A lovely, creamy peach cake with chunks of peaches in a lightly set, creamy, custard-style filling, channelling the flavours of peaches and cream. A lovely way to enjoy fresh peaches, or try it with canned peaches.
This Peaches and Cream Cake is a “cake” in the very loosest meaning of the word. It’s mostly peaches, held together with a creamy custard-style filling. The cake bakes up into a form that is barely set on the outside and creamy on the inside. It’s very mildly sweet, which really lets the flavour of the peaches shine.
I’ve enjoyed this peaches and cream cake cold from the fridge, at room temperature, and slightly warm and honestly, it’s nice all ways. It’s lovely enjoyed as is, or you can never go wrong with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of sweetened whipped cream.
Ingredients and substitutions
A few notes about the key ingredients …
Peaches – When fresh peaches are available, I think they’re the best choice for this cake. According to readers, canned or tinned peaches will also work here, though I haven’t personally tested this substitution. I don’t recommend trying frozen peaches, as the extra liquid from the frozen fruit may make this cake watery and too loose.
Milk – Whole, full-fat milk (3 – 3/5% b.f.) will produce the nicest results, though 2% milk should work fine in a pinch, as would half-and-half cream (10% b.f.). I haven’t tested this recipe with non-dairy milk.
How to make peaches and cream cake: step-by-step
This is a visual summary of the steps to make this recipe. Scroll down to the Recipe Card below for the complete list of ingredients and instructions.
Step 1: Start by peeling and pitting the peaches and cutting them into 1/2-inch chunks. Set aside.
Step 2: Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a small bowl. Set aside.
Step 3: Melt the butter and set aside to cool slightly.
Step 4: Add the eggs and sugar to a mixer with the whisk attachment.
Step 5: Whisk until light and fluffy.
Step 6: Mix in the milk.
Step 7: Mix in the melted and slightly cooled butter.
Step 8: Mix in the flour mixture.
Step 9: The finished batter should be light and creamy with soft peaks.
Step 10: Add the prepared peaches to the batter and fold in.
Step 11: Spoon the batter into a greased 8-inch springform pan and level the top.
Step 12: Bake until set and deep golden in colour.
How to make peaches and cream cake: video
Recipe tips!
- I like to refrigerate this cake in the pan before trying to remove it to a serving plate. It’s a little more stable when chilled.
- It’s a little tricky to gauge when this cake is done. It should bake between 50 and 55 minutes and be deeply golden over most of the top. Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan and then, ideally, pop into the refrigerator for an hour or two before removing from the pan. Refrigerate in the pan if making ahead.
How to peel a peach the easy way!
I’m sure we all know about the boil then ice bath method of peach peeling, but I’m sure we all would agree that’s a lot of work, especially when we only need a few peeled peaches. When working with firm (not overly-ripe) peaches, my go-to method of peeling peaches is a good, sharp vegetable peeler, specifically a Y-shape peeler.
A good, sharp Y-peeler can quickly and easily remove just the skin, so there’s little wasting of good peach. The nice thing about a Y peeler is that it’s perfectly angled to take thin peelings, when peeling from top to bottom around the outside of the peach.
Making ahead, storing and freezing
This peaches and cream cake can easily be made several hours ahead and refrigerated; in fact, it is best and more set after sitting in the fridge for several hours. You can serve it cold from the fridge or at room temperature.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
I don’t recommend freezing this cake as it may change in texture from the freeze/thaw process.
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Get the Recipe: Peaches and Cream Cake
Ingredients
- 6-8 fresh peaches, about 3 1/2 cups chopped *see Note 2
- 1/3 cup (76 g) butter, melted, salted or unsalted, slightly cooled
- 1/2 cup (63 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and levelled
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- pinch salt, if using unsalted butter
- 2/3 cup (130 g) white granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, or vanilla bean paste
- 6 Tablespoons (88 ml) whole milk , at room temperature (3% b.f.) *see Note 1
- 1-2 Tablespoons light brown sugar, for the pan
- Icing/confectioners' sugar, for dusting before serving
Instructions
- Grease an 8-inch springform pan. (If you don't have a springform, you can use a regular round 8-inch cake pan, but note that it may be more difficult to remove from the pan unless you line the bottom of the pan with a round of parchment paper. I suggest refrigerating for an hour before attempting to remove the cake from the pan.)
- Sprinkle the inside of the greased pan with a bit of 1-2 Tablespoons light brown sugar (for the pan). Wrap the outside of the springform pan in a piece of aluminum foil and place it on a baking sheet.
- Preheat oven to 355° F. (regular bake setting – adjust as needed for convection or fan-assisted baking).
- Peel the 6-8 fresh peaches (about 3 1/2 cups chopped *see Note 2), cut the flesh off the sides, then cut into 1/2-inch chunks. Set aside.
- Melt the 1/3 cup butter (melted, salted or unsalted, slightly cooled) and set aside to let it cool slightly (stirring helps to cool it). In a medium bowl, whisk together the 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and levelled), 1 teaspoon baking powder and pinch salt (if using unsalted butter). Set aside.
