GLUTEN FREE PEACHES AND CREAM CAKE with VEGAN & DAIRY FREE versions

GF Dairy Free Peaches and Cream Cake

Posted by Bryna Bear aka Gluten Free Baking Bear

     Peaches and Cream Cake has a thin layer of cake topped with peaches and then a creamy cheese layer.  The top of the dairy cheese version is much like the filling of a cheese Danish.  The dairy free/vegan version results in a smooth creamy top that is like a very light pudding.  Both versions are delicious.  Most of my friends, who are willing taste testers whenever I bake, liked the dairy free/vegan version better.  Even the dairy eaters liked the dairy free better.  The creaminess of the dairy free top layer was delightful and yummy.  Only one person (who loves cheese cake) preferred the dairy topping. I made the vegan ones with yellow peaches and the dairy and non dairy batches with white peaches. The  yellow peaches won the taste test hands down.  You can taste the yellow peaches more and in this case more was better.

A slice of Vegan Peaches and Cream Cake with yellow peaches.

     I adapted a wheat recipe into a gluten free version. The recipe is from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe blog and she adapted it from a reader’s recipe.  I did not follow the directions well and made a mistake when adding the sugar. As with some baking mistakes this turned out to be a good one. Instead of adding all the sugar to the cheese layer, as the recipe called for, I added half to the fruit before I realized that this was a mistake.  Then, to correct this error, I added only half the sugar to the cheese layer.  This turned out to be the perfect amount of sweetness for me in the cheese layer.  I used fresh peaches and not canned as in the recipe. Canned fruit already has some sweetness in it.  Adding some sugar to the fresh fruit gave it some needed sweetness.  The recipe calls for juice from the canned peaches to be used in the cheese layer.  By adding sugar directly to the fresh peaches some juice was formed that could then be used in the recipe. 
     I would like to give a shout out to the GO Veggie company.  They were nice enough to  send me some free products after I mentioned in my blog that I used their vegan cheeses in my French Tea Party recipes.  (Just to be clear I do/did not make any money for writing about their products in my blog posts. However, I do really appreciate getting free products.) GO Veggie cream cheese was used in the dairy free/vegan cheese topping for this cake recipe. I love the taste and texture of their vegan cream cheese, both straight out of the container and in this recipe.

GF Peaches and Cream Cake with Dairy Topping

GLUTEN FREE PEACHES AND CREAM CAKE

Ingredients
CAKE

1 cup	Sorghum Flour
1/4 cup	Tapioca Flour
1/4 cup	Chickpea Flour
1 tsp.	Xanthan Gum
2 1/2 tsp.	Baking Powder
1/4 tsp.	Sea Salt
1/2 cup	Sugar (I used evaporated cane juice crystals)
1 Tbs.	Cornstarch
1 tsp.	Vanilla (in the dairy free/vegan cakes I used Lorann Butter Vanilla)
2 large	Eggs - Vegans use egg replacer.  I like to use the following egg replacer for 2 eggs:  mix 1/2 cup water with 2 Tbs. cornstarch, 2 tsp oil, 1/4 tsp. baking powder and 1/8 tsp. xanthan gum. Mix with a fork or small whisk until frothy and add to the recipe.
1 cup	Milk - Dairy Free/Vegan use non-dairy milk such as soy, rice etc.
6 Tbs.	Unsalted Butter (melted) - Dairy Free/Vegan use olive or canola oil

CHEESE TOPPING

16 Ounces	Cream Cheese - Dairy Free/Vegan use non-dairy vegan cream cheese such as GO Veggie or Tofutti Make sure it is at room temperature so it will mix well.
1/2 cup	Sugar (I used evaporated cane juice crystals)
6 Tbs. DF/VEGAN - 2 Tbs.	Peach Juice reserved from fresh peaches (see below) If Dairy Free/Vegan cream cheese use 2 Tbs. Peach Juice or the cream cheese layer will be too runny.

PEACHES

28 ounces (about 10 medium)	Fresh Peaches - peeled.
about 1/2 cup	Sugar (I used evaporated cane juice crystals) or to taste depending upon the sweetness of the fruit.

FOR SPRINKLING ON TOP

Cinnamon

Sugar (I used evaporated cane juice crystals)

Directions

1.   Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2.   Grease a 9x13-inch pan with cooking spray or oil and set aside.
3.   Peel and cut peaches into bite-sized pieces.

   

   Yellow Peaches peeled and cut into pieces.

   

   White peaches peeled and cut into pieces.

4.   Add half the sugar and mix. Taste a piece of the fruit and then add more as needed to suit your taste.  Set aside.
5.   In a medium sized bowl add the cream cheese, sugar and required amount of liquid from the peaches and sugar bowl.  Mix until well blended.  You can also blend this with a hand mixer.  Set aside.

