Move over, pineapple—there’s a new fruit cake in town! These Peach Upside-Down Cakes are a delicious twist on the usual recipe. They feature fresh, juicy peaches, drenched in caramel, on top of a spiced buttermilk-pecan cake.
Here is what you should do with a pineapple: eat it fresh, in big juicy chunks. Put a spear of it into your beverage of choice. Turn it into a cupcake.
Here is what you should not do with a pineapple: put it on pizza (Hawaiian pizza is gross and I will stand by this statement, FIGHT ME in the comments about it). Bake it into an upside-down cake.
I mean, pineapple upside-down cake is okay. It’s a nostalgic classic. I’ve never loved it, although I do love the cute little cherry that often gets placed on top. But why waste your time making pineapple upside-down cake when you could be eating PEACH Upside-Down Cake instead?!
This seasonal twist on pineapple upside-down cake is such an upgrade over the original. I used a mini pineapple upside-down cake pan to make these cute individual cakes, each topped with a thick peach slice drenched in caramel. The cake itself is a little unusual–it’s a spiced buttermilk cake with some ground pecans in the batter, so it has a subtle nutty flavor that goes so well with the peach.
Although I love the adorable cake pan I used, you definitely don’t need to buy a special pan just for this– you can use jumbo muffin tins instead, or use peach slices and bake them in mini bundt pans. OR, to get off the mini train entirely, you could make one big cake in a 9- or 10-inch ovenproof skillet or cake pan. I like the satisfaction of getting to eat a whole cake myself, but maybe that’s just my inner glutton talking.
These are best enjoyed warm, with a topping of ice cream or whipped cream (…or both? There’s that inner glutton again.) They’re at their peak the day they are made, but can be refrigerated for several days and then warmed up before serving. Enjoy!
🍑 More Peach Desserts
- Fresh Peach Tart
- Peaches & Cream Trifle
- Grilled Peaches and Pound Cake
- Peach Passion Pops
- Cast Iron Peach Crisp
No-Churn Peach Ice Cream
Peach Honey Ice Cream With Lemon Verbena
Peach Upside-Down Cakes
Ingredients
- 8.75 oz granulated sugar (1 ¼ cups)
- 3.75 oz brown sugar (1/2 cup)
- 3 TBSP water
- 1 TBSP light corn syrup
- 3 medium peaches cut into ½-inch round slices
- 6.75 oz all-purpose flour (1 ½ cups)
- 1.25 oz pecans (1/4 cup), finely ground
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 TBSP ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp salt
- 4 oz unsalted butter (1/2 cup, at room temperature)
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 8 fl oz buttermilk (1 cup, at room temperature)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- Prepare the caramel first: combine 5.25 oz granulated sugar (3/4 cup) with 3 tablespoons water and 1 tablespoon light corn syrup in a small saucepan. Stir until the sugar is moistened, then place the pan over medium heat. Cook the sugar syrup without stirring—instead, swirl the pan occasionally as the sugar liquefies. Cook for about 7-8 minutes, until the sugar syrup takes on a medium-amber color and starts to smell like caramel. Remove the pan from the heat, and divide the caramel between you mini pineapple upside-down pans or jumbo muffin cups—just pour it right in the bottom of the pans. Carefully place a round peach slice on top of the caramel in the bottom of each pan.
- To make the cake batter, whisk the flour, ground pecans, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together in a small bowl, and set aside for a moment.
- Combine the butter, remaining ½ cup granulated sugar, and brown sugar in the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. (A hand mixer can also be used.) Beat for 2-3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then add the vanilla extract. With the mixer running on low, add a third of the dry ingredients, then when only a few streaks of flour remain, slowly stream in half of the buttermilk. Continue to alternate wet and dry ingredients until they are all mixed into the cake. Once everything is added, stop the mixer and finish mixing by hand, scraping down the bottom and sides of the bowl well.
- Divide the batter between the bundt pans, scooping it right on top of the peach slices.
- Bake the bundt cakes at 350 F for 26-30 minutes. (Adjust time if your cakes are smaller/you get a larger yield from the recipe.) Bake until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached. Cool the pans on the counter for 15 minutes, then carefully run a knife around the outer edge to loosen it. Place a baking sheet on top of the pan and quickly invert it to remove the cakes.
- These Peach Upside-Down Cakes can be served warm or at room temperature. I highly recommend a scoop of ice cream or dollop of whipped cream on top! They’re best the day they are made but will kepe for several days in the refrigerator—just warm them up for a bit in the microwave before serving.
Recipe Notes
Measuring Tips
Our recipes are developed using weight measurements, and we highly recommend using a kitchen scale for baking whenever possible. However, if you prefer to use cups, volume measurements are provided as well. PLEASE NOTE: the adage “8 oz = 1 cup” is NOT true when speaking about weight, so don’t be concerned if the measurements don’t fit this formula.
Want to learn more about baking measurements and conversion?
Girl these look amazing! You always come up with great stuff =)
Jett
STOOOOOP IT I CANNOT TAKE THE CUTE. Fine, I can deal. These are adorable and I love the flavors you’ve combined here! <3
Can you substitute the eggs with something else in this recipe ??
P.S pineapple on pizza (and in curry) is awesome xP