Peach Upside Down Cake has a layer of juicy, sweet peaches baked underneath a fluffy cinnamon vanilla cake, and a surprise crumb layer! The slight crunch from the crumb layer on the bottom gives this snack cake a peach cobbler feel and completely elevates this dessert! Top with extra streusel and a cloud of freshly whipped cream. This is summer captured in a simple, elegant cake!
Published as mini peach upside down cakes in 2019. Updated in 2023 to a single incredible cake.
Why you’ll love this Peach Upside Down Cake:
- Fresh Peaches – Juicy peaches are baked to caramelized perfection underneath a fluffy cake layer!
- Tender Cinnamon Vanilla Cake – A ultra fluffy, moist layer of cinnamon vanilla cake is baked atop our juicy peaches. This cake comes from my (recently updated for extra fluffy & tender cake!) well-loved peach cobbler cake layers.
- Surprise Crumble Layer – Top this cake off with an easy layer of crumble for that peach cobbler vibe!
Ingredient Overview:
As always, the full recipe with measurements & directions can be found at the bottom of this post.
- Peaches – Use peaches that are ripe, but not mushy. I see some people recommend using underripe peaches for baking, but I personally don’t like to do that. Ripe peaches have the best flavor and are the most juicy! Try your local farmer’s market or a food co-op for good peaches, since many grocery store peaches can be hit or miss.
- Cake Flour – Cake flour produces a lighter crumb in cakes, and I highly recommend using it! Spoon & level your flour for best results, or use a scale. Scooping the measuring cup directly in will lead to too much flour. 1 cup of cake flour weighs 110 grams, whereas 1 cup all-purpose flour weighs 130 grams. (Some people standardize at 120, 125, or 130 – I’ve chosen 130.)
- Sour Cream – Use full fat sour cream, at room temperature.
- Butter – I always use salted buter for the best flavor, but feel free to use unsalted butter if you prefer. Let it come to room temperature before baking.
- Eggs – Use a large egg, at room temperature.
- Milk – Just like our other cold ingredients, your milk needs to be at room temperature. I use 2% milk.
- Vanilla extract – Use a good quality, pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.
Ingredient Substitutions:
- Dairy-free – Use your favorite trusted dairy-free products to make this recipe dairy-free.
- Gluten-free – I have no tested a gluten-free version of this recipe. Let me know if you try it!
- Other Fruits – This recipe works with other stone fruits (or a mix!) in place of the peaches. Nectarines and plums are delightful – and mix well with peaches!
How to Make this Peach Upside Down Cake Recipe Step-by-Step:
Step 1: Prepare the Peaches. Toss the sliced peaches with a bit of brown sugar and cinnamon. If your peaches aren’t very sweet, add 1-2 extra tablespoons of brown sugar. Set aside to let the juices get going, while you make the crumble. Then, arrange in two rings in the bottom of the cake pan.
Note: I never peel my peaches – the peels don’t bother me, and I find it a tedious use of my time.
Step 2: Make the Crumble. Stir together melted butter, brown sugar, flour, and a pinch of cinnamon and salt.
Step 3: Make the Cake Batter. Cream together butter and vegetable oil, then beat in the sugar and egg until fluffy (below left). Mix in half the flour mixture into the butter mixture on low, then gently mix in the milk and remaining dry ingredients. Fold in any remaining dry bits.
Step 4: Arrange Peaches in Pan. Arrange those juicy peaches in two spirals in a buttered 9-inch cake pan. Pour all those juices on top, too! We do not want to waste all that good flavor.
Step 5: Add Batter, Crumble, and Bake! Add the cake batter, spreading it evenly, then sprinkle on the crumble.
Bake the cake as directed in the recipe card below. It’s done when a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center pulls out some moist crumbs. The cake will be golden brown.
Serving + Storing this Recipe:
Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes before inverting onto your serving plate. Let cool about 20 minutes or so – it will still be warm but the fruit will slice through much easier. You can also let it cool further before enjoying. Serve with whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream, and extra streusel on top! (Recipe below.) There’s no better dessert to enjoy on a summer evening than this delicious peach-upside down cake!
