Recipe: Summer fruit and vanilla miniature cake

Summer in South Carolina means fresh fruit — the state actually produces more peaches than Georgia — and hot weather. Enjoy a nice picnic on the Saluda River or the Horseshoe with this miniature cake with vanilla whipped cream and a fresh, juicy fruit of your choice. 

This recipe uses vanilla bean paste, adding beautiful vanilla bean flecks in the whipped cream. It is also highly customizable, so do what you like. You could even add additional toppings, like Nutella, slivered almonds, caramel sauce or chocolate shavings.

Make Time: 3 hours

Ingredients: 

Cake layers: 

-1 cup of all-purpose flour

-¾ cup cake flour (see substitution notes)

-¾ teaspoon baking powder

-¼ teaspoon baking soda 

-Pinch of salt

-½ cup room temperature butter

-1 cup of granulated sugar

-3 egg whites

-1 tablespoon vanilla extract

-½ cup room temperature sour cream (full-fat)

-½ cup half and half (see substitution notes)

Toppings:

-1 cup cold heavy whipping cream 

-Vanilla bean paste (to taste) 

-Fruit jam (optional)

-2 cups of fresh fruit, washed and chopped (Strawberries, raspberries, pitted cherries and peaches are great options. A combination could also be delicious.)

Substitution notes: 

1. Vanilla bean paste: If you do not have paste, vanilla extract is fine to use. Just sweeten the whipped cream with a couple of teaspoons of powdered sugar to taste. 
2. Flour: Feel free to use entirely cake or all-purpose flour rather than a mix of the two. Cake flour is finer and creates a more delicate crumb. 
3. Dairy: If you do not have half and half on hand, use a mix of milk and heavy whipping cream. Using only milk is also fine, but avoid using only skim milk.
4. Fruit: If you are using larger fruit than cherries and raspberries, chop to bite size. 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease three six-inch cake pans with unsalted butter or baking spray. 
2. Mix dry ingredients together in a separate bowl. Sift if there are any lumps.
3. Separate the egg yolks and egg whites. If you do not regularly separate eggs, separate each egg white into a separate bowl. This way, if egg yolk gets into the whites, you don’t have to scrap the whole bowl. Egg yolks will not be used in this recipe. 
4. Beat butter and sugar together for 2-3 minutes with a hand mixer or in a standing mixer until creamy and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula to ensure the batter is evenly mixed. Add egg whites and vanilla and almond extracts, then beat until combined. Next, incorporate sour cream. Mix in dry ingredients until combined. Do not over-mix the dry ingredients. Last, mix in half and half.
5. Divide the batter evenly between the three cake pans. Bake for 17-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. The edges should be golden. 
6. Cool cakes on wire racks and then remove cakes from pans. Cut the domed tops off of the cakes to create level layers.
7. If you are not planning on serving cake within a few hours, wait to make whipped cream and construct the cake, as the whipped cream texture can change in the refrigerator or freezer, and fruit could make the cake soggy if it is left for too long. 
8. Make whipped cream by beating cold heavy cream and paste together. See substitution notes if you are using extract. The cream is ready when it makes medium peaks. 
9. Before layering cream and jam onto the cake, make sure the layers are completely cool. Whipped cream melts, and if the cake is warm, the layers may slide off. Spread an even layer of jam on the first layer, and then add a third of the whipped cream. Spread half a cup of fruit on top. Repeat this process with the second cake layer. Set the last layer on top, and spread the remaining whipped cream. Organize the remaining cup of fruit on top in a spiral.