This moist peach upside-down cake is the perfect summertime tea cake to make when stone fruits are in season. This homemade peach cake has fresh ripe slices of peach cooked in the bottom of the batter with caramelized sugar. And, the best part is, that it's simple, easy, and uses my one-bowl vanilla cake recipe.
Table of Content
Being a professional cake decorator, I'm always surrounded by lots of cake and frosting. And, I love all these. In fact, I'd go for a dessert over dinner any time. But, if you give me a slice of cake made with fresh fruit - now there's a treat like no other. And, those of you that love fresh fruit in desserts will know exactly what I mean. Right?
Why make this cake?
- This cake is honestly so simple you can call it effortless.
- And, unlike my fresh peach cake, in this one, I don't even poach and peel the peaches. I let them be.
- Also, we are using my one-bowl vanilla cake, which is a butter-based batter. In fact, all we do is put all the cake ingredients in a bowl and mix. And, in a minute you have your cake batter.
- The fruit softens and the juices caramelized at the bottom of the pan with the sugar and that is better than any frosting you will ever want on a cake.
You can also make a similar cake with other fruits too like nectarines, apricots, or plums for an upside-down plum cake.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Peaches - I love using fresh ripe but firm peaches. And yet, you can also use nectarines or apricots. Avoid ripe soft peaches as they will disintegrate almost like jam once cooked. You can also use canned or frozen peaches.
- Fresh - just core, cut, slice, and use in the recipe below. Do not leave cut peach slices unused for long as they discolor.
- Canned - drain them well before you use them - any excess moisture will prevent the sugar from caramelizing.
- Frozen - use them frozen. So they hold their shape when baked. Thawing them makes them softer and loses shape.
- Unsalted butter - I always use unsalted butter for my cakes, so I can control the amount of salt. If you must use salted butter, just omit salt in the recipe.
- Sugar - I prefer to use white sugar for a couple of reasons - I think white gives a nice color to the bottom caramel. Also, white works best with one-bowl cake recipes. And, I like my cake batter to be a lighter color, so it complements the peaches.
- Spices - Nutmeg, cinnamon, pumpkin spice - all these are great flavors in this recipe. If I make it with fresh peaches, I love just a sprinkle of vanilla extract and nutmeg, so I can keep the flavor and aroma of peaches.
Upside-down peach cake
- Use a sharp utility knife and split the peaches in half, remove the seed and cut each half into 4 slices. (8 slices per peach)
Pro tip - It is important to cut thin slices of the peaches. You can overlap the slices, also, you may or may not need 4 peaches. Use your pan as a guide.
- Place soft butter and sugar in a 9-inch round cake pan or 9-inch square pan - combine well. Spread evenly on the bottom of the pan so you have a thin layer of butter/sugar under each peach slice.
Pro tip - Do not line the pan with parchment as it prevents caramelization. - Arrange the slices of peaches over the mixture, in a single layer. You can overlap the slices but do not double overlap. Place in the refrigerator while you prepare the cake batter.
Pro tip - Too much fruit will cause create too many juices. Thus, no caramelization.
- Preheat oven at 350 °F / 180 °C / Gas Mark 4
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or mixing bowl and whisk ), add all cake ingredients: butter, sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder, salt, buttermilk, and vanilla extract.
Pro tip - Make sure everything is room temperature. Otherwise, the butter will get lumpy and not incorporate. - Mix well, on medium to low speed, until you have a smooth texture of the cake batter with no lumps.
Pro tip - This is a one-bowl cake method, you want everything well-combined but do not overmix. Otherwise, the cake will be dense. - Pour cake batter over the peaches in the cake pan. Spread it evenly. Shake the pan gently so the batter sinks into between the slices.
- Bake for about 45 - 50 minutes until the skewer inserted comes out clean.
Pro tip - Always make sure the oven is preheated for at least 10 minutes before you put cakes in. Otherwise, the cake may not rise.
- Then, cool the pan on the cooling rack (wire rack) for only 5 minutes. This cake needs to be inverted while the sugar is still hot at the bottom of the peaches.
- Place a plate or serving platter on the cake pan - carefully hold the pan and plate steady while you flip the cake pan over.
