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 tea—or 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 center—that is a must! And you can smell the almond extract beautifully mingling with everything else. All of these flavors go so well together. ★★★★★“
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 & easy—no 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 serving—this 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 here—baker’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 cream—all 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 right—there’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 peaches—yellow, white, or even doughnut peaches—but 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 1–2 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 flour (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 300–320g) 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 350°F (177°C) 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 50–55 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 cream—all 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
Another amazing recipe – even better the second and third days as the flavors really come together! Quick, easy and the perfect way to use those last few peaches.
Has this recipe been adjusted for altitude? I live at 6600 feet in CO and wNt to give it a shot I usually add an extra egg, reduce sugar by a little as well as leavening agents and add some extra flour.
Hi Valerie, I wish I could help, but I have very little experience baking at high altitude. Some readers have found this chart helpful: https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/high-altitude-baking.html
Disappointed- Cake was like glue, – baked an extra 1/2 hour. Came out custard instead of actual cake.
Hi Annette, Were your peaches nice and flavorful? If they were supremely juicy, they could have prevented the cake batter from cooking properly. It sounds like it was just pretty underbaked and dense. Blotting the peaches a bit before using could help, too. Thank you for giving this one a try!
Can’t this be added to the recipe? I’m having the same experience. I had some slightly under-ripe peaches and perfectly ripe (not over ripe) ones and chose the ripe ones. If I’d known I would have used the other ones. It sounds like there’s very little margin for error but the recipe doesn’t make that clear. Mine smells amazing but the texture is off and it feels like waste of nice peaches. I weigh everything out exactly, so I don’t think the quantities could have gone awry.
I used fresh peaches and I bought the suggested cake pan, since I didn’t own one. It turned out scrumptious! I was worried, since I didn’t hear my timer, that I accidentally over baked it, but I lucked out.
I made this cake last night and it was great! I used a 9” round, which worked perfectly. This is a denser style of cake (at least mine came out that way), but not too dense or gluey. I skipped the almond extract and added extra lemon. With some fresh whipped cream, this was a perfect summer dessert!
Made the recipe exactly and it was delicious!
The cake was fantastic. Can I use plums in this recipe?
Hi Andrea, plums would be fantastic here!
I made this recipe. At 55 minutes it was still raw in middle, so removed the foil tent and cooked an additional ten minutes. Center was perfect by bottom and sides were well done/crispy almost. The almond extract distracts from the peach flavor, so I think I will omit it next time. Vanilla and lemon added more than enough depth of flavor.
this looks devine! is there a similar cake to serve a larger crowd ?
Hi Elle, you may love this larger peach bundt cake.
This was delicious. I substituted Chobani non fat greek vanilla yogurt instead of plain and because my oven runs hot, I lowered the temperature, but the texture and flavor were lovely and the cake looked great. The peaches were not super sweet so I added a tad more sugar and tossed the slices in lemon juice to avoid oxidation. It’s like a lovely coffee cake and we’ll probably have it for breakfast!
I almost always use Sally’s recipes which is why it was a shock that this turned out the way it did! The middle was gluey and undercooked and the outside was dry and overdone. I can’t fathom why – I weigh my ingredients, made sure everything was room temp, had the right oven temp and pan size. I picked peaches last weekend and was really excited to use them, and they were basically the only good thing about this cake. I also didn’t really like the cake flavor, it wasn’t very sweet and almost bland – I wonder if this is because I used oil as recommended, instead of butter. I may experiment and try again with creamed room-temp butter to see if that lends a nicer flavor. Not trying to be harsh but I’m fairly disappointed because Sally’s recipes always work out well for me 🙁
Eden, not harsh at all and I really appreciate your feedback. Were your peaches nice and flavorful? I wonder if they were supremely juicy and prevented the cake batter from cooking properly. It sounds like it was just pretty underbaked and dense. Let me know if you try the recipe again with any changes. Blotting the peaches a bit before using could help, too.
I had pretty much the same experience.
This simple cake is elegant and delicious!
I want to make this but my springform pan is 7.5 inches. Any suggestions of if this can be done and what changes should be made?
Hi Lee, We haven’t tested the recipe in that size pan but it should hold about 70% of the batter that a 9 inch pan would hold. We would recommend making the recipe as written and then not using all of the batter ( you could try using the extra to make some cupcakes on the side).
We just got a 15 lb box of fresh . There are going to be a couple cakes and other goodies made!
