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Peach Upside-Down Cake

Peach upside-down cake with inverted golden cake and caramelized peach slices fanned in concentric rings over a brown sugar and butter glaze. This cast iron skillet or round pan method bakes a tender crumb with a glossy amber fruit topping.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 430
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Peach Upside-Down Cake
  • 0.25 cup unsalted butter melted
  • 0.75 cup brown sugar packed
  • 4 peaches peeled and sliced into wedges
  • 1.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.25 tsp salt
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 0.75 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs large
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.5 cup buttermilk

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Prep and arrange the peaches
  1. Preheat the oven to 350F (175C) so it’s fully hot before baking. This keeps the cake from baking unevenly.
  2. Pour the melted butter into a 9-inch round cake pan or cast iron skillet and sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over it. Watch for an even brown layer covering the bottom.
  3. Arrange the peach wedges in concentric circles over the brown sugar, slightly overlapping. Press lightly so the wedges stay in place as the batter rises.
Make the batter
  1. Beat the softened butter and granulated sugar for 2 minutes until fluffy, then add the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract. Look for a paler, thicker mixture after mixing.
  2. Alternate adding the flour mixture (all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt) and buttermilk, starting and ending with flour. Keep mixing just until smooth—no dry streaks, no overmixing.
Bake and invert
  1. Pour the batter gently over the peaches and smooth the top so it’s evenly covered. This prevents gaps where fruit topping can peek through.
  2. Bake at 350F (175C) for 35–40 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. The top should look set and lightly golden.
  3. Cool for 5 minutes, then invert immediately onto a plate. You want the caramelized brown sugar glaze still warm so the peaches release cleanly.

Notes

Pro tip: slice peaches into similar-size wedges so every slice in the concentric rings caramelizes at the same rate. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days; rewarm briefly for best texture. Freezing is not recommended because the caramelized fruit topping can soften after thawing. For a dairy swap, use lactose-free butter and lactose-free buttermilk.