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Peach Upside Down Cake bakes juicy canned peach halves into a brown sugar butter glaze under a rich, tender sour cream batter, then flips over into a dessert that looks straight out of a bakery case. I baked one on a *lazy Saturday* and Maddie declared the caramelized peach top the best part before it even cooled. If you love that caramelized fruit topping magic, my pineapple upside down cheesecake takes it in a whole different direction.
Caramelized peach halves over a rich, buttery sour cream cake, flipped into a showstopper.
Peach Upside Down Cake Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 65 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 12 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 524kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Buttery and sweet with caramelized brown sugar peaches and a hint of vanilla
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, on par with my yellow cake
Quick Answer
Pour melted butter into a sprayed 9 inch springform pan, sprinkle brown sugar over it, and arrange canned peach halves cut side down. Cream butter, oil, and both sugars, then beat in the eggs one at a time. Stir in reserved peach syrup and vanilla, then alternate adding the cake flour mixture and milk, finishing with the sour cream. Pour the batter over the peaches and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 60 to 65 minutes. Cool 10 minutes, loosen the edges, and invert onto a platter.
Jump to:
- Peach Upside Down Cake Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make Peach Upside Down Cake
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Serving Ideas and Suggestions
- Peach Upside Down Cake FAQs
- Other Recommended Easy Cake Recipes
- Easy Peach Upside Down Cake
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- The brown sugar butter becomes the glaze. Melted butter and brown sugar on the bottom of the pan bubble and caramelize in the oven, so when the cake flips, every peach is coated in a glossy caramel topping.
- Canned peaches work better than fresh here. They are picked ripe, uniformly tender, and available year round, and the heavy syrup they come in goes right into the batter for extra peach flavor.
- The reserved syrup doubles the peach flavor. A half cup of the canning syrup replaces part of the liquid in the batter, so the cake itself tastes like peaches instead of just the topping.
- Cake flour keeps the crumb tender. Its lower protein means less gluten develops, giving the cake a soft, fine crumb that still holds up to the juicy fruit topping.
- Butter plus oil gives the best of both. Butter brings flavor and oil keeps the cake moist for days, so the crumb stays rich and soft even after the cake cools completely.
- Sour cream enriches the batter. Its fat and gentle acidity tenderize the crumb and balance the sweetness of the brown sugar peach topping.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- The flip reveals a glossy, caramelized peach top that looks impressive with zero decorating skills required.
- Pantry staple canned peaches mean you can bake it any time of year, no waiting for peach season.
- The crumb is rich and buttery like my pound cake, but topped with caramelized peaches.
- It is the kind of no fuss win that pairs beautifully with our mini pineapple upside down cupcakes on a busy week.
- It is the kind of no fuss win that pairs beautifully with our snickerdoodle cake on a busy week.
- It earns a spot in the rotation right next to our better than sex cake.
Key Ingredients
Simple baking staples plus one can of peaches build this beauty.
- Canned peach halves: The star. They bake into the brown sugar glaze cut side down and become the gorgeous top. Reserve the syrup, it goes in the batter.
- Light brown sugar: The glaze. It melts with the butter into a caramel layer that coats the peaches when the cake flips.
- Cake flour: The tender crumb. Lower protein means a softer, finer texture than all purpose flour gives.
- Sour cream: The moisture. It enriches the batter and keeps the cake soft for days.
- Butter and oil: The richness team. Butter for flavor, oil for a crumb that stays moist.
- Reserved peach syrup: The flavor booster. A half cup goes right into the batter so every bite tastes like peaches.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
One caramelized fruit cake, lots of ways to play.
- Scatter maraschino cherries or pecan halves between the peaches before adding the batter for a retro look.
- Add a teaspoon of cinnamon or a pinch of nutmeg to the batter for a warm spiced version.
- Swap the peaches for canned pineapple rings or pear halves, the method stays exactly the same.
- For another old fashioned favorite, my German chocolate cake brings the coconut pecan frosting.
- Use fresh peaches at peak season, peel and halve them, and add 2 extra tablespoons of milk to replace the syrup.
- For another spin on this idea, try our 7up cake next time.
- For another spin on this idea, try our confetti cake cookies next time.
- In the mood for something different? Our tiramisu balls scratches a similar itch.
How to Make Peach Upside Down Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9 inch springform pan, pour in the melted butter, sprinkle the brown sugar over it, and arrange the peach halves cut side down. Then cream the butter, oil, and both sugars in a stand mixer for 3 minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing each in fully. Then stir in the reserved peach syrup and the vanilla extract.
- Stir the cake flour, baking powder, and salt together in a separate bowl, then add half of the flour mixture to the batter and mix it in.
- Pour in the milk and stir to combine.
- Add the remaining flour mixture and mix well, then stir in the sour cream. Scrape down the sides and give it one final good stir.
- Pour the batter over the peaches, smooth it out, and place the pan on a sheet tray. Bake for 60 to 65 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes, run a knife around the edge, and invert the cake onto your serving platter.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Put the springform pan on a sheet tray. The butter and brown sugar bubble up during baking, and the tray catches any drips before they hit the oven floor.
- Drain the peaches well and reserve the syrup. Pat the halves lightly so extra liquid does not thin the glaze, and save a half cup of syrup for the batter.
