This easy recipe for fresh peach cake is a wonderful way to showcase sweet peaches when they’re in season. Soft and tender with a creamy crumb, and featuring 2 layers of juicy peaches for extra peach flavor in every bite, this cake needs no topping or decorating (though a dusting of powdered sugar is always welcome). It’s the perfect treat to enjoy on a porch swing with a glass of iced teaโor wherever you find summertime bliss.
One reader, Shelby, commented: “Feeling happy eating this. It’s lightly sweetened, which is nice because the juicy peaches make up for the rest of the sugar. The crumb is so tender and melts in your mouth. Love the cinnamon in the centerโthat is a must! And you can smell the almond extract beautifully mingling with everything else. All of these flavors go so well together. โ โ โ โ โ “
This simple yet impressive fresh peach cake is the perfect quick & easy dessert to make when peaches are in season, whether you picked them straight from a tree… or from a roadside farm stand… or from the grocery store when they were on sale. I love peach pie, but sometimes you need a simple dessert recipe that can be ready to eat in the next couple of hours. This peach cake is just the thing!
(Peach crisp and peach cobbler are both wonderful options as well, of course. Especially if you happen to have vanilla ice cream in your freezer.)
Everything You’ll Love About This Fresh Peach Cake
- Super moist, tender, soft cake with juicy cinnamon-spiced peaches
- Great way to showcase fresh peaches during peak peach season
- Quick & easyโno mixer required, no separate topping to make, and you don’t even have to peel the peaches!
- All the flavors you love in peach pie (with less time & effort)
- Not overly sweet, so the fruit’s natural sweetness shines
- Greek yogurt makes for a creamy-like crumb, just like it does in lemon berry yogurt cake
- You could use dairy-free yogurt to make this a dairy-free recipe
- Don’t have to wait hours for it to cool completely before eating
- Transport and serve right from the baking pan
And as a welcome bonus, there’s no complicated decorating required. Just give it a shimmy-shake of confectioners’ sugar over the top before servingโthis peach cake is a natural beauty!
Key Ingredients You Need & Why
- Flour: All-purpose flour forms the base for this cake’s structure.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda: With so many wet ingredients, we need both baking powder and soda to help lift this cake so it’s not heavy and flat.
- Salt: For its flavor-enhancing superpowers.
- Oil: Using oil instead of butter in cakes makes for a supremely moist crumb. You can use olive oil, vegetable oil, or melted coconut oil hereโbaker’s choice.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar is the sweetener for this cake. You don’t need a lot, because the peaches are already sweet on their own.
- Eggs: Eggs provide structure, stability, and richness.
- Vanilla & Almond Extracts: You’ll love the flavor this combo provides. It’s the same duo used to flavor classic sugar cookies.
- Greek Yogurt: You’ll notice that I use yogurt or sour cream in a lot of my cake recipes, like this grapefruit Greek yogurt cake. Both bring a slight tang (very mild) and brilliantly creamy moisture. I tested this cake with nonfat and low-fat Greek yogurt, regular yogurt, and sour creamโall were excellent. Greek yogurt added a little more tang and structure, though. You could also use a dairy-free yogurt to make this cake dairy free.
- Lemon Zest & Juice: Lemon brightens everything up, and adds some fresh flavor. Taste testers said the cake was lacking without it.
- Peaches: You need about 2 cups of sliced fresh peaches (peeling them first is optional). See the FAQs below for more information on the best type of peaches to use.
- Cinnamon: Totally optional.
Overview: How to Make Fresh Peach Cake
The cake is layered with peaches. Half batter, half peaches, remaining batter, remaining peaches.
There’s no mixer required for this recipe. Whisk the batter together, and then toss the peach slices with a little sugar to help them release some juices.
Then I like to toss HALF of the sugared peaches in cinnamon, so the fruit slices in the center of the cake mingle with creamy cinnamon swirls (similar to this peach quick bread). The other half of the peaches (without cinnamon) create the top layer of the cake. Again, the cinnamon is optional. You can simply toss ALL of the peaches with the cinnamon, or leave it out entirely.
