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–+ servings
A delicious peach cake with layers of sponge cake, peach filling, and whipped cream frosting, topped with fresh peaches.

Peach Upside Down Cake with Vanilla Buttercream

This recipe guides you through making a delicious peach upside down cake with a classic vanilla buttercream. It's designed for beginners, making cake baking accessible and enjoyable.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 32 minutes
Freezing Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 32 minutes
Servings: 12 slices
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Peach Brown Sugar Layer
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 2/3 cup brown sugar
  • 3 large peaches, sliced skins on or off, as preferred
Peach Yellow Cake
  • 3 whole eggs, room temperature
  • 2/3 cup sour cream, room temperature
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 2/3 cup buttermilk, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon peach flavoring optional
  • 1 15.25oz box yellow cake mix Duncan Hines preferred, but any brand is similar
Classic Vanilla Buttercream
  • 1 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened about 10 minutes at room temperature
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 7-8 cups powdered sugar

Equipment

  • 2 8" cake pans
  • scallop cake comb
  • Stand mixer
  • Wire rack
  • Cake turntable
  • cardboard cake round

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C). Prepare two 8-inch cake pans by greasing them with shortening and dusting with flour to prevent sticking.
  2. Divide the melted butter evenly between the two cake pans, brushing it to cover the bottom surface. Distribute the brown sugar over the butter layer in each pan. Arrange the peach slices in an even layer on top of the brown sugar. Set the prepared pans aside.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together all the cake ingredients except for the cake mix. Add the cake mix and gently stir until just combined. Divide the cake batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans.
  4. Bake for 30-32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the cakes from the oven and invert them onto a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, wrap the cake layers carefully in plastic wrap and freeze for at least 30 minutes to make assembly easier.
  5. For the Vanilla Buttercream: In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, whip the softened butter until it is light and fluffy. Add the salt, vanilla extract, and heavy cream, and whip again. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the powdered sugar. If the mixture is too thick, add 2-3 tablespoons more heavy cream to reach the desired consistency. Increase the mixer speed to high and beat for 2 minutes until the buttercream is light and fluffy.
  6. For Assembly: Place a small amount of buttercream on the center of a cardboard cake round on a cake turntable. This will act as glue. Place the first cake layer, fruit side up, onto the turntable. Spread a layer of buttercream over the cake. Apply a thin layer of buttercream over the entire cake (crumb coat), leaving the top exposed. Add a layer of buttercream around the sides of the cake. Using the cake turntable and a scalloped cake scraper, carefully create a textured finish on the sides of the cake.
  7. Slice and enjoy your homemade peach upside down cake!

Notes

This recipe is perfect for beginner bakers. The freezing step makes the cake layers easier to handle during assembly. You can adjust the amount of heavy cream in the buttercream to achieve your preferred frosting consistency.

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