Peach Meringue Cake

This Peach Meringue Cake is an absolute wonder. Made with layers of cake and meringue and filled with sweet peaches and whipped cream, this cake is light, fluffy, and so so good.

This recipe comes from my mom-in-law and she, in turn, has it from an old German cookbook. It’s impossible to find the name of the cookbook and I couldn’t find this recipe online anywhere either. Otherwise, I would link to the source. But the cake is so good, I can’t not share it. Seriously, if you need an easy and very yummy cake to make for an occasion, this peach meringue cake is it.

Ingredients for Peach Meringue Cake

Batter – butter, sugar, egg yolks, water, flour, baking powder

Meringue – Egg whites, sugar, sliced almonds (for sprinkling on the top, gives the cake a bit of a crunch)

Filling – canned peaches, heavy whipping cream, vanilla sugar (can also use powdered sugar or plain sugar and vanilla extract), and whipped cream stabilizer (optional)

Instructions for Peach Meringue Cake

Start off by lining your baking pans with parchment paper and preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Since I am using a springform pan, I basically just spread the parchment paper over the bottom part and lock the sides around it.

Batter

To prepare the batter, combine flour and baking powder in a mixing bowl and whisk until well-combined. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, beat butter until fluffy. Slowly add sugar, egg yolks, and water. Add the flour and baking soda mixture into the butter and eggs a tablespoon at a time. I like using my KitchenAid stand mixer for this since it frees up my hands to add the ingredients without much effort, but this will also work with a handheld mixer.

Add half of the batter onto an oiled (or lined) spring form pan (I have an 11in. or 28cm pan) and spread out evenly into a thin layer. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan after baking and cool on a wire rack.

Follow the same process with the rest of the batter. I only have one springform pan, so I bake the layers one after the other. If you have two, bake them simultaneously.

The cake layer will be thin and wafer-like, or cookie-like in appearance. If you bake in a smaller pan (like 9in.), the cake will be a bit thicker.

NOTE: Once you remove the cake layer from the springform pan and it’s cooled a bit, gently flip it over using a big dinner plate and loosen the parchment, but don’t throw it away. Flip the layer back onto the parchment paper and transfer to a baking sheet. You will still bake the meringue on the top of the layer, but if you don’t loosen the paper now, it will be hard to get it off later without breaking the meringue.

Meringue

While the cake layers are cooling, prepare the meringue. Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Slowly add the sugar to the eggs and beat further until the sugar is dissolved.

Spread the meringue over the two baked sheets of cake. Sprinkle with sliced almonds, and bake in the oven for another 15 minutes or until the meringue begins to brown. Remove from oven and let cool.

Filling

Strain the canned peaches using a sieve (to get rid of the juice as much as possible). Set aside. Once most of the juice has run-off, slice the peaches into eighths. Cutting into eighths seems to give you thick peach slices, but cutting smaller makes them too thin for this cake (yes, I tried:)).

Meanwhile, beat the whipping cream with vanilla sugar and whipped cream stabilizer (optional, but does help the cream stay stiff longer) until stiff and ready to spread (about 5 minutes). Check out my post on how to make whipped cream with all the details and tips to make it.

If you don’t have vanilla sugar, you can just use plain white sugar or powdered sugar and vanilla extract as described in my how-to post.

Cake Assembly

Spread the cut peaches onto one of the cake sheets with meringue, arranging them evenly all around.

Spread all of the whipped cream evenly over the peaches.

Cover with the second sheet cake and meringue layer placing it gently over the whipped cream. Refrigerate the cake until ready to serve.

Sprinkle with some powder sugar right before serving.

How to Serve Peach Meringue Cake

I found that the best way to cut the cake is to use a small serrated knife to “saw” through the meringue and the peaches. It helps to keep the peaches from sliding around and the meringue from breaking.

I recommend serving this cake with a cup of coffee or tea. The creaminess and sweetness of the cake goes so well with those drinks.

Recipe Variations

You can use other favorite fruits in this cake instead of peaches. Fruits like strawberries or mangoes would do well here.

How to Store Peach Cake

Store the cake covered in the fridge and eat it within 1-2 days. Because the cake uses whipped cream, it tastes best on the day it’s made. However, it’s still enjoyable 1-2 days later.

Recommended Tools

You will need a springform pan for this (or two if you have them). Most pans in Germany are 11 in. in diameter. If you make the cake using a 9 in. pan, your cake layers will just be a bit thicker and the cake a bit higher. You might also need to adjust the baking time a bit (though I can’t test this as I don’t have the right pans).

More Easy Recipes for Desserts

• Easy Tiramisu – No Eggs, No Alcohol
• German Hot Chocolate Cake
• Sharlotka Apple Cake

Lastly, if you make this Peach Meringue cake, make sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating here! I’d love to hear back from you and will do my best to answer and respond to every comment. And of course, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram if you make this recipe. I’d love to see the photos of the recipes you have made!