Fresh Peach Cake with Peach Jam Filling and Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting

ByCaylie
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Celebrating the best summer fruit with this delicious Peach Cake with Peach Jam Filling and Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting. Three layers of light, fluffy cake made with puréed peaches, brown sugar, and nutmeg, filled with a 3 ingredient peach jam, and finished with a tangy, but oh-so sweet cream cheese frosting made with only brown sugar! When put together, this cake literally just melts in your mouth. It’s the perfect dessert to make for any peach lover! Bonus? This cake is not only tender, moist, and full of flavor, but it’s actually so much easier to make than you might think. Truly the perfect cake for summertime!

peach cake with two slices in front and behind on white plates with peaches and flowers around on marble surface, a jar of peach jam, and two empty glasses behind cake.

About The Recipe

Between you and me, I honestly didn’t think my mom and I were going to be able to get this cake done! Not because the cake was difficult or peaches were hard to get, but because summer heat this year has been intense.

No joke. It has been so hot in our house that the cakes didn’t want to bake right, the frosting melted off the cake…you name it, it happened. It was such a disaster for days!

overhead shot of cake with slice cut into it and two more slices around on white plates, with peaches, flowers, and raspberries on top of cake, with bowl of peaches, a cake knife, and jar of jam beside.
peach cake on upside down white plate with peach slices, raspberries, and chamomile flowers on top of cake, with more peach slices around, a white cheesecloth beside, a jar of peach jam, and two empty glasses behind.

My mom and I finally decided to try waking up early and turning the A/C up. This seemed to do the trick! The cakes baked beautifully, the frosting was stable, it came together quickly AND easily!

We couldn’t believe it. After days of struggling, all we need to do was crank-up the A/C. We both kind of laughed over the ridiculousness of it, but hey! Whatever works, right?

But, I’ll be completely honest, this cake was WORTH all the struggle. I have never had a peach dessert so full of flavor!

angled close up of cake with slice cut into it with peach slices, raspberries, and chamomile flowers on top.

Though, as good as this cake is, I must admit…the brown sugar cream cheese frosting is the real star of this show. It’s tangy and sweet, with a subtle molasses undertone. It really compliments the peach flavor SO well!

Whether you’re looking for a summer-showstopper dessert or simple want to use the last of summer peaches, this cake is everything you could ever dream of. It’s seriously so delicious!

Reasons You Will Love This Fresh Peach Cake

  • Easier to make than you might think.
  • The perfect way to celebrate the delicious flavor of in-season peaches!
  • A real crowd pleaser.
  • Gorgeous with minimal effort.
  • Each bite is full of flavor, tender, moist, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious.
peach cake on upside down white plate with peach slices, raspberries, and chamomile flowers on top of cake, with more peach slices around, a white cheesecloth beside, a jar of peach jam, and two empty glasses behind.

Equipment Needed

Ingredients

Full ingredient amounts and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

For The Jam:

  • Chopped Peaches – For the best flavor, we recommend using fresh peaches to make the jam!
  • Granulated Sugar – Adds sweetness and creates the “jammy” texture.
  • Lemon Juice – Cuts some of the sweetness, while also acting as a natural preservative.
chopped peaches, lemon juice, and sugar on marble surface

For The Cake:

  • Salted Butter – This is for sautéing the peaches! It not only adds flavor, but a buttery richness to the peaches.
  • Ripe Peaches – By using fresh peaches, it adds an intense flavor to this cake.
  • Bourbon – We added a splash of bourbon to give the peaches a delicious undertone.
  • Brown Sugar – Adds sweetness to the peaches.
  • Ground Nutmeg – Provides a fuller bodied flavor to this cake, while complimenting the peaches nicely.
  • All-Purpose Flour – No need for fancy cake flour for this recipe! Regular unbleached all-purpose gives this cake the perfect structure and texture.
  • Granulated Sugar – Sugar does so much for baked goods other than sweeten! It keeps the cake soft, moist, it helps promote browning…it is an essential ingredient for structure and flavor!
  • Baking Powder – Leavening is essential in baking. This provides the perfect rise in the cake to give is a light, tender, and delicious texture.
  • Salt – Enhances the flavor while also cutting the sweetness of the cake.
  • Whole Milk – Adding whole milk to a cake does SO MUCH! From creating a lighter, stronger crumb, to activating the leavening, and even making the cake itself a little richer.
  • Large Eggs – Remember to set our your eggs ahead of time to allow them to come to room temperature before mixing.
  • Vegetable Oil – Keeps the cake oh-so moist and tender.
  • Vanilla Extract – Adds a sweet undertone to this cake.
bourbon, flour, butter, nutmeg, baking powder, salt sliced peaches, milk, brown sugar, oil, granulated sugar, eggs, and vanilla on marble surface.

