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This fresh and juicy peach upside-down cake is a moist, fluffy ricotta cake baked with a layer of thinly sliced peaches. Indulge in a slice for dessert topped with whipped cream or as a treat with coffee or tea.
If you love getting creative with upside-down cakes, try my bananas foster upside-down cake, too!
Peach upside-down cake is a fun and fresh spin on a delightfully retro pineapple upside-down cake! This recipe swaps classic pineapple for juicy caramelized peaches, thinly sliced over a moist cake made with mild ricotta cheese.
As the name suggests, these cakes are baked upside-down. The fruit gets all buttery and caramelized against the pan, and the result is a gorgeous homemade cake that’s a) pretty to look at and b) seriously irresistible!
Why You’ll Love This Peach Upside-Down Cake Recipe
- Ultra-moist. This ricotta upside-down cake with peaches is so soft and buttery. There’s a ton of extra moisture and flavor from the ricotta cheese. If you’ve never baked with ricotta before, prepare to be hooked.
- Sweet and zesty. This cake is topped with caramelized ripe peaches brightened up with a touch of lemon juice and lemon zest. I give the finished cake a drizzle with the syrup from blueberry preserves. The flavors are incredible!
- Versatile. This peach upside-down cake is the perfect dessert for all your spring and summertime occasions. Serve slices for Easter with a dollop of whipped cream or crème fraîche. It’s also delicious next to a cinnamon dolce latte or a steaming mug of tea as a sweet afternoon treat.
Ingredients You’ll Need
I’ll start you off with some quick notes on the important ingredients for this cake. Scroll down to the recipe card for a printable list of ingredients with amounts.
- Peaches – This cake turns out the best when fresh peaches are in season! You’ll need to peel and pit them and slice them into thin half-moons. You can make this recipe with drained canned peaches, too.
- Lemon Juice and Cornstarch – Lemon brightens up the flavors of the peaches. A little cornstarch helps to absorb some of the moisture so that the top of the cake isn’t watery.
- Brown Sugar – Sprinkling the peaches with brown sugar (or granulated sugar) helps them caramelize against the pan.
- Dry Ingredients – To make your cake batter, you’ll need flour, baking powder, and baking soda.
- Butter, Sugar, and Egg – Creamed together to make the base for the cake batter. You can use salted or unsalted butter.
- Flavoring – Fresh lemon zest and pure vanilla extract lend the cake loads of flavor. Zest your lemon first, and then squeeze it for the juice (see above).
- Ricotta – Ricotta is a type of soft and mild Italian whey cheese. You’ll find it in the grocery store aisle alongside other specialty cheeses. It brings lots of extra moisture and flavor to this upside-down cake!
How to Make Peach Upside-Down Cake
Follow these short steps to make the perfect peach upside-down cake. Scroll to the recipe card for printable instructions.
- Prepare the peaches. Spread the peach slices into the bottom of a greased 8” cake pan and drizzle them with a mixture of lemon juice and cornstarch. Sprinkle the peaches with brown sugar.
- Make the cake batter. Cream together butter and sugar, then add the egg, zest, and vanilla. Slowly add the flour, alternating with ricotta cheese, and mix until combined. Spread the cake batter over the peaches.
- Bake. Bake the cake at 375ºF for 30-35 minutes. Afterward, let it cool completely.
- Invert the cake. To remove the upside-down cake from the pan, place a large plate over the cake pan. Grip the plate tightly to the pan, and flip. Drizzle the peach upside-down cake with blueberry syrup, then slice and serve!
Tips for Success
The secret to any upside-down cake is ensuring that the cake releases easily from the pan, for that perfect, glossy top. Here are my tips:
- Thoroughly grease the pan. It’s important to grease the baking pan well so that your upside-down cake releases easily. Use butter, baking spray, or shortening. If you’re worried about sticking, you can also line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
- If you’re using a springform pan, set the pan on a baking sheet lined with foil before placing the cake into the oven.
- Arrange the peaches tightly in the pan. For best results, try to avoid any gaps or spaces between the peach slices.
- Don’t overbake. Overbaking an upside-down cake causes the cake to become dry, and there’s more of a chance that it will stick to the pan. Check the cake for doneness using a toothpick stuck into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, your cake is baked!
- Use canned peaches. You can make this cake with canned peaches if you’re pressed for time. The flavor will be sweeter due to the syrup. I recommend draining the peaches and patting them dry before slicing.
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy this dreamy peach upside-down cake with a cortado or matcha latte at breakfast, or with your favorite cozy drink any time of the day. For a light summertime treat, wash down a slice of peach ricotta cake with a refreshing hibiscus iced tea sparkler. It’s also a delicious dessert served warm with a scoop of homemade ice cream!
How to Store Upside-Down Cake
- Refrigerate. Store any leftover peach upside-down cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You might notice that the top gets a bit soggy with time. It will still taste delicious, though!
- Freeze. You can also freeze this cake whole or in slices for up to 2 months. Double-wrap the cake in plastic wrap and thaw it in the fridge before serving.
More Cake Recipes
- Berry Streusel Coffee Cake
- Fig and Lemon Cake
- New York Style Crumb Cake
- Lemon Yogurt Cake
- Pear Cake with Lemon Glaze
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Peach Upside Down Cake
Ingredients
- 2 to 3 peaches, , halved, peeled, pitted and sliced into 1/4-inch half moons
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon corn starch
- 1 to 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 4 tablespoons butter, , softened
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
- blueberry preserves juice, (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375ºF. Grease an 8-inch cake pan or springform pan with baking spray. Line a baking sheet with foil and set the springform pan on the baking sheet.
- Arrange the sliced peaches in the bottom of the prepared cake pan.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine lemon juice and cornstarch; mix until thoroughly combined. Drizzle lemon mixture over peaches.
- Sprinkle brown sugar over peaches; set aside.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside.
- In your mixer’s bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth, light and fluffy.
- Add egg and continue to beat until completely combined. Mix in zest and vanilla.
- Set mixer on "low" and add flour mixture in batches, alternating with ricotta, and beginning and ending with flour. Continue to beat until well combined.
- Pour batter over peaches. Using an offset spatula, gently spread the batter evenly and smooth it out.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely.
- Remove the cake by covering the pan with a large plate. Hold it tightly and invert the cake, so that the side with peaches is facing upward.
- Drizzle with blueberry preserves juice if desired. Cut and serve.
Notes
- RECIPE SOURCE: DIETHOOD
- If using a springform pan, line a baking sheet with foil and set the springform pan on the baking sheet, then bake.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
If I use a 10” pan, would I double the recipe ingredients?
You don’t have to, but you could. If you use the same amount, the cake won’t be as tall, so it’s not a bad idea to double it.
Just made this, but the dough was really dry.. There aren’t really any wet ingredients in the recipe! My cake is in the oven and I’m really hoping it turns out.
You should leave a note that the springform needs a baking sheet and foil, in (or at the top) of the recipe. I didn’t see the note till it was too late.
Hi Andrea! I will definitely make a “note” at the top – thanks for the input!!
The ratio, dry to wet, is perfect. Did you have a chance to try it, yet? Let me know how it goes!
To my surprise it turned out 🙂
Thank you for the great recipe!
YAY!! ENJOY! 🙂
This looks simply divine. I need this!!
Yes please to sweet peaches and ricotta!
Summer recap! This looks amazing!!