This gorgeous vegan peach upside-down cake is so easy to make, and it's so delicious with gooey caramel and juicy peaches topping a moist, tender cake.
Upside down cakes, like this stunning vegan rhubarb ginger upside down cake and this vegan cranberry upside down cake, are among my favorite desserts to bake and eat. For one, there's no need to make separate frosting, icing, etc...the cake is stunning on its own. For another, the healthy fruit makes you feel like you can have your cake and eat it too!
If you, too, are a fan of southern American comfort food and especially upside-down cakes, try making this vegan peach upside down cake.
Upside down cakes are so called because you arrange fruit of your choice at the bottom of the cake pan, pour batter over the fruit, then flip the cake over after baking, so the bottom becomes the top. It is an easy way to make a cake both good-looking for very little effort, and healthier. Genius.
This peach cake is all that and more. It has a host of yummy contrasting textures and flavors, and it's so easy to make. Summer, when peaches are plentiful, is a great time to bake it, but early Fall, when peaches are still in the market and it's tempting to fire up the oven, is also a good time to enjoy this cake.
Upside-down cakes are traditionally made in cast-iron skillets, so if you have a 9-inch skillet, you can use that. Or just use an 8- or 9-inch cake pan. What you should stay away from, however, is a springform pan, as tempting as that is. Because unless your springform pan has a really tight seal, the juices will ooze out and burn in the oven (as I learned to my chagrin). Instead, line your cake pan with parchment paper and you'll have nothing to worry about.
Why you will love this recipe
- Amazing textures and flavors. There is the gooey caramel along with the peaches' natural juices that pools at the bottom of the pan; the smooth, silky peaches that taste even more delicious when they are melt-in-the-mouth tender; and the moist, delicious cake with a hint of cinnamon.
- Easy, one-bowl recipe. The cake batter comes together in one bowl. Just slice the peaches and then toss everything into the bowl for the batter.
- Soy-free, nut-free and vegan. See FAQs for tips to make the cake gluten-free.
Ingredients
- Peaches: Make sure you use ripe, sweet peaches. Peaches of any variety are fine. This time I used white peaches.
- Flour. Use unbleached all purpose flour or whole wheat pastry flour. Both versions are delicious but the whole wheat pastry flour adds more fiber and nutrients to the recipe.
- Leavening: Baking powder and baking soda.
- Sugar. I use turbinado sugar, which tints the cake brown. You can use any sugar of your choice.
- Vegan butter. You will need two tablespoons of vegan butter for the topping but you can substitute the six tablespoons of butter used in the cake batter with any oil of your choice, like avocado oil.
- Non-dairy milk. I use oat milk. Use any non-dairy milk of choice, including almond milk, soy milk and cashew milk.
- Apple cider vinegar. A small amount of apple cider vinegar reacts with the baking soda to make the cake fluffier. You won't taste the vinegar in the cake.
- Cinnamon. This is optional but it adds a nice flavor to the cake.
- Pure vanilla extract. This, too, gives a great flavor to the cake.
How to make vegan peach upside down cake
Line the bottom of a cake pan with parchment paper.
Pour 2 tablespoons of melted vegan butter and swirl it around so it coats the bottom of the pan.
Sprinkle ¼ cup of sugar evenly over the butter.
Arrange the peaches over the butter and sugar in a decorative pattern.
In a bowl, beat the remaining 6 tablespoons butter with 1 cup sugar using a handheld electric beater until fluffy, about a minute. You can also do this in the stand mixer.
Add non-dairy milk, pure vanilla extract and apple cider vinegar. Mix them in.
Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt to the bowl.
Beat for a few seconds with the electric beater to mix. Scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl halfway through beating to ensure there's no dry flour in the bowl.
Pour the batter over the peaches in the cake pan. Smooth the top with a spatula. Bake in a 350-degree Fahrenheit/180-degree Celsius oven for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
Cool the cake on a rack for 10 minutes, then place a plate over the cake pan and quickly invert it to release the cake. Peel off the parchment paper carefully. If any peach slices stick to the parchment just rearrange them back on the cake. Dust the cake with powdered sugar before serving (optional).
Recipe FAQs
No! Flip the cake no more than 10 minutes after it comes out of the oven. Otherwise the juices from the fruit and the sugar will stick to the pan, making it impossible to unmold the cake.
You can substitute the all-purpose flour with whole wheat pastry flour, with great results.
I've not tried this recipe with gluten-free flour, but the cake batter should work with an all-purpose gf mix. You can also try making the gluten-free batter in my vegan banana upside down cake recipe and use it with the peaches.
Storage instructions
- Refrigerate: Store the upside-down cake in the fridge for up to a week.
- Freeze: You can freeze the peach upside-down cake for up to four months. Wrap the whole cake in two layers of freezer-safe wrap or place in a freezer-safe container and store. You can also store individual slices, wrapped in freezer-safe wrap.
- Thaw cake completely before eating.
More yummy vegan desserts
If you make this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and a star rating below. Or tag us on Instagram #HolyCowVegan.
