Light & Fluffy Peach Upside-Down Cake
This beautiful peach upside down cake is light, fluffy, and infused with nutmeg.
Serves8-10
Makes1 9-inch cake
Prep10 minutes
Cook55 minutes
Stone-fruit season is one of my favorites! Whether it’s seared pork chops with peach salsa or the ultimate summer salad, I am always trying to find a way to incorporate the fleeting summer fruit into my cooking. For my latest peach creation, I made a super-easy, extremely delicious peach upside-down cake that is elegant enough for a shower or party but easy enough for an anyday snacking cake. Here’s how to make it.
Start by making a syrup with brown sugar and butter in a skillet. Add sliced peaches (you can use the frozen kind if it’s thawed) and cook just long enough to release the juices from the peaches. Transfer the peach mixture to the cake pan in an even layer, then make the batter.
For the lightest, fluffiest cake, use cake flour, which has lower gluten and protein than its all-purpose cousin. Butter and buttermilk add a richer, deeper flavor and generous nutmeg flavor infuses the cake and complements the caramelized peaches. It’s lightly sweetened and perfect for anytime — even breakfast!
How Long Do You Let Peach Upside-Down Cake Cool Before Inverting It?
Once the cake is done baking, invert the peach upside-down cake immediately. The sugars in the peaches will cool and harden quickly, so don’t let it sit for more than five minutes after it comes out of the oven. If any peaches stick to the pan, just remove them and replace them on top of the cake. Then let the cake cool for at least 15 minutes before serving. You can serve it warm, at room temp, or cold straight from the fridge. (I really enjoyed it this way.)
Tips for Making This Peach Upside-Down Cake
- If it’s summer, use fresh peaches. Frozen peaches are for off-season.
- Don’t like nutmeg? Try using ground cinnamon or cardamom.
- If the cake top gets a little dark while baking, place a piece of aluminum foil on top.
- Feel free to swap plums for peaches.
More Amazing Peach Desserts
Love peach desserts as much as I do? Try some of these!
- For a show-stopping peach pie, try Nicole Rucker’s July Flame peach pie recipe.
- Did you know we have a peach cobbler showdown? We found the best one and it’s in our peach cobbler showdown!
- For the easiest peach dessert, try this peach dump cake!
Peach Upside Down Cake Recipe
This beautiful peach upside down cake is light, fluffy, and infused with nutmeg.
Prep time 10 minutes
Cook time 55 minutes
Makes 1 9-inch cake
Serves 8-10
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 2
(10 ounce) frozen sliced peaches or 1 1/4 pounds ripe peaches
- 8 tablespoons
unsalted butter, divided
Cooking spray
- 1/2 cup
packed dark brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon
plus 1 pinch kosher salt, divided
- 3/4 cup
cake flour, such as Swan’s Down or Softasilk
- 3/4 cup
all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon
baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon
baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon
grated nutmeg
- 1 cup
granulated sugar
- 2
large eggs
- 3/4 cup
buttermilk
- 1 1/2 teaspoon
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
If using frozen peaches, thaw 2 (10-ounce) bags frozen sliced peaches in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for about 3 hours. Place 6 tablespoons of the unsalted butter in the bowl of a stand mixer (or large bowl if using an electric hand mixer) and let sit at room temperature until softened.
Place the thawed peaches in a colander and set over a bowl or in the sink to drain. If using fresh peaches, halve, pit and cut TK pounds into 1/2-inch wedges (no need to peel, about 3 cups).
Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 375ºF. Coat a 9-inch round, 2-inch high cake pan with cooking spray.
Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar and a pinch of kosher salt and whisk to combine. Keep stirring until the mixture softens and starts to bubble, 2 minutes. Add the peach slices and stir until the juices release from the peaches and the sugar turns into a syrup, about 3 minutes more.
Transfer the mixture into the cake pan and arrange the peaches into an even layer.
Place 3/4 cup cake flour, 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, 3/4 teaspoon baking powder, 3/4 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt in a medium bowl and whisk to combine.
Add 1 cup granulated sugar to the bowl of butter. Beat with the paddle attachment on medium speed, until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in 2 large eggs one at a time, waiting until the first is completely incorporated before adding the second, about 1 minute.
Measure out 3/4 cup buttermilk. Turn the mixer speed down to low. Beat in about 1/3 of the flour mixture, then about half of the buttermilk. Beat in half of the remaining flour, then the remaining buttermilk. Finish beating in the remaining flour mixture.
Add 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract and beat until incorporated. Scrape the batter over the peaches and spread into an even layer.
Bake until the cake is slightly puffed, the top is dark golden brown, and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Loosely cover the cake with aluminum foil if the top gets too dark before the cake is ready.
Immediately run an offset spatula or butter knife around the edge of the cake. Invert a serving platter over the cake pan. Using oven mitts and grasping both the platter and the cake pan with both hands, invert the cake onto the platter, gently tapping the top to release the peaches. Gently lift the cake pan off and move any peaches that may have stuck to the pan back onto the cake if needed. Let cool 15 minutes before serving warm, or let cool to room temperature.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Leftover can can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic for up to 3 days.