Note - This is better done correctly, carefully, and quickly by an adult only. The cake is hot and the bottom caramelized sugar juices can cause severe burns if not done correctly. - Once inverted, let the cake cool completely. This cake can be eaten warm or cold on its own or served with whipped cream, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Tips for success
- The secret to a good one-bowl recipe is to ensure that all the ingredients are at room temperature, especially the butter. Cold butter will make a lumpy batter and therefore a dense cake.
- While we all love fresh fruits, the stone fruit season is oh so short. I never get enough of these fruits. So, during the year, I have to use either canned or frozen. They all work great for this recipe, but here are a few tips for the best results.
Fresh - just core, cut, slice, and use in the recipe below. Do not leave cut peaches unused for long as they discolor. - Canned - drain them well before you use them - any excess moisture will prevent the sugar from caramelizing.
- Frozen - use them frozen. So they hold their shape when baked. Thawing them makes them softer and loses shape.
- While we all love fresh fruits, the stone fruit season is oh so short. I never get enough of these fruits. So, during the year, I have to use either canned or frozen. They all work great for this recipe, but here are a few tips for the best results.
- Fruit - This cake works great with all stone fruits. Try plums, apricots, nectarines, figs, or a combination.
- Nuts - You can add ½ cup chopped almond, cashew nuts, or pistachios to this recipe. Alternatively, you can add ¼ cup of almond meals as well.
- Sugar - You can use brown instead of white sugar. However, brown sugar adds a hint of molasses and a deeper color to the cake batter.
- This cake must be inverted while the sugar is still hot, no later than 7 to 10 minutes after baking. Otherwise, the caramel will cool and get stuck to the pan. If that happens, place the pan not the stovetop on low heat until the bottom is properly warmed up. Then invert.
- Be very careful when inverting the cake as the peach juices and caramel are bubbling and hot. Always flip away from you just in case of any spill and use gloves when doing this.
Frequently asked questions
How long will this peach cake keep?
If properly stored, this upside-down peach cake will last for 2 days at room temperature. It can be kept in the fridge for up to 5 or 6 days. Though I doubt it will last for that long as this is truly delicious.
Can I use apricots to make this an apricot cake?
Yes, you can use apricots to make this an apricot cake. Try fig for a wonderful fig cake. I have shared a delicious Upside-down Plum cake that I highly recommend.
Can I add chopped peaches to the cake batter?
If you add chopped peaches to the batter it will make the cake dense with the weight of the fruit instead of light and airy. Alternatively, try my peach crumble cake or blackberry nectarine/peach cake. Both these, have chopped peaches in the batter.
Printable Recipe
Peach Upside Down Cake
Print Pin Rate Share by Email Share on FB Save Grow Coooking Temperature: 350 °F / 180 °C / Gas Mark 4
Difficulty: Medium
Diet : NF,
Calories: 400kcal
Adjust Servings Here: 8 servings
Description
This moist peach upside-down cake is the perfect summertime tea cake to make when stone fruits are in season. This homemade peach cake has fresh ripe slices of peach cooked in the bottom of the batter with caramelized sugar. And, the best part is, that it's simple, easy, and uses my one-bowl vanilla cake recipe.
Video
Conversions Used
1 lb = 453 grams, 1 cup = 240 ml, 1 stick = 113g, 1 tbsp= 15 ml, 1 tsp= 5 ml,
Ingredients
Fruit Base
- 2 cups (600 g) Peaches (about 4 medium, fresh or canned)
- 4 tablespoon (50 g) White sugar
- 4 tablespoon (60 g) Unsalted butter (room temperature)
Cake
- 4 oz (113 g) Unsalted butter (room temperature)
- ¾ cup (150 g) Sugar (white)
- 1 Eggs (large)
- 2 cups (250 g) All-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ teaspoon Baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ¾ cup (180 ml) Milk
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg powder (optional)
Instructions
- Use a sharp utility knife and split the peaches in half, remove seed and cut each half into 4 slices. (8 slices per peach) Pro tip - It is important to cut thin slices of the peaches. You can overlap the slices, also, you may or may not need 4 peaches. Use your pan as a guide.