For The Frosting:

  • Heavy Cream – This is our secret to our no-fail cream cheese frosting! Using whipped cream helps keep the frosting stabilized and less likely to melt.
  • Cream Cheese – Makes this frosting irresistibly rich and tangy!
  • Brown Sugar – Instead of powdered sugar, we opted to use brown sugar to add a delicious flavor to compliment the peaches better.
  • Salt – Cuts the sweetness slightly.
  • Vanilla Extract – Just a splash to give this frosting the best-ever flavor!
cubed cream cheese, heavy cream, brown sugar, salt, and vanilla on marble surface.

How To Make This Peach Cake

Step 1: Prepare jam

In a medium saucepan, combine peaches, sugar, and lemon juice. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened, 20-25 minutes. Remove from heat.

chopped peaches, lemon juice, and sugar in large pot on marble surface
peach jam in small pot on marble surface

Step 2: Sauté peaches

Melt butter in a large skillet. Add peaches, bourbon, brown sugar, and nutmeg. Sauté over medium low heat until peaches are soft, about 3-4 minutes.

sliced peaches, brown sugar, nutmeg, and melted butter in skillet.
Sautéed peaches in skillet.

Step 3: Blend

Transfer into blender and purée until completely smooth and no chunks of peaches remain. Set aside.

Sautéed peaches in blender.
Puréed peaches in blender.

Step 4: Make cake batter

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt in glass bowl.
whisked dry ingredients in glass bowl.

In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, oil, vanilla, and peach purée.

Puréed peaches, milk, vegetable oil, vanilla, and eggs in glass bowl.
whisked wet ingredients in glass bowl.

Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients. Whisk until well mixed.

wet ingredients added to dry ingredients in glass bowl.
cake batter in glass bowl.

Step 5: Bake

Divide batter evenly among prepared pans. Bake for 30 minutes, or until cake tests done. Allow to cool in pans before turning out.

cake batter in three round cake pans.
baked cakes in round cake pans.

Step 6: Prepare frosting

With an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat cream to medium stiff peaks.

heavy cream in stand mixer.
whipped cream in stand mixer.

Add cream cheese, one cube at a time. Beat until smooth.

cube of cream cheese in stand mixer.
cream cheese and whipped cream mixture in stand mixer.

Mix in sugar and salt.

brown sugar and salt added to brown sugar mixture.
brown sugar frosting in stand mixer.

Add vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.

vanilla added to frosting.
frosting in stand mixer.

Step 7: Assemble

Place 1 cake layer on serving plate. Spread a thin layer of frosting over top of cake. Pipe a border of frosting around the edges of the cake, leaving a ⅛ inch rim. Fill center of cake layer with ½ the jam.

cake layer on upside down cake plate with frosting spread on top.
ring of frosting piped around the edge of cake with jam filling the middle.

Place next layer of top, pressing down slightly. Repeat filling. Top with final layer.

ring of frosting with jam filling the middle added on top of first layer.
three layers of cake on upside down plate.

Frost top and sides of cake.

angled close up of peach cake with peach slices, raspberries, and white chamomile flowers on top, with brown sugar and more peach slices around on marble surface.

FAQ’s and Troubleshooting

What’s the best type of peaches to use?

With so many varieties of peaches out there, it can be a little overwhelming! For this cake, the best peaches to use are Freestone Yellow Peaches. Freestones (which means the peach comes easily off of the pit) are generally available during peak season/a little later on. The first peaches of the season will always be clingstone (means that the peach will not come off easily from the pit). Clingstone peaches can be used, but you have to be careful when cutting them, as getting them off the pit/seed can be difficult!

