming Spring season, this county-style butter cake has subtle pink swirl inside the cake. I must admit that the cake does look a little girly with this sweet-looking pink swirl but it does give me a nice feeling too, eating a slice of this pretty cake. With a thin layer of frosting, this cake is not too sweet at all. The large amount of egg whites used makes the cake very fine and soft in texture.

Making the cake batter

Making the peach blossom design in the cake

Yummy pink frosting...

Freshly baked cake and icing it

Can you see the subtle peach blossom swirl?

Another source of my inspiration... we didn't have peach blossom, only mini nectarine tree blooming at Spring.

Here's the recipe from the book, Merle's Kitchen by Merle Parrish
(with my modification in blue)

Serves 8

190g butter, at room temperature, chopped

1 1/4 cups white sugar (reduced to 1 cup)

3/4 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla essence (I used vanilla extract)

1 1/2 cups plain flour

3/4 cup cornflour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

pinch of salt

6 egg whites

1-2 drops rose pink food colouring
(I used the natural pink colouring)

Icing

1 1/2 cups icing sugar

10g butter

2 tbsp boiling water

few drops of rose pink food colouring
(I used the natural pink colouring)

Preheat the oven to slow (150°C). Grease a 20cm (base measurement) round, deep cake tin. Line the base with baking paper.

Cream the butter and sugar in the small bowl of an electric mixer until white and fluffy. Gradually add half the milk to help dissolve the sugar, and beat well. Beat in the vanilla. Transfer to a larger bowl. 

Sift the flour, cornflour, baking powder and salt together 3 times. Fold into the butter mixture, then add remaining milk (don't worry if it appears curdled at this stage). In another bowl, use clean beaters to beat the egg whites to stiff peaks. Fold half the egg whites into the cake batter, then fold in remaining egg whites. 

Transfer 1 cup of the mixture to a smaller bowl, and stir in 1-2 drops food colouring. Take about 3/4 cup of the white mixture, and spread over the base of the tin. Take half the pink batter, and spoon it in a ring about 1cm in from the tin edge - it should be about 1 - 1.5 cm wide. 

Very carefully spread half the remaining white batter over, taking care not to disturb the pink ring. Spoon the remaining pink batter into the centre of the tin, making about an 8cm round. Spoon the remaining white batter over the whole top, again taking care not to disturb the pink round. 

Bake for about 70 mins, until the cake is springy to a gentle touch in the centre and comes away from the sides of the tin. It may appear slightly cracked in the centre, but will settle flat on cooling. (If not, gently press the top flat with your fingertips.) Turn out onto a clean tea towel lined with a sheet of baking paper. Leave to cool. 

To make the icing, combine the ingredients until smooth. Spread over the top of the cooled cake, and leave to set.

Note: Using half of the recipe, I have baked a 14 cm cake at 150°C fan forced for 50 min.

Happy Baking
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