Chajá Cake

Steps

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) and prepare one or two 20cm (8 inch) round cake pans by lining the bottoms with parchment paper. Separate the eggs into yolks and whites, using a large bowl for yolks and a clean glass or metal bowl for the whites.
2. Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until soft peaks form. Set aside. In the yolk bowl, combine the yolks and sugar, beating until the mixture is pale and creamy.
3. Gently fold one third of the egg whites into the yolk mixture along with sifted all-purpose flour and cornstarch. Carefully incorporate without losing volume, then add the remaining egg whites and fold gently again.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 minutes for one pan or 25 minutes for two. Let the cakes cool slightly before removing them from the pans. For easier cutting, wrap in cling film if making ahead.
5. For the meringue, beat 1 egg white until soft peaks form, add a pinch of salt, and continue beating while gradually adding 50g sugar until glossy. Pipe shapes onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and dry in a 100°C (212°F) oven for about 45 minutes.
6. For the filling, beat 400g heavy cream, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and 40g sugar until stiff peaks form. Slice 500g peaches thinly and cut the cake into four layers.
7. Brush each layer with peach juice, spread whipped cream on the edges, and layer with peach slices and 200g dulce de leche in between. Reserve some peach slices for the top.
8. Cover the sides with whipped cream and pipe decorative shapes if desired. Heat 50ml peach juice and mix 1 tsp cornstarch with a bit of water until smooth. Once the juice is hot, stir in the cornstarch until thickened, then pour over the top layer of peaches. Crush the meringue and pat it around the sides of the cake. Serve immediately.