Here’s the creamy batter, and center layer of cinnamon-sugar peaches:
As you can see, the cake is brimming with fresh peaches. A 9-inch springform pan (what you use for cheesecake) is ideal for this one-layer cake.
Here’s the cake before and after baking:
And while this natural beauty needs no extra embellishments, I like to sift a little dusting of confectioners’ sugar over the top just before serving. And, of course, whipped cream is always a welcome adornment.
Recipe Testing
I’m happy to share my testing process with anyone interested in how this cake came to life! Today’s peach cake is an almost-halved version of my lemon berry yogurt cake and a very slightly scaled-up version of this cherry buckle. I wanted to use oil instead of butter to keep the crumb light and moist.
It doesn’t seem like there’s a lot of flour in the recipe, and you’re rightโthere’s not! I tested the cake with more, but it made the cake a little tough and heavy. Yogurt is a heavy ingredient, and more flour didn’t necessarily help.
In terms of flavor, lemon juice and almond extract are key. Taste testers felt the entire cake was lacking without these additions.
You can use any variety of peachesโyellow, white, or even doughnut peachesโbut you want slightly firm (not hard) peaches with no soft spots. Your best bet is to purchase or pick about 4 firm peaches, then let them sit in a paper bag for 1โ2 days to ripen. Some may have soft spots after this time, so that is why I suggest buying a couple more than you actually need. Eat any overly soft peaches or use them in peach muffins.
Fresh peaches are the best option for this fresh peach cake. If you must use frozen peach slices, thaw and then blot them dry before using.
Sure! This is a great cake for other fruits and flavors. Instead of peaches, try nectarines, apricots, plums, pears, apples, or even halved cherries.
The recipe is designed for a 9-inch springform pan, the same type used for lemon cheesecake, but you could also use a 10-inch cast iron skillet that I also use for this blackberry peach skillet cornmeal cake and frittata. A 9-inch or 10-inch square baking pan work too. I also have a recipe for a peach Bundt cake, and a peach quick bread if you want to try those instead.
Fresh Peach Cake
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: serves 8-10
- Category: Cake
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This easy recipe for fresh peach cake is a wonderful way to showcase sweet peaches when they’re in season. Soft and tender with a creamy crumb, and featuring 2 layers of juicy peaches for extra peach flavor in every bite, this cake needs no topping or decorating (though a dusting of powdered sugar is always welcome). A mixer is not required for this recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/2 cups (188g) all-purpose flourย (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (120ml) oil (olive oil, vegetable oil, or melted coconut oil)
- 2/3 cup (133g) granulated sugar, plus 1 Tablespoon for the peaches
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup (180g) plain Greek yogurt, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 cups (about 300โ320g) sliced fresh peaches (peeled or unpeeled; about 3 peaches)
- optional: 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- optional: confectioners’ sugar for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ยฐF (177ยฐC) and grease a 9-inch springform pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together until combined. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the oil, 2/3 cup (133g) sugar, eggs, yogurt, vanilla and almond extracts, lemon juice, and lemon zest together until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until combined. Batter is creamy and slightly thick. You will have just over 3 cups of batter.
- In a medium bowl, toss the peach slices with 1 Tablespoon of sugar to coat. Divide in half, moving half of the peaches to another bowl. Add cinnamon to one half of the peaches and gently stir to coat. The cinnamon is optional. You could also toss ALL of the peaches in the cinnamon; I like to toss only half so the center of the cake has plenty of cinnamon swirls.
- Pour and spread half the batter (just eyeball it) into the prepared pan. Place the cinnamon-sugared peaches in an even layer on top. Spread the remaining batter on top of the cinnamon peach layer. Place remaining sugared peaches on top.
- Bake for 50โ55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Around the 30-minute mark, loosely tent with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning.
- Remove the cake from the oven and set the pan on a wire rack. Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing, or cool completely. Dust with confectioners’ sugar, if desired, before serving.
