Pink Peppercorn Honey Cake

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 8-by-2-inch round cake pans with butter, line the bottom and sides of the pans with parchment paper, and grease the paper.
• Place a large sifter or a sieve in a large bowl. Add the flour, baking powder, ground pink peppercorns, baking soda and salt, and sift.
• In a small bowl, whisk the eggs together. Set aside.
• In another small bowl, whisk together the crème fraîche, heavy cream, honey, and vanilla. Set aside.
• Using an electric mixer with beaters or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter for 30 to 45 seconds on medium speed, then gradually add the sugar. When all the sugar has been added, stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Continue beating on a medium speed for a few more minutes, until light in color and fluffy.
• With the mixer still on medium speed, add the eggs at a time, over 3 minutes. If the batter curdles, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of the flour to bind it back together.
• With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the dry and wet ingredients two times, starting and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined and smooth. Don’t over miz. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula to make sure it’s well combined.
• Divide the batter evenly between the 2 prepared pans and smooth out the top.
• Bake in the center of the oven on the same rack for 35 to 38 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, and the cake bounces back when lightly pressed.
• Remove the cakes from the oven and let them cool in the pans for 20-30 minutes. Run a butter knife around the edges between the cakes and the pans to gently release. One at a time, invert the cakes in the pan, peel off the parchment, and flip onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Whipped Crème Fraîche

• Chill mixing bowl and whisk for 10 minutes in the freezer.
• Either by hand or in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whisk the crème fraîche and heavy cream together. Slowly add the powdered sugar on a low speed. Whisk until stiff peaks form.

Assemble the Nectarines and Crème Pink Peppercorn Honey Cake

• Add a dollop of the whipped crème fraîche frosting to the center of cake stand. This helps to keep the cake from sliding around on the plate or stand. Top with with first layer of cake.
• Add about half of the crème fraîche frosting on top of the first cake layer and spread into an even layer, leaving about 1/2" -3/4" from the edges.
• Top with second cake layer and gently press down a bit. Top with remaining whipped crème fraîche frosting.
• Add sliced nectarines to the top and the sides, piling on top and nestling them gently into the frosting.
• Chill the assembled cake until ready to slice and serve.