Should I peel the peaches?

We chose to peel our peaches, as we didn’t want any of the peel inside the cake or in the jam. This is something we highly recommend doing with this recipe!

Can I use canned or frozen peaches?

Of course! Just make sure they’re plain peaches. No peach filling or sweetened peaches. Also, when it comes to canned peaches, be sure to strain any juice out. You just want the peaches!

Can I use white peaches for this recipe?

This recipe is specifically for yellow peaches. We wouldn’t recommend using white peaches in this cake, as they are much sweeter.

Do I have to use bourbon in this recipe?

While the bourbon adds a wonderful depth of flavor and the alcohol gets cooked off as you sauté it, you may omit it, if desired. You may need to add a splash more vanilla, but other than that, it should be fine!

Why did my cake not rise?

If your cake didn’t rise, this could be a few things. The most common is that the cake was over-mixed. It could also be that your baking powder is out of date! So, be sure to always check the expiration dates on your ingredients before baking.

Why is my cake dry/crumbly?

Dryness can be a common issue with baking cakes. It’s either a result of over-mixing or over-baking! Though, keep in mind that under-mixing and under-baking can be equally as bad. So, be sure to follow the directions in the recipe card below (and make sure your oven is at the right temperature!) for the best results in this cake!

Why is there no powdered sugar in the frosting?

When testing this recipe, we found that by adding powdered sugar in addition to the brown sugar made the frosting way too runny. We couldn’t frost the cake with it at all! So, we opted to just use brown sugar and this resulted in a much more stable frosting.

overhead shot of peach cake on white plate with slice of cake on another plate in front, with peaches and flowers around, a cake knife, and peach jam in jar beside on marble surface.

Decorating Ideas

Once this cake is assembled, it is a blank canvas! There are SO many things you can do with this cake, but here are a few ideas to help you get started.

  • Use fresh peaches slices or other complimentary fruit/berries to add color on top of the cake!
  • Edible flowers not only add a cute addition to this cake, but also really make it pop with summer vibes.
  • Make extra frosting to pipe decorations on top or bottom of this cake.
  • Celebrating something? Add pastel colored sprinkles to add a cute celebratory vibe!

How To Store

Since this is a very moist cake, the best way to store it is in a covered cake plate and in the fridge for 5-6 days!

Though, if needed, you can also freeze this cake. You can either freeze the individual layers before assembly or you can freeze individual slices of this cake for up to 2 months.

Substitutions:

  • You can use store-bought jam to fill the cake!
  • Don’t have fresh peaches? You can use frozen or canned. Just be sure to use plain peaches. No peach filling or sweetened peaches!
  • If desired, the bourbon can be omitted from the sautéed peaches. Instead, you can add about 1 teaspoon of vanilla.

Looking for more recipes like this? Here are a few you may like:

angled shot of peach cake on upside down plate with two slices of cake in front and behind the cake.

Expert Tips

  • Depending on how your jam cooks down, you may have a little extra jam. You will need about 1 cup of jam divided in half between each layer.
  • Be careful to not over-mix the cake batter.
  • When dividing the cake batter, it’s best to use a ladle and a scale to help ensure each cake layer is even!
  • If you’re unsure if the cake is baked, you can use a cake tester or a toothpick to test the cakes. If it comes out clean, the cake is fully baked!
  • Let the cake layers cool COMPLETELY before assembling the cake.
  • Depending on how the cakes bake, you may or may not need to level the cake layers.
  • If you’d like, when frosting this cake, you can do a crumb coat to help ensure a clean and crumb-free frosting.
  • To get clean slices, wipe your knife after each cut!