- Cover leftovers and store at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If you topped with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar, note that the sugar will melt and disappear into the cake after a few hours.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: Cover baked and cooled cake tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature before serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Vegetable/Fruit Peeler | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Citrus Juicer & Zester | 9-inch Springform Pan | Cooling Rack | Sieve (for dusting confectioners’ sugar)
- Can I Make This in a Different Pan? The recipe is designed for a 9-inch springform pan, but you could also use a 10-inch cast iron skillet. A 9-inch or 10-inch square baking pan work too. I also have a recipe for a peach Bundt cake, and a peach quick bread if you want to try those instead.
- Yogurt: I tested this cake with nonfat and low-fat Greek yogurt, regular yogurt, and sour creamโall were excellent. Greek yogurt added a little more tang and structure, though. You could also use a dairy-free yogurt to make this cake dairy free.
- Peaches: Fresh peaches are the best option for this fresh peach cake. If you must use frozen peach slices, thaw and then blot them dry before using. Canned peaches would be fine in a pinch, but the texture is much better with fresh. If using canned, be sure to drain and blot dry first.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Made this beautiful peach cake twice already! Great success. I had peach jam and made coulis!
Hi, thank you for this recipe.
Iโd like to make the recipe gluten free and I was wondering if I could use almond flour instead of all purpose flour. And in which proportion? Thank you!
Hi Adriana, we havenโt tested this recipe with gluten free flour, but let us know if you decide to do any experimenting!
When will I learn. I tried a different recipe from a different site, and it was ok. This recipe is an order of magnitude better. I learned not to stray from Sally.
Can I make this with pears? Any changes to recipe?
Hi Vin, sure can!
Is this a recipe that will work at high altitude?
Hi Dana, we wish we could help, but we have no experience baking at high altitude. Some readers have found this chart helpful: https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/high-altitude-baking.html
My daughter made this for my husband’s birthday with some of the last summer peaches from our local farm stand, and boy was this a winner! Made it just as written, but she did make a creme anglaise for serving, and I highly recommend that. This cake had beautiful peach flavor, but the real standout was the texture of the cake. Sally never disappoints!
Add a teaspoon of cardamom to the batter for a really nice earthy note.
My husband made this cake with the peaches from our yard and I have to say it was one of the best cakes Iโve ever had! So so so delicious.
This is a delicious cake and comes together very easily. It is not too sweet. I decided to bake this in a 10-inch cast iron skillet. It was ready after 50 minutes. I will make this again, maybe with another type of fruit. One thing I would do differently is to slice my fruit smaller to get even more fruit in each bite.
Is it possible to scale up the ingredients to make in a 9×13 pan? Would 1 1/2 times or double the ingredients work?
Hi Christine, we havenโt tested this recipe in a 9ร13-inch pan, but 1.5x the batter should be plenty. Weโre unsure of the exact bake time. Let us know if you try it!
This cake is so so so good! I used olive oil, baked in a square metal baking pan lightly greased with olive oil. Otherwise, I followed instructions as they written and used a scale for measuring.
I will definitely be making this cake again!
IT IS LITERALLY THE BEST RECIPE FOR PEACH CAKEEE
Tried making it today, followed recipe as written including bake time and toothpick test. Cake turned out very dense – not light at all. Still tasted ok but not sure what went wrong – peaches too juicy??
Hi Lynn, thank you so much for giving this recipe a try! If your peaches were supremely juicy, they could have prevented the cake batter from cooking properly. A rubbery/dense cake can be from over mixing the batter or sometimes can be from too much flour and not enough fat. Be sure that you spoon and level your flour (or weigh it) instead of scooping it, and that you are using enough yogurt and oil. Here is a post all about how to properly measure your ingredients. Blotting the peaches a bit before using could help, too.
I’m not sure what went wrong here. I followed the recipe precisely, but my cake turned out very rubbery, almost like a fat crepe rather than a cake. In my opinion it isn’t sweet enough, and there isn’t much flavour of peach. The peaches I used were deliciously ripe but they didn’t impart their flavour into the batter at all. I’m really disappointed.
