Actually, I probably could be - if my fiance liked peaches I’d be happier, because then I wouldn’t feel guilty about wanting to eat so many peaches and make peach things that he doesn’t want to eat.

Anyway. The point is, I love peaches.

So X’s sister’s birthday is Monday, and there’s a family get-together on Sunday to celebrate. We were told initially to just bring chips & dip (it’s like they’ve never met me?? i love baking too much to be the chips & dip people) but X knows me and knows I’d rather make a dessert.

Initially I was thinking cake, because it’s a birthday party and obviously that calls for cake. Then I was told probably cake would already be there, so my brain is all, “PIE! Maybe an Atlantic Beach Pie? (because I also really love lemons, like, you don’t even know)” Except that pie would totally melt on the 1 ½ hour drive… And then obviously I thought about peach pie, or maybe cobbler (so much easier!!) and was just like, “YES. I must do.” 

Then yesterday X was like, “I don’t think there’s actually going to be cake on Sunday…” Which is a dang TRAVESTY and UNAMERICAN to not have cake for a birthday celebration. So on the one hand I was excited to have an excuse to make cake, but on the other hand, I’d thought about peaches and really really really wanted an excuse to make a peach dessert. Also previous worries about desserts melting en route resurrected themselves. How could we possibly carry a cake that far, in 95°F heat, without the frosting all melting into a puddle? And then the layers would slide off each other, and the whole thing would turn into a mess. 

My brilliant fiance suggested making all the components separately and assembling at the party. (not to brag, y’all, but i’m going to marry a pretty smart man in a few months) I’m still sad about peaches but this solution is great and I love it and the man who suggested it. <3

Suddenly: an idea! Make a brown sugar cake, and a peach compote, and stack them all up with some whipped cream! I get to have my cake, and peaches, too!!

Step 1: cake. Specifically this recipe, only without any blueberries or whatnot.

Step 2: compote. Gonna peel & cut up 3 4 peaches (need extra so I can snack while working), throw ‘em in a pan with a little water (maybe ¼ cup?), some brown sugar (like ½ cup), a splash of lemon juice, a little vanilla, and some cinnamon (like 1 tsp of each), and boil the h*ck out of it until they’re delicious and syrupy and I just want to put it on everything I eat forever and ever.

Step 3: resist the urge to eat any of this, pack it all up, take it to this celebration, and assemble: cake-peaches-whipped cream-cake-peaches-whipped cream.

Step 4: eat too much delicious food in general, but definitely too much dessert (supposedly there will be banana pudding?!? be still, my heart!) and especially indulge in this cake.

Day 26: Almond Ricotta Pound Cake with Peach Compote

Ingredients: Cake: 1.5 cups of sugar + 1 tbsp (I make about a quarter of the sugar splenda sometimes), 1.5 sticks (3/4 cups) butter, 3 eggs, 1.5 cups semi skim ricotta, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1.5 tsp almond extract, 2.5 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt, 1.5 cups all purpose flour Compote: 3 peaches, 2 tbsp butter, 3  tbsp sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Cream butter and sugar. 

2. Beat each egg in and then mix in ricotta, almond extract, and vanilla extract.

3. Gradually add in dry ingredients, mix thoroughly.

4. Bake for 30-40 min in oven.

5. In a sauce pan cook down fresh diced peaches with sugar and butter on a low heat for 30 min.

6. Place compote on top of the cake when ready to serve!