Description
This homemade peach cake is moist, fluffy, and packed with juicy peach chunks, topped with a thick, caramel-like brown sugar frosting. It’s easy enough for a weekday bake but impressive enough for summer gatherings.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour (or gluten-free 1:1 blend)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
- 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened (or coconut oil for dairy-free)
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (120ml) plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
- 1/4 cup (60ml) milk (dairy or unsweetened almond milk)
- 2 cups (about 300g) fresh peaches, peeled and diced (or well-drained canned peaches, diced)
- 1 tablespoon flour (to toss with peaches)
- For the Brown Sugar Frosting:
- 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (200g) packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (60ml) whole milk (or dairy-free alternative)
- 1 3/4 cups (210g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a 9×9-inch baking pan and line with parchment paper for easy removal.
- Peel and dice peaches into bite-sized pieces. Toss with 1 tablespoon flour and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- In another large bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes).
- Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla extract.
- Mix in Greek yogurt and milk until just combined.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix gently until almost combined. Fold in floured peaches.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Tent with foil if browning too quickly.
- Cool cake in pan on a rack for 20 minutes, then lift out and cool completely before frosting.
- For the frosting: In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar and milk. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring constantly, and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes.
- Whisk in powdered sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt until smooth and spreadable. Adjust consistency with more milk or powdered sugar as needed.
- Spread frosting over cooled cake. Let set for 10-15 minutes before slicing. For neat squares, chill for 30 minutes before cutting.
Notes
For gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. For dairy-free, substitute coconut oil or plant-based butter, and use non-dairy yogurt and milk. Toss peaches in flour to prevent sinking. Let cake cool completely before frosting for best results. Cake can be made ahead and frosted the next day. Store covered at room temperature for 2 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12 of cake)
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 28
- Sodium: 210
- Fat: 12
- Saturated Fat: 7
- Carbohydrates: 47
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 4
Keywords: peach cake, homemade peach cake, brown sugar frosting, summer dessert, easy cake recipe, fresh peaches, fruit cake, family dessert, potluck cake, gluten-free option, dairy-free option