The only way to describe a Peach Cake this good and this easy is downright heavenly. It's a light-as-air, moist vanilla cake, topped with a buttery crumble and gorgeously layered with fresh, juicy peaches so there's peach in every bite. This cake is the reason we look forward to peach season all year long.
If you need an excuse to eat cake for breakfast, this is it! Peach Cake is delicious with a cup of coffee or tea and it's easy enough to make first thing in the morning -- no piping, no layers, just a simple, straightforward cake you won't be able to stop eating. Make it now, thank me later.
HOW TO MAKE PEACH CAKE
There are a lot of things to love about this Peach Cake recipe, but let's be honest, it's really that buttery, crisp, cinnamon-spiced crumble topping that sets this recipe apart from the rest. Yes, it is an extra step, but it adds so much flavor and texture to the cake; it's one well-worth taking!
But, before we can get to that streusel topping, we'll first need to knock out a few prep items. Having your oven preheated and your pan ready to go make for easy baking.
While we are on the subject of fruit desserts, you definitely need to add our key lime cake and banana pudding cheesecake to your "to-make" list.
PREP THE PAN AND PREHEAT THE OVEN
For this recipe, you can use either a 9-inch springform pan or a 9-inch round cake pan. Regardless of which pan you're going to use, you will need to grease it with either cooking spray or butter and line the bottom with parchment paper. Don't worry about getting parchment paper on the sides of the pan; it's really just the bottom you want to be attentive to.
Get your oven preheating to 350°F and have a rack positioned in the center of the oven.
MAKE THE STREUSEL
Here's how you make it: in a medium mixing bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Then, you'll scatter cold, unsalted butter that has been cut into quarter-inch cubes across the top of the flour mixture.
You can either use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the flour mixture or rub the butter into the flour mix using your fingertips. You'll know your streusel is ready to go once you can clump the mixture together in your hand, and it holds together.
If you love a good, crumb topping be sure to check out our peach crisp as well!
Transfer the streusel to the refrigerator and let's talk peaches!
THE PEACHES
If you are making this cake during peach season, you will most definitely want to use fresh, ripe peaches. Look for plump peaches without the appearance of bruising or shriveling. You want them to be slightly firm, with just a little bit of "give" when gently pressed with your thumb.
Similar to our peach muffins and peach cobbler, for this Peach Cake, I actually prefer not to peel the peaches. Leaving the skin of the peaches on adds gorgeous coloring to this cake and won't negatively affect the mouthfeel of the cake one bit!
Cut your peaches into slices and set them aside until ready to use.
If you end up with extra peaches, this peach marg is a great way to use them up!
CAN I USE FROZEN PEACHES?
If you're having trouble getting your hands on fresh peaches, you can most definitely use frozen peaches! Just be sure to thaw them in advance. Do not bake this cake with frozen peaches, or it might become waterlogged on top.
We do not suggest using canned peaches for this recipe; the texture of canned peaches will be rather soft and mushy when baked.
MAKE THE PEACH CAKE BATTER
The batter of this cake is unbelievably easy to make, yet so deliciously light and fluffy, it's almost too good to be true. No beating the butter or adding eggs one at a time, and bonus -- the whole thing comes together with a whisk. I mean, how great is that?!
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set the dry mix aside and move on to the wet!
For the wet ingredients, you'll begin by combining egg, milk, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Slowly stream in melted (and slightly cooled) unsalted butter, whisking all the while.
Now, you'll add your dry ingredients to your wet ingredients and whisk until fully combined.
Transfer the batter to your prepared pan, and place your peach slices across the top in a single layer. Extra big points if you make a gorgeous circular pattern with your peach slices!
Grab your streusel topping from the fridge and sprinkle it over the top of your peaches.
Transfer to the center rack in your oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the top of the cake is golden brown, and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out either clean or with just a few crumbs clinging to it.
Remove the cake from the oven and transfer it to a wire rack, and allow it to cool for about 20 minutes. If you were using a springform pan, remove the sides of the pan and you can either serve the cake right away or allow it to cool completely before serving.
If you allow the cake to cool completely before serving, feel free to give it an extra special dusting of powdered sugar before serving!
HOW TO STORE LEFTOVER PEACH CAKE
You can store baked Peach Cake covered at room temperature for up to 3 days, or you can freeze it for later!
To freeze this cake, simply wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and transfer it to a large, freezer-safe zip-top container. If you don't have a storage bag large enough, you can either cut the cake into slices to fit or wrap a whole cake in a few additional layers of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months.
6 MORE SUMMER CAKES YOU’LL LOVE
- Lemon Raspberry Cake
- Lemon Blueberry Cake
- Strawberry Cupcakes
- Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes
- Peach Cobbler Cake
- Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake
Lemon Raspberry Cake
Lemon Blueberry Cake
Strawberry Cupcakes
Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes
Peach Cobbler Pound Cake
Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake Recipe
This Peach Cake is soft and fluffy on the bottom, crisp and sugary on top, and absolutely packed with peachy goodness!
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 6 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into ¼" cubes
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 2 firm, ripe peaches (about 1 pound), pitted and sliced
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Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9" springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. You could also use a 9" cake pan. Set aside until ready to use.
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In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Scatter the butter cubes across the top and cut in with a pastry blender or rub the butter into the flour mixture using your fingertips.
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Once you can clump the mixture in your hand and it holds together, the streusel is ready. Transfer to the refrigerator.
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In a small mixing bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
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In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Slowly, stream in the melted butter, whisking all the while.
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Add the dry ingredients, and whisk until fully incorporated.
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Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth over the top using the back of a spoon or an offset spatula. Add the sliced peaches across the top of the batter in a single layer and top with the streusel.
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Transfer to a center rack in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs clinging to it. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for about 20 minutes.
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Remove the sides of the springform pan (if using). Serve right away or allow to cool to room temperature.
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