Peach Upside Down Cake – caramelized peaches baked on tender yellow cake with a whipped cream topping makes this the perfect cake to wrap up summer with.
The Perfect Summer Cake
With summer winding down and the kids heading back to school, I couldn’t resist making one more summer-inspired cake before moving on to all the fall cake ideas I have! You are going to love how simple and equally delicious this cake is. It’s not only the perfect summer cake, it’s also the perfect cake for brunch, lunch, dinner, or dessert! Truly the most versatile cake 😉
Peach Upside Down Cake
To make this delicious Peach Upside Down Cake, you’ll just need on 8-inch round cake pan. You can also use an 8″x8″ square baking pan too! We’re not adding additional layers or making buttercream with this cake. Nope! We’re keeping it super simple with just one easy-to-make cake layer and a whipped cream topping.
How to Make Peach Upside Down Cake
There are just a few steps to making this mouth-watering, summer cake:
- Combine sliced peaches with lemon juice and cinnamon.
- Cook the peaches with butter and brown sugar.
- Make the cake batter.
- Place the peaches in the pan and then add the cake batter.
- Cook the cake.
- Make the whipped topping.
Easy, right?
NOTE: as you add the batter on top of your peaches, gently spread the batter so you don’t move the peaches around too much.
Ingredients You’ll Need for this Cake
- All-purpose flour
- Eggs
- Unsalted butter
- Baking powder
- Buttermilk
- Sugar
- Salt
- Vanilla
- Peaches
- Brown sugar
- Cinnamon
- Lemon juice
- Heavy whipping cream
- Powdered sugar
- Crème fraîche
Don’t have crème fraîche? Feel free to leave this ingredient out or substitute it with mascarpone or cream cheese.
How to Make the Whipped Cream Topping
I love a whipped cream topping. It’s a subtle flavor addition to a simple, yet mouth-water cake like this Peach Upside Down Cake. To add a little tanginess to the flavor profile, I added crème fraîche – a cheese you’ll find in the deli or gourmet cheese section of your grocery store.
You’ll want to beat the heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Then, fold in the crème fraîche. Make sure to store the whipped cream topping in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it.
Other Cakes You’ll Love
- Peach Crisp Cake
- Peaches and Cream Cake
- Strawberry Shortcake
- Strawberry Banana Milkshake Cake
- Blueberry Streusel Muffin Cake
Peach Upside Down Cake
Ingredients
FOR THE PEACHES
- 2 cups (300 g) peeled and sliced peaches about 3 small to medium size peaches
- juice of half a small lemon
- 1 teaspoon (2.4 g) cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons (42.4 g) butter
- 1/3 cup (73 g) brown sugar, packed
FOR THE CAKE
- 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150 g) sugar
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon (6 g) baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon (3 g) salt
- 3/4 cup (180 g) buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon (4.2 g) vanilla
FOR THE Crème Fraîche WHIPPED CREAM
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup (62.5 g) powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup (120 g) crème fraîche
Instructions
FOR THE PEACHES
- Stir together the sliced peaches, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Set aside.
- Melt the 3 tablespoons of butter in a frying pan on medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add the ⅓ cup brown sugar. Cook, stirring frequently, until the sugar has completely melted. Add the sliced peaches and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, just until the peaches soften a bit. Set aside.
FOR THE CAKE
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray one 8-inch round pans with nonstick spray, line the bottom with parchment paper, and spray again. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Stir in the vanilla.
- Gradually add in the dry ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk, starting and finishing with the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed until just combined.
- Evenly place the peaches on the bottom of your cake pan.
- Gently spread the batter over the peaches.
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs on it.
- Let cool in pans for 15 minutes, then remove to wire rack to finish cooling.
FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the cream and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form.
- Fold in the crème fraîche.
- Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
I really like this cake. But one question, should all of the liquid with the peaches (the butter & brown sugar) be put into the cake pan or just the peaches?
The juice can be added.
I’m so excited to make this cake! I need to make it gluten free; which flour do you recommend for that?
Cup4cup
I don’t have a stand mixer will normal hand held mixer be OK?
Yes
I got everything out ready to make the cake and realized I can’t find the number of eggs needed anywhere on the recipe. How many eggs do you use?
It says 2 eggs
Question… how long can you store this? Both cake and whipped topping?
I cut it into slice and Saran Wrap and keep in the freezer.
Delicious! I double the recipe in a 9×13″ pan and it needed 50+ minutes to bake (toothpick test doesn’t work). I used 1 quart of bottled peaches, drained and sliced. I used sour cream for the crème fraîche and added 2 teaspoons bourbon vanilla to the topping. The cake is tender and buttery. I would definitely make it again!
Yummy cake. Curious as to why the cake split when it started cooling.
I have made this recipe before and it turned out amazing. Today I made it after a looong time and I doubled the recipe. I wasn’t sure if I did or did not add the juice from the peaches cooked in the pan. I can say,
DO NOT ADD ALL THE JUICE FROM THE PEACHES INTO THE BAKING DISH. It will make huge mess after done baking because it is just too much liquid! Instead just pick up the peaches with a fork or something where the juice does not get scooped up and place it into the baking dish.
I have a mess, but at least it is a delicious mess.. haha
Hi Courtney
For some reason the caramel crystalized and made some toffee-like substance. It happened before the peaches went in. I just transferred the peaches and the sauce into to the pan and proceeded as nothing had happened and people still enjoyed the cake, however I know it was a fail. What do I look out for the redemption bake?
I’m glad you still rolled with it and happy everyone enjoyed it. Next time, try cooking the caramel for a little less time.