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Peach Upside-Down Cake

Peach upside-down cake with tender vanilla cake and caramelized peach wedges fanned in a buttery brown sugar glaze. Inverted golden layers reveal jewel-like amber fruit slices and a glistening caramel ribbon on top.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 360
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cake pan and glaze base
  • 0.25 cup unsalted butter Melted
  • 0.75 cup brown sugar Packed
Peach topping
  • 4 peaches Peeled and sliced into wedges
Dry ingredients
  • 1.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.25 tsp salt
Cake batter
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter Softened (1 stick)
  • 0.75 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs Large
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.5 cup buttermilk

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Preheat and prepare the pan
  1. Preheat oven to 350F.
  2. Pour the melted butter into a 9-inch round cake pan or cast iron skillet, then sprinkle brown sugar evenly over the bottom.
Arrange peaches
  1. Arrange peach wedges in concentric circles over the brown sugar, slightly overlapping so the pattern covers the pan evenly.
Mix batter
  1. Beat the softened butter and granulated sugar for 2 minutes until fluffy.
  2. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each, then beat in vanilla extract.
  3. Alternate adding the flour mixture (all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt) and buttermilk to the batter, starting and ending with flour.
Assemble and bake
  1. Pour the batter gently over the peaches, then smooth the top so the fruit stays evenly covered.
  2. Bake for 35-40 minutes at 350F until a toothpick comes out clean, with the top turning golden brown.
  3. Cool for 5 minutes, then invert immediately onto a plate so the caramelized peaches release cleanly and drip slightly at the edges.

Notes

Pro tip: invert right after the 5-minute cool so the caramelized sugar sets on the cake surface rather than sticking to the pan. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days; rewarm briefly to refresh the texture. Freezing is not recommended because the caramelized fruit can soften after thawing. For a dairy swap, use lactose-free buttermilk and lactose-free butter to keep the same tangy batter profile.