Caramel-Peach Upside Down Cake
Like late-summer peaches pulling on a knit sweater, this cake is equal parts golden nostalgia and gooey indulgence. Caramelized fruit slouches into a buttery vanilla crumb, giving you that smug “I totally bake on weeknights” energy — without actually trying.
Ingredients
- For the caramel-peach topping:
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- 3 medium ripe peaches sliced into ½-inch wedges (no need to peel if the skin looks nice)
- For the cake batter:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch round cake pan.
- In a small saucepan, melt butter and brown sugar until smooth and bubbling. Pour into the pan, tilting to coat evenly. Arrange peach slices in a fan or loose pattern over the caramel.
- In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large bowl, beat softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla.
- Mix in sour cream, then alternate adding dry ingredients and milk until just combined. Batter should be thick but spreadable.
- Gently spread batter over the peaches, smoothing the top.
- Bake 40–45 minutes, until golden and a tester comes out clean.
- Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge and invert onto a plate. Peel away any stuck peaches and patch them back on — imperfect is beautiful.