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Brown sugar peach cake with juicy fresh peach chunks in a moist golden buttermilk batter drizzled with warm glossy caramel brown sugar icing in a 9x13 baking dish

Brown Sugar Peach Cake

A two-layer butter cake packed with diced fresh or canned peaches and warm spices, topped with a rich cooked brown sugar frosting that sets up smooth, slightly fudgy, and deeply caramel-flavored. Tender crumb, generous frosting, and real peach flavor in every slice.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 34 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 4 minutes
Servings: 12 slices
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 618
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2.5 cups all-purpose flour plus 1 tbsp for tossing peaches
  • 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 cup granulated white sugar
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened room temperature
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 3/4 cup whole buttermilk, room temperature
  • 1/3 cup sour cream
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1.5 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1.5 cups fresh peaches, peeled and diced 1/2-inch or canned in juice, drained and patted dry
  • 1 cup unsalted butter for frosting
  • 2 cups light brown sugar, packed for frosting
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream plus 1 to 2 tbsp more if needed
  • 3.5 cups powdered sugar, sifted for frosting
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract for frosting
  • 1/4 tsp fine salt for frosting

Equipment

  • Stand Mixer with Paddle Attachment
  • Two 9-Inch Round Cake Pans
  • Medium Saucepan for Frosting
  • Wire cooling rack
  • Offset Spatula for Frosting

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 9-inch pans and line with parchment. Whisk dry ingredients together in a bowl and set aside.
  2. Cream butter with both sugars on medium speed for 4 to 5 minutes until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then sour cream and vanilla.
  3. Add flour mixture in three additions alternating with buttermilk in two additions, mixing on low only until just combined after each.
  4. Toss diced peaches in 1 tbsp flour, fold gently into batter with 6 to 8 strokes. Divide between pans and smooth tops.
  5. Bake 28 to 34 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans 15 minutes then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely before frosting.
  6. Make frosting: melt butter in a saucepan, add brown sugar, stir and cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in cream carefully. Cool 20 minutes. Beat with powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt 3 to 4 minutes until smooth and spreadable.
  7. Frost the cooled cakes, spreading frosting between the layers and across the top and sides. Garnish with fresh peach slices if desired. Rest 15 minutes before slicing.

Notes

  • All refrigerator ingredients must be at room temperature before starting - cold butter will not cream properly and produces a dense uneven crumb.
  • Toss diced peaches in flour before folding - the coating prevents them from sinking to the bottom during baking.
  • Do not overmix once flour is added - mix on low only until the flour just disappears to keep the crumb tender.
  • Cool cakes completely before frosting - warm layers melt the brown sugar frosting and it will slide off.
  • If frosting becomes grainy, return to low heat with a tablespoon of cream and stir until smooth, then cool again before beating.