Caramelized Peach Upside Down Cake
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This Caramelized Peach Upside Down Cake has a lovely dense sponge texture and amazing flavour of caramelized sugar and fresh peaches.
Fresh peaches are one of my absolute favourite fruit. During peach season my family consumes vast quantities of these beautiful juicy fruit. There are many different types of yellow and white fleshed peaches, and all are delicious. Peaches lend themselves to many types of dessert as they maintain their shape and texture well even when baked. This cake is no exception: it’s light, fruity, and simply screams summer.
This Caramelized Peach Upside Down Cake has a lovely dense sponge topped with caramelized sugar and fresh juicy peaches. The whipped batter creates a sweet aerated cake while the the almond extract adds a slight bitterness. The sponge of the cake is complemented by the caramelized sugar and juicy bite of the fresh peaches. All of these elements come together to create a stunning cake which is much simpler to create than it looks. I have no doubt that once you make this cake, it will become a summer staple for you as well.
TOTAL TIME
- Preparation Time – 20 minutes
- Cooking Time – 45 minutes, plus 30 minutes cooling time
- Total Time – 1 hr 35 minutes
INGREDIENTS FOR CARAMELIZED PEACH UPSIDE DOWN CAKE
All the ingredients for this Caramelized Peach Upside Down Cake are easy to source from any local grocer.
- ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the pan
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 5 peaches, pitted and cut into 6 wedges each
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 Tsp vanilla extract
- 2 Tsp almond extract
- 3/4 cup milk
CAN I MAKE THIS CAKE DAIRY FREE?
Definitely. I think this cake would be delicious if it as made with coconut milk and vegan butter.
DO I REALLY NEED A SPRINGFORM PAN?
You could try and make this cake with a regular cake pan, but it would be very hard to remove. I strongly recommend using a springform for this.
DO I NEED TO BLANCH AND PEEL THE PEACHES?
If you are very particular you could blanch the peaches before slicing them. I don’t find it necessary, and simply use the peaches with their skin on.
WHAT IS ALMOND EXTRACT?
Almond extract is made from a combination of bitter almond oil and alcohol. It adds a strong almond flavour to baked goods.
INGREDIENT SUBSTITUTIONS
CAN I USE IMITATION ALMOND EXTRACT?
As with all extracts in baking I would strongly recommend using the real deal. Artificial extract tastes nothing like natural, and has a decidedly chemical taste.
CAN I SUBSTITUTE SOMETHING ELSE FOR ALMOND EXTRACT?
If you are unable to source almond extract, or have an allergy concern I would suggest using lemon juice or vanilla extract in its place. The taste will be different, but the cake will still be delicious.
CAN I USE A DIFFERENT KIND OF FRUIT IN THIS CAKE?
If you’d like, any stone fruit would work beautifully in this cake. I’d suggest nectarines or plums would work particularly well.
EQUIPMENT FOR CARAMELIZED PEACH UPSIDE DOWN CAKE
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Below is a list of the main equipment/kitchen tools needed to make Peach Upside Down Cake:
- Kitchen Aid Mixer – You can certainly make this cake by hand if you don’t own a mixer, but you will find it difficult to properly whip up the batter. I highly recommend purchasing a good mixer if you are able to do so. I adore my Kitchen Aid Professional mixer.
- Spatula
- 9 inch Springform Pan – I highly recommend these Wilton spring form pans. They are durable, inexpensive, and dishwasher safe. Most importantly they don’t warp in the oven, and will bake your cake evenly.
- Parchment Paper – I strongly recommend lining your springform pan with parchment paper as it will prevent the bottom of your carrot cake from sticking.
- Small Pan
COOKING DIRECTIONS
This Caramelized Peach Upside Down Cake can be made in just over an hour, and is as easy to make as it is delicious as long as you follow a few rules:
- Keep an eye on your sugar to ensure your caramel doesn’t burn.
- Slice the peaches into equal slices so they bake evenly.
- Aerate your batter by whipping until fluffy.
MAKE AHEAD STORAGE
I would not recommend making any ingredients in advance for this cake.
This Caramelized Peach Upside Down Cake can be stored in the fridge for up to five days. It can also be frozen in an air tight container.
FINISHED DISH
Enjoy your Caramelized Peach Upside Down Cake!
OTHER CAKE DESSERTS
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?
I’d love to know how it turned out! Please let me know by leaving a comment and rating below and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #cooking.with.carbs.
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Caramelized Peach Upside Down Cake
Equipment
- Kitchen Aid Mixer
- Spatula
- 9 inch Springform Pan
- Parchment Paper
- Small pan
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature, plus more for the pan
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 5 peaches pitted and cut into 6 wedges each
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 Tsp vanilla extract
- 2 Tsp almond extract or 1 tsp extract, 1 tsp Almond Cream liquor
- 3/4 cup milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line the bottom of your springform with parchment paper and lightly butter your spring form.
- Melt 1 tbsp of butter in a pan over medium heat then add 3/4 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon water and cook, stirring occasionally, until smooth and deep golden brown, approximately 10 minutes then remove from the heat.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and tilt to coat the bottom.
- Remove the pits and slice the peaches into sixths then arrange the wedges snugly in the bottom of the pan in a single layer, cutting to fit if needed. I like to start at the outside with the peaches facing in one direction, then move inside, turning them to the other direction for aesthetic effect.
- Next, combine your flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.
- Beat the remaining 7 tablespoons butter and 3/4 cup sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition then beat in the vanilla and almond extracts.
- Finally, beat in the flour mixture in 3 batches; alternating with the milk, and beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat in each addition until just incorporated.
- Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan with a pan underneath in case of drips.
- Bake until golden, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes.
- Remove the outside of your springform.
- Flip a plate upside down, and place it on top of the cake.
- With your hand securing the plate to the cake, gently flip the entire thing and place the plate on the counter.
- Carefully remove the bottom of the springform from the top of the cake by sliding an offset spatula between the two and gently lifting it up.
This peach cake was fantastic! Will definitely make it again!
I have made something very similar to this for years now, and your version looks amazing!! Definitely going to try this one out, thank you so much for the recipe 🙂
Oh wow this looks deliciously good! Love the step by step instructions with photos!
My family love peaches and this caramelized peach upside down cake is incredible! This would go down a treat in my house!
This was a great way to use a leftover peaches! It turned out absolutely delicious and was a hit with the family!
I made this in a regular cake pan, and the result was fantastic. With the parchment in place, it was not difficult to remove. This is a superlative summer cake that I have made numerous times. It is a crowd favorite. Thanks for a great recipe!