So soft and peachy. My friends literally said they cannot believe it is not butter. This will be my go to recipe for all stone fruits. Thank you!
I loved the flavor of this cake and the ease of prep. Had some trouble with baking and final product. I used King Arthur all purpose flour and fat free Greek yogurt. , baking in nonstick round 9โX2.5 pan. It rose and baked too fast and had some spots that were kind of โgooey.โ Any suggestions?
Hi Marty, if it rose and baked too fast, with underdone spots in the middle, your oven may be running a little hot. We would try turning it down a bit next time for a move even bake.
Delicious! The only thing I’ll change next time is the amount of almond extract and that’s simply personal preference. Very easy to make. Mine was a tad over baked at 50 minutes, but all ovens are different. My husband and I each had a slice in the afternoon with some whipped cream. Thanks Sally for a great recipe.
Can I substitute mangoes instead of peaches.Also can I use avocado oil too and monkfruit to substitute sugar
Hi Maria, we haven’t tested the recipe with any of those substitutions, so are unsure of the result. Keep in mind that any time you substitute an ingredient you should expect a different result.
Any baked goods recipe that doesnt require a mixer should have a flashing neon header.
So easy, so good. I made with a 9inch glass pie pan because I didnt have a cake pan, cooked in 40min. Immediately after placing in the oven I decided to make one in a 6 inch cast iron (half recipe) because it was that fast and easy.
Sallyโs recipes never disappoint. This was awesome cake and easy to do. Helped use up some of my peaches and nectarines. Used with peel on. I think a flavor boost came from the almond extract. Will make this again for sure.
Hello Sally.
Since I am from a tropical country and fresh peaches are very expensive, can we used canned peaches?
Hi Marina, canned peaches should be fine. Be sure to drain and blot dry first.
Iโve made this cake so many times this summer Iโve lost count! Itโs phenomenally tasty and EASY – I just mix the ingredients with a spoon (arguably the best kitchen tool imo).
So far weโve tried: peaches, apricots, apricots and halva, plums, single layers or double, round and square baking dishes, almond flakes on top or just caster sugar once itโs baked.
My family and friends go bananas for it so much so that it gets devoured while still warm and I had to make it again today (second day in a row) because they couldnโt get enough of it.
I think the simplicity of this cake, how it accentuates summer fruit and is oh-so-airy each time makes it a perfect no fuss treat.
I also love how I donโt have to make all the mess with butter and blenders etc Just two bowls, a scale and a spoon. A PERFECTION.
Thank you for this recipe! It goes straight to my good olโ recipe notebook.
This might seem like a silly question, but I have some frozen (from fresh) apricots Iโd like to use. Can I just replace 1:1? Or do you have another recipe you recommend using frozen apricots or a peach/apricot mix (also frozen from fresh)?
Hi Dominique, You could use apricots here! However, fresh peaches or apricots are the best option for this cake. If you must use frozen slices, thaw and then blot them dry before using.
OMG this recipe was delicious. Thanks so much Sally. I really enjoy your recipes and this website!
Can I use a 9 inch round pan?
Hi Barb, you could use a 9 or 10 inch square pan, but a regular 9 inch round cake pan will be too short.
I can’t wait to try this recipe with nectarines for company this weekend. Sally, which of the oil suggestions do you personally prefer when making this cake?
This peach cake is the ultimate! Iโve made it 3 times and it has disappeared instantly! Weโve had it for breakfast and evening dessert. The grandkids are crazy for it. So easy and moist. It really showcases the fresh peaches – grown in Ontarioโs fruit belt in Niagara. This recipe is definitely a keeper! Thanks Sally!
Measuring/weighing my plain Greek yogurt. 180 g was equal to a half a cup. Do I measure 3/4 a cup or go by the weight, which is less?
Hi Lorie, the weight is the most accurate measurement – we would go with that!