Recipe card
Vegan Peach Upside-Down Cake
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoon vegan butter (melted, divided)
- 1¼ cups sugar (divided)
- 4 large peaches (halved, pitted, then each half cut into four slices)
- 1⅓ cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup nondairy milk
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Line the bottom of a cake pan with parchment paper.
- Pour 2 tablespoons of melted vegan butter and swirl it around so it coats the bottom of the pan.
- Sprinkle ¼ cup of sugar evenly over the butter. Arrange the peaches over the butter and sugar in a decorative pattern.
- In a bowl, beat the remaining 6 tablespoons butter with 1 cup sugar using a handheld electric beater until fluffy, about a minute. You can also do this in the stand mixer.
- Add non-dairy milk, pure vanilla extract and apple cider vinegar. Mix them in.
- Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt to the bowl.
- Beat for a few seconds with the electric beater to mix. Scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl halfway through beating to ensure there's no dry flour in the bowl.
- Pour the batter over the peaches in the cake pan. Smooth the top with a spatula. Bake in a 350-degree Fahrenheit/180-degree Celsius oven for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cake on a rack for 10 minutes, then place a plate over the cake pan and quickly invert it to release the cake. Peel off the parchment paper carefully. If any peach slices stick to the parchment just rearrange them back on the cake.
- Dust the cake with powdered sugar before serving (optional).
Notes
- Refrigerate: Store the upside-down cake in the fridge for up to a week.
- Freeze: You can freeze the peach upside-down cake for up to four months. Wrap the whole cake in two layers of freezer-safe wrap or place in a freezer-safe container and store. You can also store individual slices, wrapped in freezer-safe wrap.
- Thaw cake completely before eating.
Nutrition Information
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Rose R says
When I beat the sugar and butter together am I using melted butter for that also?
Vaishali says
Yes!
Karen says
So I am think of doing this with apples, peaches are scarce around here right now. I think it would be good. Any suggestions?
I have made it with peaches and we loved it!
Vaishali says
It should work with apples. Follow the same process. Happy to hear you loved the peach cake. ❤️
Danni says
I made this but swapped peaches for nectarines and the butter/oil in the cake for applesauce and it was perfect! Delicious and melt in your mouth.
I'm about to try again but with plums (and maybe pears next).
Anonymous says
Very good. I did use a spring pan, despite your warning, i just lined the seams of the pan as well as the bottom with baking paper so the juice wouldn't escape, and it worked well. It was also slightly bigger, about 11" but i doubled the recipe and it turned out good and delicious.
Rosemary says
This is the first time I've ever made an upside down cake, and it was one of the most delicious things I've ever tasted.
I couldn't find turbinado sugar, so I used demerara sugar for the topping and light brown sugar for the batter.
I also blanched and peeled the peaches.
Irene says
Thank you for this easy and succesfull recipe! I just tried this recipe today with nectarines and it turned out super delicious! I used half white flour, half whole-wheat and used cane sugar as I saw that recommended on another blog. I made it now as the nectarines needed using up today, but I will definitely make it again!
Sue says
Can this cake be made using sugar substitute ? Eg truvia brown
Vaishali says
Hi Sue, you can make it with a sugar substitute but be sure to add some applesauce to replace the moisture lost by removing sugar. I'd add 1/2 cup of applesauce to the batter and more if the batter looks too dry.
joann says
Can I freeze this cake? I need something to make in advance. How long does it keep in the refrigerator?
Vaishali says
A week in the fridge and about four months in the freezer!
NG says
My cake came out as seen in the picture. All my guest lived it. Only variation I had was did not sprinkle 1/2 cup of sugar at the bottom, instead used only 2-3 TBS of sugar. White peached were so sweet that didn't need much sugar. Thank you.
Dee says
Can I use canned peaches and instead of sugar inside can I use raw agave, I'll use brown sugar on the bottom.but for the rest I'd prefer a healthier version?
Vaishali says
You can use raw agave but I don't think canned peaches are a healthier substitute. Because of the high moisture content I also don't know how they would perform in this recipe.
Carolyn Torre says
Dear Vaishali:
Is it okay to substitute:
Frozen peach slices
Gluten-free flour
Coconut palm sugar
Coconut oil
?
Thanks!
Vaishali says
See instructions in recipe for making the cake gluten-free. You can use frozen peaches.
Susan says
This was delicious! My daughter is allergic to eggs, so we are always looking for recipes that make desserts we love safe for her. This cake was moist, not dense, not too rich, and delicious! I did sub white whole wheat flour for the regular flour, but even then the cake wasn't too heavy. Thank you for the recipe!
Vaishali says
Sounds awesome! So happy you made it. 🙂
Kaytlyn says
Can you substitute coconut oil and coconut milk for the milk and butter alternatives?
Vaishali says
You can but there would be too much coconut flavor in the cake and you probably won't taste the peach.
Liza says
Absolutely phenomenal cake!!! Thank you so much for all your wonderful recipes, Vaishali.
Miri says
What an absolute beauty of a cake - how did you even bring yourself to cut into it! 🙂