Expert Success Tips:
- Oven Thermometer – An oven thermometer will tell you if your oven is actually running at the temperature you set it to. Your oven may not be accurate. Accurate oven temperature is crucial for most bakes, so I leave an oven thermometer in at all times to keep an eye on my oven’s calibration.
- Kitchen Scale – A food scale is the best way to make sure your flour is at the proper weight, since amounts will vary SO widely based on how you measure it, as well as the measuring cup you use, as they are not standardized.
FAQs:
If your peaches are hard, they’re not ripe. Set them on your counter, stem side down, spaced apart a bit and let ripen for 2-4 days. Some grocery store peaches never seem to ripen well and this has to do with when they were picked/how they were transported. If they get soft but not super ripe, they should still work in a baking recipe like this because they’ll become tender as they bake. You might need to taste them and add a pinch of sugar if they’re a little on the tart side. Basically, picking or purchasing local peaches is the way to go, if you can. Or, try something like The Peach Truck or Tree Ripe Fruit, which travel various parts of the country to bring good peaches right to you!
Frozen peaches are a great option, especially if making this out of peach season, or if your grocery store’s peaches have been less than wonderful. Do not thaw them before using (this is a good rule of thumb with any fruit desserts!)
Rinse your peaches. I never peel them – it’s not worth it to me. Use a sharp knife to cut around the hemisphere of the peach, then twist the two sides to pull the peach apart. Cut the pit out of the half in which it remains. Then, place each peach half flat side down on a cutting board, and cut into slices.
Yes, I believe it will double nicely – bake in a 9×13 pan. Start with 24 to 30 minutes of bake time and go from there.
Yes! Try to buy ones without any sugar added, and be sure to drain the liquid completely. If they have sugar added, add just 1 tbsp of brown sugar along with the cinnamon and still let them rest to get those thicker juices going.
Recipe Variations:
- Other Fruits – Try any other stone fruits in place of or mixed in with the peaches. Or, try my Rhubarb Upside Down Cake or my Blood Orange Upside Down Cake. I have a Pineapple Upside Down Cake recipe in my cookbook, The One-Bowl Baker.
- Almond Extract – Add a dash of almond extract, up to 1/4 tsp, to the cake batter if you like almond flavor with your peaches.
Special Tools:
- Offset Spatula – Offset spatulas make frosting this delicious dessert so easy! They can also be used for spreading cake and brownie batters evenly in your pan.
- Cake Pan – You’ll need a standard 9-inch cake pan for this recipe.
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More Peach Recipes to Love:
- Brown Butter Peach Crisp
- Blueberry Peach Cobbler
- Salted Caramel Peach Hand Pies
- Peach Cobbler Cheesecake
- Vegan (or regular!) Peach Cobbler
- Blender Peach Mango Salsa
- Peach Pie Cupcakes
Did you make this recipe? Snap a photo and leave a comment!
Be sure to follow bluebowlrecipes on instagram and tag #bluebowlrecipes with your photo! You can also post a photo of your recipe to the bluebowlrecipes Facebook page. I’d love to see what you make!
Peach Cobbler Upside Down Cake
Ingredients
For the Crumble:
- 1/4 cup salted butter, melted 57 grams, or 4 tbsp
- 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled 73 grams
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed 53 grams
- 2 tsp raw sugar optional, adds a nice extra bit of crunch
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp cinnamon
For the Peach Layer:
- 3 medium peaches about 571 grams or 20 ounces, sliced
- 3 tbsp light brown sugar, packed 40 grams
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon plus a pinch more to tste
- pinch of nutmeg
For the Vanilla Cinnamon Cake:
- 1 and 1/4 cup + 1 and 1/2 tbsp cake flour, spooned & leveled 148 grams
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3/8 tsp cinnamon (this is 1/4 + 1/8 tsp)
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- pinch ground cloves
- 1/4 cup salted butter, softened at room temperature 57 grams, or 4 tbsp
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil 36 mL
- 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp granulated sugar 178 grams
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup full-fat sour cream, at room temperature 60 grams
- 1/2 cup milk, at room temperature I used 2%. 118 mL
Whipped Cream
- 1/2 cup heavy cream, cold 4 ounces or 118 mL
- 3 tbsp powdered sugar 23 grams
- 1 and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of nutmeg
Instructions
- Prep: Butter a 9-inch cake pan well, and give it a good spray with nonstick spray for added insurance. Preheat your oven to 350℉.