- Arrange the peaches cut side down. The rounded tops face up after the flip, giving you those beautiful glossy domes.
- Do not skip the 10 minute cool. Flip too soon and the glaze is molten and runny, wait too long and the caramel sticks to the pan. Ten minutes is the sweet spot.
- Loosen the edge before inverting. Run a butter knife around the rim so the cake releases cleanly with all its topping intact.
- Check the cake at 60 minutes. Ovens vary, so test with a toothpick in the center. It should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs, never wet batter.
- Double up for gatherings. Serve it alongside our swiss roll cake and watch both disappear.
- Double up for gatherings. Serve it alongside our layer chocolate turtle cake and watch both disappear.
- Make it a full spread. Our marble cake rounds out the table.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Still filling out the menu? Readers love pairing this one with our strawberry earthquake cake, fairy cakes, and brownie cake.
Peach Upside Down Cake FAQs
Yes. Peel and halve 4 to 5 ripe peaches and arrange them cut side down just like the canned ones. Since you will not have canning syrup, replace the half cup of reserved syrup with milk plus a tablespoon of honey or sugar. Fresh peaches release a little more juice, so the glaze may be slightly looser but every bit as delicious.
It usually cooled too long before flipping. The brown sugar glaze is liquid when hot and hardens as it cools, so invert the cake about 10 minutes after it comes out of the oven. If it does stick, warm the pan bottom over low heat for a minute to loosen the caramel, then flip. Spraying the pan well before adding the butter also helps.
A 9 inch springform is easiest for this deep cake, but a 9 inch round pan with 3 inch sides or a 10 inch cast iron skillet also works. Avoid shallow pans, the batter is generous and needs room to rise. Whatever you use, place it on a sheet tray in case the glaze bubbles over.
Cover the cooled cake and store it at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The fruit topping keeps the cake wonderfully moist. Bring refrigerated slices back to room temperature or warm them for 15 seconds in the microwave before serving so the glaze turns glossy again.
Yes. Cool the cake completely, then freeze whole or in slices wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and foil for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving. The sour cream in the batter helps the crumb stay moist through freezing and thawing.
A scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of fresh whipped cream is the classic pairing, letting the warm caramelized peaches melt it slightly. It is also lovely with a drizzle of heavy cream or a cup of coffee. Serve it slightly warm for dessert, though plenty of people love a cold slice with coffee the next morning.
Made this peach upside down cake? Leave a comment and a star rating below, I want to hear how the big flip went!
Easy Peach Upside Down Cake
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter melted
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
- 9 canned peach halves syrup reserved
- For the cake:
- 2 3/4 cup cake flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar packed
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 cup reserved peach syrup
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 cup sour cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray.
- Place the pan on a sheet tray, pour the butter into the pan and sprinkle the brown sugar all over.1/4 cup unsalted butter, 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- Arrange the peach halves, cut side down, into the bottom of the baking pan. Set aside.9 canned peach halves
- In a large bowl, stir together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt, set aside.2 3/4 cup cake flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Add the butter, oil, sugar, and brown sugar in the body of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Cream together for 3 minutes until well mixed/1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 1 cup granulated sugar, 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- Add the eggs one at a time, making sure the first one is mixed in before adding the next.4 large eggs
- Stir in the peach syrup and vanilla.1/2 cup reserved peach syrup, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Add half of the flour mixture and mix it in.
- Add the milk and stir to combine.1/2 cup milk
- Add the remaining flour, mix well.
- Finally, stir in the sour cream. Scrape down the sides and give it another good stir.1/4 cup sour cream
- Pour the batter into the pan and smooth it out evenly.
- Bake for 60-65 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool for 10 minutes in the pan.
- Run a butter knife along the edge to loosen the cake from the pan.
- Invert the cake onto your serving platter and take off the pan.
- Allow to cool and serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Line only the bottom of the cake pan with a circle of parchment so the fruit releases easily.
- Use softened butter to grease the sides of the pan—prevents sticking when flipping.
- Mix dry and wet ingredients in separate bowls so you don’t overwork the batter; stir on low speed until just combined.
- Place the prepared pan on a baking sheet—any syrup drip stays off the oven floor.
- Flip after a 10‑minute rest; too soon and the syrup runs, too late and it may stick.
- For a crowd, double the recipe and bake in a 13×9‑inch baking pan—same great peach cake flavo
Nutrition
Love This Recipe?
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Hi Bill! Your substitutions are the culprit. Almond milk is too thin and low-fat to properly bind the batter that’s why the center stayed raw. Mixing Swerve AND Splenda disrupts the chemistry, causing the top to overbrown while the inside stays liquid.
A few fixes for next time:
Use full-fat barista almond milk and reduce it by 2 tablespoons.
Stick to just Swerve don’t combine sweeteners.
Tent the pan with foil after 30 minutes to prevent overbrowning.
Use a thermometer the center should hit 200–210°F.
Don’t give up, it’s worth perfecting!
I followed the recipe closely, the only changes was almond milk,
swerve brown sugar and Splenda for sugar. after 60 minutes tooth picking for doneness, left in oven an extra 15 minutes, cake was not cooked in the center and fell apart when I removed pan sides. sill liquid batter in center, cake was getting very dark on top. I did cover bottom (top) of pan with peach halves. what could of happened?
These were so much fun to make and tasted delicious.