- Place soft butter and sugar in a 9-inch round cake pan or 9-inch square pan- combine well. Spread evenly on the bottom of the pan so you have a thin layer of butter/sugar under each peach slice.Pro tip - Do not line the pan with parchment as it prevents caramelization.
- Arrange the slices of peaches over the mixture. You can overlap the slices but not keep it to double overlap. Place in the refrigerator while you prepare the cake batter.Pro tip - Too much fruit will cause create too many juices. Thus, no caramelization.
- Preheat oven at 350 °F / 180 °C / Gas Mark 4
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or mixing bowl and whisk ), add all cake ingredients: butter, sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder, salt, milk, and vanilla. Pro tip - Make sure everything is room temperature. Otherwise, the butter will get lumpy and not incorporate.
- Mix well until you have a smooth cake batter with no lumps. Pro tip - This is a one-bowl cake method, you want everything well-combined but do not overmix. Otherwise, the cake will be dense
- Pour cake batter over the peaches in the cake pan. Spread it evenly. Shake the pan gently so the batter sinks into between the slices.
- Bake for about 45 - 50 minutes until the skewer inserted comes out clean. Pro tip - Always make sure the oven is preheated for at least 10 minutes before you put cakes in. Otherwise, the cake may not rise.
- Then, cool the pan on the cooling rack for only 5 minutes. This cake needs to be inverted while the sugar is still hot at the bottom of the peaches.
- Place a plate or serving platter on the cake pan - carefully hold the pan and plate steady while you flip the cake pan over.Note - This is better done correctly, carefully, and quickly by an adult only. The cake is hot and the bottom caramelized sugar juices can cause severe burns if not done correctly.
- Once inverted, let the cake cool completely. This cake can be eaten warm or cold on its own or served with whipped cream.
Recipe Notes & Tips
- The secret to a good one-bowl recipe is to ensure that all the ingredients are at room temperature especially the butter. Cold butter will make a lumpy batter and therefore a dense cake.
- While we all love fresh fruits, the stone fruit season is oh so short. I never get enough of these fruits. So, during the year, I have to use either canned or frozen. They all work great for this recipe, but here are a few tips for the best results.
- Fresh - just core, cut, slice, and use in the recipe below. Do not leave cut peaches unused for long as they discolor.
- Canned - drain them well before you use them - any excess moisture will prevent the sugar from caramelizing.
- Frozen - use them frozen. So they hold their shape when baked. Thawing them makes them softer and loses shape.
- Fruit - This cake works great with all stone fruits. Try plums, apricots, nectarines, figs, or a combination.
- Nuts - You can add ½ cup chopped almond, cashew nuts, or pistachios to this recipe. Alternatively, you can add ¼ cup almond meals as well.
- Sugar - You can use brown instead of white sugar. However, brown sugar adds a hint of molasses and a deeper color to the cake batter.
- This cake must be inverted while the sugar is still hot, no later than 7 to 10 minutes after baking. Otherwise, the caramel will cool and get stuck to the pan. If that happens, place the pan not the stovetop on low heat until the bottom is properly warmed up. Then invert.
- Be very careful when inverting the cake as the peach juices and caramel are bubbling and hot. Always flip away from you just in case of any spill and use gloves when doing this.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 400- kcalCarbohydrates: 50- gProtein: 6- gFat: 20- gSaturated Fat: 12- gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8- gMonounsaturated Fat: 0- gTrans Fat: 0- gCholesterol: 125- mgSodium: 200- mgPotassium: 0- mgFiber: 2- gSugar: 32- gVitamin A: 0- IUVitamin C: 0- mgCalcium: 0- mgIron: 0- mg
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
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Cindy Alger
Is it not necessary to peel the peaches for this recipe? Does it depend on what type of peach is being used? Thank you.
Veena Azmanov
Hey Cindy. Yes, I do not peel the peaches for this recipe. I have always made this without peeling and no one ever has had any complaints. I have made this recipe with nectarines, apricots, and plums the same way.
Ankita Upadhyay
Pastry Day 13 Done....