- Add the 1 large egg, 1 large egg yolk and 2/3 cup white granulated sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or a large bowl with an electric mixer). Mix at medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or vanilla bean paste) and mix it in. Add the 6 Tablespoons whole milk (at room temperature (3% b.f.) *see Note 1), the cooled, melted butter and then the flour mixture and mix until well combined. Gently fold the prepared peaches into the batter.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. (*You'll know you have enough peaches if they poke above the batter when you pour it in the pan. If not, maybe add another). If you like, you can sprinkle the top with white sugar before baking for a sweet top crust.
- Bake in a preheated 355° oven for 45-55 minutes. The cake should be evenly deep golden on top and should have pulled away from the sides of the pan.
- Allow the cake to cool for 15 minutes in the pan before slicing if you want to enjoy it right away. If not, I suggest transferring the pan to the refrigerator to chill before removing it from the pan and/or slicing. Slice and serve cool, at room temperature or slightly re-warmed, garnished with a dusting of icing sugar.
- Dress up this cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of sweetened whipped cream, if you like.
- This cake can be made ahead and refrigerated. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Freezing isn't recommended as the texture of the cake may become grainy.
Notes
Watch how to make it
More peach recipes to love!
Hi! I’m Jennifer, a home cook schooled by trial and error and almost 40 years of getting dinner on the table! I love to share my favourite recipes, both old and new, together with lots of tips and tricks to hopefully help make your home cooking enjoyable, stress-free, rewarding and of course, delicious!
can I use peaches that I have frozen?
Hi Lisa, I haven’t tried it, but if they were thawed and well patted dry, these should work alright.
Made this last night,, it’s all gone! It was super yummy.
So glad to hear, Kristina! Thanks :)
Can this be made a day ahead?
Hi Celeste, this one keeps pretty well in the fridge, so I don’t think that would be a problem. Enjoy :)
Can this cake be frozen?
Hi Eileen, I haven’t frozen it myself, but I suspect it would freeze just fine. Maybe someone who has actually frozen it will weigh in.
So delicious! We just moved and i have no measuring equipmet but I did my best. I also had no vanilla so I used BROWNED BUTTER to give it a little flavor kick. It was amazing! You should try it. I probablynused too much flour and it turned out very spongy like a pancake but there were no comsplaints. thank you and give it a try with the browned butter.
Sounds delicious! So glad you enjoyed it :)
I’m interested to know what type peach most folks have tried. White ? Yellow ? Also, for those who used ramekins, how long for the oven time ? Thanks !
I recently bought a house with 3 peach trees… So I’ve got tons of them. I do canning but was looking for a recipe to use some fresh and this fit the bill! I’ve made two now, the second one I added cinnamon and slivered almonds…. Both were delicious! Thank you for the great recipe!
Thanks DeAnna! So glad you enjoyed it :)
I love peaches in everything. This cake looks delicious. I would like to subscribe to your blog please.
Thanks Deborah and I’ve added your email to my mailing list, so watch for your first email early next week!
Made this with fresh peaches from our California tree. Read your instructions which were in the end, mandatory and this is by far the best desert I’ve ever made. Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed it Kate :) Thanks!
I made this yesterday for the 4th. It was great! Since you said it was super loose, I added a tablespoon of tapioca to the cut peaches to give it a little more stability. It formed up really well.
Next time I’ll definitely add some cinnamon or nutmeg. I’m also considering a graham cracker crust for more stability and some crunch.
Glad you enjoyed it :) Thanks!
Love your suggestions, Cassandra. I’m planning to make the cake this weekend – when you talk about a graham cracker crust, do you mean in addition to the cake batter? Just seeing if I could do something like this. Thanks!
Excellent! I added 1/4 cup ground almonds to the batter, and reserved one of the peaches, thinly sliced, plus fresh mint as a topping after cooling.
Sounds perfect, Nick! Thanks :)
Update ..
Did not stick to pan…I think I may have over baked by a few minutes Chilled for about 6 hours…Just had a slice and I can’t say enough how good this is ..thank goodness I don’t have whip cream or Ice cream in the house to add on it …fighting not to have a second piece…Ill be trying blueberries next..Thank you again !
So glad to hear and so glad you enjoyed it! Would love to know how it works out with blueberries, too :) Thanks!
Was looking for something different to pop in the oven today with fresh Jersry peaches when I came across this awesome looking dessert..Followed directions with making a couple adjustments. I only have 2% milk so I bumped up the flour adding a tablespoon more hoping to balance it out, in addition I like to add cinnamon to the peaches..This is my first attempt using a springform pan which I just purchased…after pouring batter into pan, I realized I forgot to grease it..Ugh….Grab the baking Pam & just sprayed around the top ….Hoping for the best..It is smelling mighty fine in the oven…Thanks for posting
I’m sure it will be fine, Nanny. Even if it sticks a bit, just spoon it in to a bowl and enjoy. It will still be delicious :)
This cake was “yummy” made with my first batch of Ontario peaches! I’m not a weigh gal but I followed your instructions & was not disappointed. Sure tased like cream was an ingredient. Kept the cake refrigerated & ended up serving at room temperature. Hoping to make another one of your peach receipes before peaches are gone.
So glad you enjoyed it, Irene. I am madly eating and cooking with peaches, too :)
Amazing!! I made this tonight we have amazing peaches this time of year and this cake was everything I dreamed of!! I love that it’s just sweet enough and the peaches really are the star ! I let it cool completely and served with whipped cream Heavenly! I will keep this recipe FOREVER!! Thank You!
So glad to hear, Deborah! Thanks for coming back to let me know :)