   

   Cream Cheeses I used.  Dairy on left and Dairy Free Vegan on right.

   

   Cheese toppings all mixed.  Dairy Free on left and Dairy on right. 

6.   In a large bowl add the flours, salt, baking powder, xanthan gum, sugar and cornstarch and mix well.
7.   Make a well in the center and add the eggs/egg replacer, milk and melted butter/oil.
8.   Whisk together until well combined and then spread the batter evenly in the prepared 9x13-inch pan.

   

   Batter spread in a pan.  (This pan is 9x9-inches for HALF a recipe.)

9.   Strain the liquid from the peaches and spread evenly on top of the cake batter. I used a slotted spoon to scoop out the peaches.

   

   Peaches on top of the batter.

   
   

   

   I used a slotted spoon to strain the liquid and scoop out the peaches.
10. Spread the cheese mixture evenly over the top of the peaches.

    

    Cheese topping spread on top of the peaches.
11. Sprinkle generously with cinnamon and sugar.

    

    Cinnamon and sugar sprinkles on top.
12. Bake 45-60 minutes or until the edges are puffed and golden and the cream cheese layer bubbles slightly.  If the center is jiggly, cover with foil to prevent excessive browning and bake more until it no longer jiggles.  Be sure to keep checking for jiggling at least every 5 minutes if you need to bake it longer than the listed time.

    

    Baked cakes with Dairy on left and Dairy Free on right.

13. Allow the cake to cook in the pan on a rack. 
14. Serve warm or at room temperature.

    

    Dairy Free Peaches and Cream Cake in pan.

15. Refrigerate any left overs. 

GLUTEN FREE PEACHES AND CREAM CAKE glutenfreebakingbear.com Ingredients CAKE 1 cup Sorghum Flour 1/4 cup Tapioca Flour 1/4 cup Chickpea Flour 1 tsp. Xanthan Gum 2 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder 1/4 tsp. Sea Salt 1/2 cup Sugar (I used evaporated cane juice crystals) 1 Tbs. Cornstarch 1 tsp. Vanilla (in the dairy free/vegan cakes I used Lorann Butter Vanilla) 2 large Eggs - Vegans use egg replacer. I like to use the following egg replacer for 2 eggs: mix 1/2 cup water with 2 Tbs. cornstarch, 2 tsp oil, 1/4 tsp. baking powder and 1/8 tsp. xanthan gum. Mix with a fork or small whisk until frothy and add to the recipe. 1 cup Milk - Dairy Free/Vegan use non-dairy milk such as soy, rice etc. 6 Tbs. Unsalted Butter (melted) - Dairy Free/Vegan use olive or canola oil CHEESE TOPPING 16 Ounces Cream Cheese - Dairy Free/Vegan use non-dairy vegan cream cheese such as GO Veggie or Tofutti Make sure it is at room temperature so it will mix well. 1/2 cup Sugar (I used evaporated cane juice crystals) 6 Tbs. DF/VEGAN - 2 Tbs. Peach Juice reserved from fresh peaches (see below) If Dairy Free/Vegan cream cheese use 2 Tbs. Peach Juice or the cream cheese layer will be too runny. PEACHES 28 ounces (about 10 medium) Fresh Peaches - peeled. about 1/2 cup Sugar (I used evaporated cane juice crystals) or to taste depending upon the sweetness of the fruit. FOR SPRINKLING ON TOP Cinnamon Sugar (I used evaporated cane juice crystals) Directions Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13-inch pan with cooking spray or oil and set aside. Peel and cut peaches into bite-sized pieces. Add half the sugar and mix. Taste a piece of the fruit and then add more as needed to suit your taste. Set aside. In a medium sized bowl add the cream cheese, sugar and required amount of liquid from the peaches and sugar bowl. Mix until well blended. You can also blend this with a hand mixer. Set aside. In a large bowl add the flours, salt, baking powder, xanthan gum, sugar and cornstarch and mix well. Make a well in the center and add the eggs/egg replacer, milk and melted butter/oil. Whisk together until well combined and then spread the batter evenly in the prepared 9x13-inch pan. Strain the liquid from the peaches and spread evenly on top of the cake batter. I used a slotted spoon to scoop out the peaches. Spread the cheese mixture evenly over the top of the peaches. Sprinkle generously with cinnamon and sugar. Bake 45-60 minutes or until the edges are puffed and golden and the cream cheese layer bubbles slightly. If the center is jiggly, cover with foil to prevent excessive browning and bake more until it no longer jiggles. Be sure to keep checking for jiggling at least every 5 minutes if you need to bake it longer than the listed time. Allow the cake to cook in the pan on a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. Refrigerate any left overs.