This candy-inspired cake has all the flavor of nostalgic peach ring candy. You'll need a bottle of LorAnn peach flavoring oil to get started (see blog post for source). White cake layers are made using the reverse creaming method, which results in a tight crumb with soft texture.The marshmallow mousse filling will need to set for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator, so plan ahead.
1 1/2tablespoonsgrenadine or maraschino cherry juicefrom a jar of maraschino cherries
Yellow food color
Buttercream and decors
2cupsunsalted butterat room temperature
8cupsconfectioners’ sugar
Milk or creamto thin as needed
2tablespoonsLorAnn peach candy flavoring oil
Orange gel food color
Yellow gel food color
2tablespoonslight corn syrup
2tablespoonswater
1/3cupred sanding sugar
1/2cuporange sanding sugar
1/2cupyellow sanding sugar
8gummy peach ring candies
Instructions
White cake layers
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour three 8-inch round cake pans.
Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Turn the mixer on low speed and add the softened butter one cube at a time.
After all of the butter has been added, let the mixer run on low speed until the flour mixture resembles fine cornmeal, about 5-7 minutes. With the mixer still running, add half of the milk and the vanilla extract. Increase speed to medium; mixture will be thick.
Add the remaining milk and egg whites. Beat until just combined on medium speed. Stop the mixer and scrape down the edges of the bowl. Fold batter with a rubber spatula until the mixture is consistent with no streaks or pockets of flour remaining. Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake for 22-27 minutes, or until a toothpick tester comes out clean.
Let cool in the pans for 5 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool completely. Level the cakes evenly using a cake leveler or large serrated knife.
Marshmallow mousse
Line two 8-inch round cake pans with plastic wrap so that it overhangs all sides of the pans.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, whip the cream until stiff peaks form.
Microwave the marshmallows in a large heatproof bowl for 45 seconds, or until they have puffed up considerably. Remove from the microwave and stir until the marshmallows have melted and completely lost their original shape. This will be very sticky and gooey – keep stirring. Stir the peach flavoring oil into the marshmallow, followed by the grenadine and the yellow food color. Fold the whipped cream into the marshmallow mixture.
Divide the mixture between the two prepared pans and chill until firm, about 2 hours in the refrigerator, or 1 hour in the freezer. Keep layers chilled until you’re ready to assemble the cake.
Buttercream
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together on low speed until just combined. Increase speed; add milk or cream a little at a time until the mixture comes to spreading consistency. Whip on high speed 2 minutes. Beat in the peach flavoring oil. Divide the buttercream into two bowls and tint one bright orange; tint the other bright yellow. Cover each bowl with a damp paper towel to prevent it from drying out.
Assemble the cake
Place a dot of frosting in the center of a cake board or serving plate. Add a white cake layer. Lightly frost the layer with a thin coat of yellow buttercream.
Remove the marshmallow mousse from the refrigerator and pull it out by the overhanging plastic wrap. Turn it onto the frosted cake layer and pull away the plastic. Top with a second white cake layer and repeat the process with the second mousse layer. Finish with the last white cake layer on top.
Crumb coat the entire cake with a thin coat of orange buttercream on the bottom 1/2 of the cake, and a thin coat of yellow buttercream on the top 1/2 of the cake. Chill 15 minutes. Frost the cake with a final layer of buttercream, corresponding the colors with the crumb coat. Chill the cake until very firm, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, place a large sheet of plastic wrap on a work surface. Place the remaining orange and yellow buttercreams side-by-side in a 6-inch line in the center of the plastic. Roll the frosting into the plastic jelly roll style and snip one end. Load the frosting into a piping bag fitted with a large closed star tip. Set aside.
Place a 1 1/2-2-inch line of the red sanding sugar on a large baking sheet. Place a thicker line of orange sanding sugar touching the red sanding sugar. Place a thick layer of yellow sanding sugar touching the orange sanding sugar. Make sure all the sugars combined are tall enough to coat the height of the frosted cake.
Place the corn syrup and water in a small kitchen-dedicated spray bottle and shake to mix thoroughly.
Remove the cake from the refrigerator. Spray a light coating of the corn syrup mixture all over the sides of the cake. Let stand 1 minute. Pick the cake up and place it on its side in the sanding sugar. With a hand on the bottom cake drum, an a hand on the top center of the frosted cake, roll the cake into the sugar. Pick it up and move it backward onto the sugar, then roll forward to completely coat the cake. Stand the cake upright and smooth the top of the cake if you’ve made any impressions with your hand.
Use the loaded piping bag of two-tone frosting to pipe 8 swirls on top of the cake. Place a peach candy ring between each swirl.
Keep cake refrigerated. Serve slices at room temperature.
Keyword marshmallow mousse, peach candy flavoring oil, peach ring candies, white cake layers