Peach Upside-Down Cakern

Name: Peach Upside-Down Cake
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: ⅔ cup unsalted butter (softened, divided in half); ¾ cup light brown sugar; 1 teaspoon cinnamon; ½ teaspoon nutmeg; 30 ounces sliced peaches in 100% juice, (drain); 15.25 ounces butter yellow cake mix ((I used Betty Crocker brand)); 1¼ cups full-fat buttermilk; 3 large eggs

close up shot of Peach Upside-Down Cake in a baking dish

This peach upside-down cake features a buttery and moist cake topped with juicy peaches sweetened with a delicious brown sugar glaze.

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Table of Contents

Peach Upside-Down Cake Ingredients
Substitutions And Additions
How To Make This Peach Upside-Down Cake Recipe
How To Serve
Storing This Upside Down Peach Cake
Why We Love This Recipe
Frequently Asked Questions
More Recipes You’ll Love
JUMP TO RECIPE

This easy peach upside-down cake will have your guests oohing and ahhing over its impressive presentation, and they’ll be delighted by its delicious taste. The cake is moist and topped with sweet peaches and a brown sugar glaze that takes the fruit to the next level.

close up shot of Peach Upside-Down Cake in a baking dish with a slice taken out

Peach Upside-Down Cake Ingredients

Peach Upside-Down Cake raw ingredients that are labeled

This cake is a dessert that balances the rich and buttery flavors of caramelized brown sugar and butter with the natural sweetness of sliced peaches.

Warm cinnamon and nutmeg add depth, while the yellow cake mix, buttermilk, and eggs create a moist cake base.

The combination results in a delightful treat that’s both comforting and indulgent, perfect for any occasion.

You’ll need:

⅔ cup of unsalted butter, softened and divided in half
¾ cup of light brown sugar
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
½ teaspoon of nutmeg
2 (15-ounce) cans of sliced peaches in 100% juice, drained
1 (15.25-ounce) box of butter yellow cake mix
1¼ cups of full-fat buttermilk
3 large eggs

PRO TIP:

Make sure that you are not using sliced peaches in syrup. These will add too much sugar to your cake and can cause your peaches to caramelize too much.

Substitutions And Additions

PEACHES: You can also use frozen sliced peaches that have been thawed and drained of excess liquid in this peach recipe.

If you can get fresh, in-season peaches, those will also be a fantastic substitution for the canned peach slices.

Just note that you may need to increase the amount of light brown sugar used to one cup for the frozen or fresh peach slices.

CINNAMON: You could also substitute apple pie spice in place of plain cinnamon for this delicious dessert.

This swap will add a hint of apple flavor and a touch of warmth from spices like cloves and allspice, giving your cake a unique twist.

BROWN SUGAR: If you’re looking to experiment with different flavors, try using dark brown sugar instead of light brown sugar.

Dark brown sugar has a deeper, more molasses-like flavor, which can lend a richer and slightly more complex taste to the caramelized topping.

Just remember, it might make the topping a tad darker in color, but it’s a delightful variation.

CAKE MIX: Don’t limit yourself to just a yellow cake mix.

You can experiment with other cake mix flavors like vanilla, French vanilla, or even a lemon cake mix for a subtle citrusy twist.

Keep in mind that different cake mix flavors might slightly alter the overall taste, but they won’t affect the baking time or technique.

BUTTERMILK: If you’re out of buttermilk, a simple substitute is to mix one cup of regular milk with one tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice.

Let it sit for a few minutes until it curdles slightly, and then use it as a buttermilk replacement in the recipe. This will maintain the cake’s moisture and tanginess.

How To Make This Peach Upside-Down Cake Recipe

The first part of creating this cake is to add the brown sugar topping and peaches to the bottom of the pan, which will become the top. Then you can bake your cake before digging in.

STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with baker’s spray.

STEP TWO: Melt one-third of a cup of the unsalted butter and pour it into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.

You can tilt the baking dish from side to side to ensure that the melted butter covers the entire bottom of the dish.

STEP THREE: Sprinkle the light brown sugar evenly over the melted butter in the baking dish.

brown sugar sprinkled over the melted butter in a baking dish

STEP FOUR: In a small bowl, stir together the cinnamon and nutmeg. Sprinkle half of the spice mixture evenly over the brown sugar mixture.