This cake was all that I wanted in a peach cake! Thank you! I used Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 GF Baking Mix in place of AP flour, weighed the peaches for better accuracy, and subbed sour cream for yoghurt because that is what I had on hand. I also topped the cake with a mix of granulated sugar and cinnamon to develop a crusty finish in the oven. Some complained of soggy cake, over cooked bottoms, and other issues but this recipe turned out like a dream for me. Served with good quality vanilla ice cream to rave reviews. Thanks for a wonderful finish to a lovely dinner with friends!!
Cake had great taste but was gluey and doughy even cooking it 10 minutes longer !
Made this last week because I needed to use up some peaches. It was delicious and easy to make. Wouldn’t change a thing but, would have cut the cooking time to the least amount. The bottom and edges were a little too dark for me.
I made this yesterday and again today with fresh peaches from a farm stand. It’s fantastic!!
This was one of the best things I’ve ever made! With the lemon and fresh peaches, such a great flavor. loved this recipe! making a second time in two days right now!
how did you sprinkle the powered sugar on the cake and not the peaches?
Hi Nancy, you sprinkle it on the whole cake, the moisture of the peaches just absorbs it so you can’t see it.
I made this for a party and it was a hit! It’s the perfect amount of sweetness, not at all cloying and the peach flavors come through without being overpowering. My sister, who usually tries to limit sweets in the house, took home half a cake that was left over which says a lot. People really liked the cinnamon layer in the middle.
I baked this in an 8-in regular cake pan (not springform) and the cake rose to the top of the pan, but it *just* fit. I lined the pan with parchment paper with some excess hanging over as tabs to pull the cake out and that worked well. Definitely will be making again!
This recipe is GREAT. I made it vegan with agua faba, applesauce and turbinado sugar. MY GOODNESS. Delicious!
Cake Was Delicious But a Little Dry. I did not add the juice from th bowl of cut up peaches and sugar and wonder if that was a mistake.
Hi Elaine, was the cake over baked by chance? Even just an extra minute or two can dry out the cake. Be sure, too, that you’re also spooning and leveling (or using a kitchen scale) to measure your flour to ensure it isn’t over measured. Too much flour can weigh down the batter and make the resulting cake a bit dry. These tips on how to prevent dry and dense cakes may also be helpful to review. Thanks for giving this cake a try!
I added the juice from the peach bowl and baked the cake about 10 minutes longer and it was fine.
Sally, I am not a lover of almond anything so…can I leave the almond out and double the vanilla?
You definitely can, enjoy!
I honestly don’t know where it went wrong as I followed the recipe and used all the ingredients accordingly. The cake wasn’t soft,had a rather rubber-like consistency. And it tasted sour!!! It wasn’t the peaches as they were sweet and juicy. With the serving of Vanilla ice-cream we made it work,but I won’t be using this recipe again.
Hi AnnNie, Thank you for trying this recipe. Did you check all of your ingredients to make sure that they were fresh? A sour taste can also be from using too much baking soda or baking powder on accident. 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.
Hi, I am gluten intolerant and wanted to know if you have been successful in using gluten free flour with this recipe as an alternative?
Hi Barbara, we haven’t tested this recipe with gluten free flour, but let us know if you decide to do any experimenting!
I substituted 1 1/2 cups of King Arthur Flour Gluten-Free Measure For Measure Flour. That gf flour contains Xanthan Gum to provide structure. I thinly sliced two peaches (less than 1/4″ slices) with the skin on and arranged in pinwheels for the two layers. Baked for 30 minutes, placed foil over it for the last 20 minutes of baking. After taking the foil off, it looked undercooked in the very center. Baked another 10 minutes with the foil off. Perfect. Next time I will bake without the foil. The cake texture was light, and the peaches were not mushy. The cake cooled 45 minutes before cutting and serving with vanilla ice cream. Guests enjoyed the fresh fruit cake during the summer heat.
Do you have any suggestions on a sugar free version of this cake? I’m wanting to bake it for a diabetic, but not sure if a one for one swap with Splenda, monk fruit, or the sort will do. I’m curious if you could substitute the sugar with honey.
Hi Athena, We’d love to help but we are not trained in baking with sugar substitutes. For best taste and texture (and so you don’t waste your time trying to adapt this recipe since it may not work properly), it may be more useful to find a recipe that is specifically formulated for sugar substitutes. Thank you!
This cake has become an end of summer celebration cake in my house. Last summer we made it with peaches and this year we tried it out with mangoes.
this was dense and gluey
Do you think I could 2x this recipe to bake it all in a 9×13 pan? Or should I only make 1.5x for a 9×13 pan?
Hi Angela, we haven’t tested this recipe in a 9×13-inch pan, but 1.5x the batter should be plenty. We’re unsure of the exact bake time. Let us know if you try it!