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Peach Upside-Down Cake with Brown Sugar Caramel — Warm Summer Dessert Pinterest recipe pin

Peach Upside-Down Cake

A warm, buttery peach upside-down cake with a brown-sugar caramel top and a tender, slightly dense crumb—great for gatherings or a cozy dessert.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 380
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 3 to 4 medium ripe but firm peaches about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 lb, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch wedges
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar for macerating peaches
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter for caramel
  • 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar for caramel
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract divided
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter for batter, browned and cooled
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar for batter
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/3 cup sour cream or plain full-fat yogurt
  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Optional: 1 tablespoon milk if batter is too thick
Optional toppings
  • Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream optional
  • 2 tablespoons sliced almonds optional

Equipment

  • 1 9-inch round cake pan (or 9×2-inch springform pan)
  • 1 Medium skillet for caramel
  • 1 Mixing bowls and silicone spatula
  • 1 Wire rack for cooling

Method
 

Prepare the peaches and caramel
  1. Peel and slice the peaches and toss with lemon juice and 2 tablespoons sugar; let sit 10–15 minutes, then drain and pat dry.
  2. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a medium skillet over medium heat; add 1/3 cup light brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and cook, stirring, until bubbling and slightly thickened, about 2–3 minutes; remove from heat and stir in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.
  3. Pour the warm caramel into a lightly buttered 9-inch pan and arrange the peach slices in a tight concentric pattern.
Make the batter
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Brown 6 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan until nutty, about 4–5 minutes, then let cool 3 minutes.
  2. Whisk together 1 1/4 cups flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a bowl.
  3. In a large bowl, beat 2 eggs with 3/4 cup sugar until pale; whisk in the cooled browned butter, 1/3 cup sour cream, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Fold in dry ingredients until just combined; add 1 tablespoon milk only if batter is too stiff.
Bake and finish
  1. Gently pour batter over arranged peaches, smoothing the top carefully, and bake at 350°F for 38–45 minutes until golden and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
  2. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, run a knife around the edge, then invert onto a serving plate; cool another 10 minutes before slicing. Reposition any peaches that stuck to the pan.

Notes

Use ripe but firm peaches and pat them dry after macerating to avoid a soggy cake. Line the pan bottom with parchment if using a springform to make inversion easier. Store covered at room temperature up to 2 days or refrigerate up to 4 days; rewarm slices in a 300°F oven for 10–12 minutes to refresh the caramel.