When you make this Fresh Peach Cake with Peach Jam Filling and Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting, leave a comment down below! We love hearing from you and answering any questions you might have! Also, be sure to tag us on social media and hashtag it #BakersTable.

peach cake with two slices in front and behind on white plates with peaches and flowers around on marble surface, a jar of peach jam, and two empty glasses behind cake.
4.88 from 8 votes

Fresh Peach Cake with Peach Jam Filling and Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting

Author: Traci
Celebrate the best of summer with this Fresh Peach Cake with Peach Jam Filling and Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting! Every bite is sweet, extra peachy, bright, and SO. GOOD. It's literally summer in cake-form!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 12

Ingredients
 

Peach Jam

  • 3 cups chopped peaches
  • ⅔ cup granulated sugar
  • 2½ Tablespoons lemon juice

Cake

  • 1½ Tablespoons salted butter
  • 3 medium ripe peaches, peeled, pitted, and sliced
  • 3 Tablespoons bourbon
  • 1½ Tablespoons brown sugar, firmly packed
  • 1½ teaspoons ground nutmeg
  • 4½ cups all purpose flour
  • 1⅞ cups granulated sugar
  • 1½ Tablespoons baking powder
  • 1½ teaspoons salt
  • 1½ cups whole milk
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1⅛ cups vegetable oil
  • 2¼ teaspoons vanilla

Frosting

  • 2 cups heavy cream, cold
  • 2 cups cream cheese, cut into 1 inch cubes
  • 1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • In a medium saucepan, combine peaches, sugar, and lemon juice.
  • Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened, 20-25 minutes.
  • Remove from heat. Set aside.

Cake

  • Melt butter in a large skillet.
  • Add peaches, bourbon, brown sugar, and nutmeg.
  • Sauté over medium low heat until peaches are soft, about 3-4 minutes.
  • Let cool.
  • Transfer into blender and purée until completely smooth and no chunks of peaches remain. Set aside.
  • Heat oven to 350 °F.
  • Spray 3 8-inch cake pans with baking spray. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, oil, vanilla, and peach purée.
  • Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients.
  • Whisk until well mixed.
  • Divide batter evenly among prepared pans.
  • Bake for 30 minutes, or until cake tests done.
  • Allow to cool in pans before turning out.

Frosting

  • With an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat cream to medium stiff peaks.
  • Add cream cheese, one cube at a time.
  • Beat until smooth.
  • Mix in sugar and salt.
  • Add vanilla.
  • Beat until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.

Putting It Together

  • Level cake layers, if necessary.
  • Spoon frosting into piping bag, or large zip-top bag.
  • Snip off end.
  • Place 1 cake layer on serving plate.
  • Spread a thin layer of frosting over top of cake.
  • Pipe a border of frosting around the edges of the cake, leaving a ⅛ inch rim.
  • Fill center of cake layer with ½ the jam.
  • Place next layer of top, pressing down slightly.
  • Repeat filling.
  • Top with final layer.
  • Frost top and sides of cake.

Notes

Substitutions:
  • You can use store-bought jam to fill the cake!
  • Don’t have fresh peaches? You can use frozen or canned. Just be sure to use plain peaches. No peach filling or sweetened peaches!
  • If desired, the bourbon can be omitted from the sautéed peaches. Instead, you can add about 1 teaspoon of vanilla.
 
Expert Tips:
  • Depending on how your jam cooks down, you may have a little extra jam. You will need about 1 cup of jam divided in half between each layer.
  • Be careful to not over-mix the cake batter.
  • When dividing the cake batter, it’s best to use a ladle and a scale to help ensure each cake layer is even!
  • If you’re unsure if the cake is baked, you can use a cake tester or a toothpick to test the cakes. If it comes out clean, the cake is fully baked!
  • Let the cake layers cool COMPLETELY before assembling the cake.
  • Depending on how the cakes bake, you may or may not need to level the cake layers.
  • If you’d like, when frosting this cake, you can do a crumb coat to help ensure a clean and crumb-free frosting.
  • To get clean slices, wipe your knife after each cut!

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 978kcal | Carbohydrates: 115g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 53g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 14g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 152mg | Sodium: 695mg | Potassium: 305mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 72g | Vitamin A: 1397IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 230mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

When you make this recipe, remember to tag @bakerstble or hashtag it #BakersTable!

– Still Hungry? –

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4 Comments

    1. Hi Kristina! Since we didn’t make this as cupcakes, all I can do is give you a guess. I would say about 3 dozen. Let me know if you have any other questions.

      Reply

    1. Hi Theresa! You will need about 1 1/2 cups sliced peaches. That should cook down to about 1 cup of puréed peaches. Let me know if you have any more questions.

      Reply