You will reserve the remaining spices to add to the cake batter.

spice mixture poured over the brown sugar in a baking dish

STEP FIVE: Neatly lay the drained sliced peaches in three rows in a single layer down the baking dish. Be careful not to disturb the butter mixture.

OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS

Depending on the brand of sliced peaches in 100% juice, the peach slices may vary in thickness. You will want to slice those thicker pieces of peach slices in half, lengthwise, so that you have uniform pieces.

peaches laid in three rows in a baking dish

STEP SIX: In a large bowl, add the contents of the boxed butter vanilla cake mix, the remaining spice blend, the remaining third cup of butter, buttermilk, and eggs.

PRO TIP:

You want to ensure you are not following the instructions on the back of the cake mix box for this recipe. We swapped out the water in the recipe for full-fat buttermilk. This helps make this a very dense and moist peach upside-down cake.

cake mix, spice blend, butter, buttermilk, and eggs blended in a bowl

STEP SEVEN: Using a handheld mixer, on medium-low speed, beat the ingredients for one to two minutes or until the cake batter is thick and smooth.

STEP EIGHT: Spoon batter carefully on top of the peaches, being sure not to disturb the rows of peaches. Using a spatula, smooth out the batter to an even layer.

batter spread over the peach in a baking dish

STEP NINE: Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

PRO TIP:

Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to check your cake at the lower end of the recommended baking time.

Peach Upside-Down Cake baked in a baking dish

STEP TEN: Allow the cake to rest in the pan for five minutes before inverting it onto a large platter for slicing and serving. Cool cake, slice, and serve.

PRO TIP:

If you do not have a large, rectangular platter to turn your peach cake onto, you can use a rimmed baking tray lined with a piece of parchment paper.

Peach Upside-Down Cake on a serving platter

How To Serve

This peach upside-down cake makes an irresistible dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

For a lighter touch, garnish your cake with a dollop of freshly whipped cream and a handful of fresh berries, such as strawberries or raspberries.

It would be a delightful summer treat when fresh peaches are in season or any time of year when you have peaches in the cupboard.

Our upside down apple cake and berry upside-down cake are two more beautiful and impressive desserts to enjoy.

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Storing This Upside Down Peach Cake

Let’s talk about how to store any leftovers or plan ahead for future indulgence.

MAKE AHEAD: If you’d like to get a head start on this recipe, you can prepare the cake batter and caramelized peach topping in advance.

Store them separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to bake, assemble the cake as directed in the recipe and proceed with baking.

IN THE FRIDGE: You can store this delicious peach upside down cake in the refrigerator, covered, for up to four days.

IN THE FREEZER: You can freeze this simple cake. After you have flipped the cake onto a serving platter, let it cool down completely.

Then, place it in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning, wrap your cake in plastic wrap and put it in a freezer bag or container.

Leave it in the freezer until ready to serve. When the time comes, you will want to defrost the cake in the fridge, but be sure to take the plastic off before defrosting.

close up shot of Peach Upside-Down Cake on a plate

Why We Love This Recipe

IRRESISTIBLE TOPPING: The luscious combination of brown sugar and butter caramelizes to perfection, creating a sticky, sweet, and slightly tangy topping that’s utterly irresistible.

FRESH AND FRUITY: Sliced peaches infuse the cake with natural sweetness and a burst of fruity flavor, making each bite a delightful taste of summer.

EASY TO MAKE: This recipe is incredibly easy to follow, making it accessible to both novice and experienced bakers. The step-by-step instructions ensure a foolproof outcome.

Imagine sinking your teeth into a slice of this spectacular peach upside-down cake on a hot summer day…yum! Juicy peaches and a deliciously sweet glaze top this moist, buttery cake for a dessert that is absolutely divine.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use frozen peaches for this recipe?

Frozen peaches or even fresh peaches would be delicious in this easy recipe.

What is a peach upside-down cake?

Much like its cousin, pineapple upside-down cake, upside-down peach cake has a glaze with peaches on the bottom of the pan and a cake on top when baking.

Before serving, you flip it over so that the peaches are on top of the cake. It’s so moist and tasty!

How do I flip the cake without making a mess?

Let your cake cool on a wire rack for about five minutes, then lay a flat plate over the top of the cake pan.

Carefully flip the cake over onto the plate. Bang on the bottom of the pan for good measure, then lift the pan off.

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