- Prepare the Peaches: Rinse your peaches, then slice them. Add them to a medium bowl with the brown sugar and cinnamon. Stir, then set aside while you make the crumble layer. Once the crumble layer is made, come back to the peaches – there should be a good bit of juice in the bottom of the bowl. If there's not, give it a few more minutes. Lay the peach slices in two circles in the bottom of the pan, starting on the outside edge. Pop one peach slice into the remaining opening in the center after you've created two rings of peaches.
- Make the Crumble Layer: Melt the butter in a small bowl, then stir in the remaining crumble ingredients. Note: If you want extra streusel to sprinkle on top of the cake, make 1.5x batch of crumble, and set aside 1/3 of the crumble to bake, adding an extra 1/4 tsp of cinnamon to this portion. Bake on a parchment-lined baking sheet at 350 for 10-14 minutes, until golden brown and crisp. Set aside to cool, then break up into smaller bits.
- Make the Cake Batter: In a small bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients – flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt. In a large bowl, cream the softened butter with a hand mixer for about 30 seconds, until creamy. Add the vegetable oil and cream together with the butter for 1 minute. Add the sugar and beat on high speed for 2 full minutes. The mixture will be fluffy. Add the egg, and beat on medium high speed for 45 seconds. Add the sour cream and vanilla and mix on medium low speed until just combined.Add half of the dry ingredients with the mixer running on low speed. With a few streaks of flour remaining, add the milk, then when the milk is almost mixed in, add the remaining dry ingredients. When just a few streaks of flour remain, turn off the mixer and use a spatula to gently fold any stray bits of flour into the batter. A few lumps is fine! Don't over mix at this point.
- Assemble & Bake: Pour the cake batter over the peaches in the pan, and spread evenly. Sprinkle on the crumble. Bake for 42 to 49 minutes. A tester or toothpick inserted into the center of the cake will pull out moist crumbs. Let cake cool in the pan on a cooling rack for 10 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate. Make your whipped cream just before serving – recipe below.
- Serve + Store: Let cake cool about 20 minutes or so before slicing – it will still be warm but the fruit will slice through much easier. You can also let it cool further before enjoying. Serve with whipped cream and extra streusel on top! (Recipe below.)Store leftover cake (hah, unlikely!) in an airtight container at room temperature overnight, or in the fridge longer than that – 3-4 days or so. It's good cold from the fridge, or you can let it come back to room temp before enjoying leftovers.
- Make the Whipped Cream: Make sure to leave your heavy cream in the fridge until the last second – if it's not super cold, it won't whip up. Add all ingredients for the whipped cream to a large bowl (it will splatter) and mix on medium high speed with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Don't keep mixing once it reaches that point. Store leftovers tightly covered in the fridge for 1-2 days. Don't make this ahead – it's best fresh. Tip: This can also be done in a food processor! Pulse 6-8 times, then run on low, checking in 10-15 second intervals. Do this until it's stiff enough to dollop on!
Notes
Nutrition
Batuhan Kılıç says
It’s the best peach dessert I ever eaten
Stephanie Simmons says
Thanks so much, Batuhan! 🙂
Belinda says
Can this be made using canned peaches? In Australia, and don’t want to have to wait until peach season to make this!
Stephanie Simmons says
Yes, I think that would be fine! Try to get some without sugar added, and be sure to drain the liquid well. I’ve added a note about this to the recipe. Let me know how you like the cake!
Madonna says
I made this for our church’s Sunday brunch, it was so yummy, it was gone afterwards ✨🤩🤩🤩✨
Stephanie Simmons says
Thanks so much, Madonna! Glad to hear it was a hit 🙂
Ann says
Best cake ever – I used apricots instead of peaches because that’s what I had but it couldn’t be better – the crumble is such a wonderful extra ! Might try it with blackberries from the garden next time @annekeskitchen
Stephanie Simmons says
Thank you so much, Ann! ☺️ Blackberries and apricots both sound delicious!