Southern Peach Cake is the kind of cake I make when I want something a little more special than a basic sheet cake, but still simple and familiar. It’s moist, tender, and full of peach flavor, with a cinnamon brown sugar swirl running through the middle.
My favorite part is the texture: the sour cream keeps the crumb soft and rich, and the peaches stay juicy without turning the whole thing soggy. The swirl gives you those little pockets of warm cinnamon and (if you use them) crunchy pecans, which I think makes each slice more interesting.
I like serving this as a weekend dessert or for casual get-togethers, because it slices neatly and doesn’t need much on the side. The simple vanilla glaze is enough, especially with a cup of coffee or iced tea.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Moist crumb: Sour cream and butter make this cake stay soft for days, and it doesn’t feel dry like some Bundt cakes can.
Cinnamon swirl: The brown sugar ripple bakes into a sweet, spicy layer that breaks up the cake in the best way.
Peach-forward: You get real peach pieces in every slice, and it works with fresh, frozen (thawed), or canned peaches.
Easy to serve: Bundt pan or 9×13—either way, it slices cleanly and travels well for potlucks and holidays.
Simple glaze: A quick vanilla drizzle finishes it off without needing a frosting project.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Cake Batter
- Unsalted butter: I like using softened butter so it creams up quickly with the sugar. If it’s too cold, you’ll fight lumps the whole time.
- Granulated sugar: Keeps the cake sweet and light. I stick with white sugar here since the swirl already brings the brown sugar flavor.
- Eggs: Room temperature eggs mix in smoother and help the batter look more uniform. Cold eggs can make the butter seize a bit.
- Sour cream: Don’t skip it—this is what keeps the crumb tender and a little plush. Full-fat is what I use.
- Vanilla extract: Regular pure vanilla is perfect here. It shows up in both the cake and the glaze, so it’s worth using a decent one.
- All-purpose flour: I use regular AP flour. Measure it normally (spoon and level if you tend to pack flour) so the cake doesn’t get heavy.
- Baking powder: Helps the cake rise and stay fluffy, especially in a Bundt pan.
- Baking soda: Works with the sour cream to give a nice lift. It also helps the cake brown a little better.
- Kosher salt: A small amount keeps the cake from tasting flat. If you only have table salt, use a little less.
- Peaches: Ripe but firm peaches are my pick, but drained canned peaches work fine too. If you use frozen, thaw and drain really well so you don’t add extra water to the batter.
- Flour (for tossing peaches): This sounds small, but it really helps keep the peach pieces from dropping straight to the bottom.
Cinnamon Swirl
- Light brown sugar: I like light brown sugar for a softer caramel flavor, but dark brown sugar works too if that’s what you’ve got.
- Ground cinnamon: Use cinnamon you actually like, since it’s the main flavor in the swirl. Fresh-ish cinnamon matters here.
- Unsalted butter: Melted butter makes the swirl easy to mix and spread. Let it cool for a minute so it doesn’t feel scorching hot.
- Pecans: Optional, but really good for some crunch. If you’re serving picky eaters, you can leave them out and the swirl still works.
Glaze
- Powdered sugar: This makes the glaze smooth and quick. If it’s lumpy, sift it, or just whisk a little longer.
- Milk: Any milk works. Start with less and add a tiny splash if you want it thinner for drizzling.
- Vanilla extract: A little vanilla makes the glaze taste like more than just sweet sugar.
- Salt: Just a pinch keeps the glaze from tasting one-note.
Recipe Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 10 to 12 cup Bundt pan, or grease a 9×13 inch pan.
- Prep the peaches: Toss the diced peaches with flour until coated, then set aside.
- Mix the dry ingredients: Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl.
- Cream the butter and sugar: Beat the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs: Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing after each one.
- Add the sour cream: Mix in the sour cream and vanilla extract until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients: Add the dry ingredients and mix just until you no longer see dry flour.
- Fold in the peaches: Gently fold in the floured peaches until they’re evenly mixed in.
- Make the swirl: Stir the brown sugar, cinnamon, melted butter, and pecans (if using) into a crumbly paste.
- Layer the batter: Spread half the cake batter into the prepared pan. Add the cinnamon swirl in an even layer, then top with the remaining batter.
- Swirl: Gently run a knife through the batter a few times to create a swirl without overmixing it.
- Bake: Bake until a toothpick comes out clean and the top springs back, about 50 to 60 minutes for a Bundt pan or 40 to 50 minutes for a 9×13 pan.
- Cool: Let the cake cool for 15 minutes. If using a Bundt pan, turn it out onto a rack and let it cool completely before glazing.
- Glaze: Whisk the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and salt until smooth, then drizzle over the cooled cake.
Some of my tips!
This is the part that really makes a difference. If you only read one section, make it this one because this is where I share the little trick that helps the recipe turn out so well.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
Use peaches that are ripe but still firm. Super soft peaches can break down too much and make the cake feel wet in spots. If your peaches are very juicy, drain off any excess before dicing.
Don’t skip flouring the peaches. It really does help them stay suspended in the batter instead of sinking. I still expect a few pieces to settle a bit in a Bundt pan, but it’s much better this way.
Stop mixing as soon as the flour disappears. Overmixing is what makes Bundt cakes come out tight and bready. Once the dry ingredients go in, keep it gentle.
Tent with foil if it browns early. Bundt cakes can darken fast on top, especially in darker pans. A loose piece of foil over the top fixes it.
Let it cool before glazing. If the cake is warm, the glaze just melts in and disappears. I wait until it’s fully cool so you get a nice drizzle on top.
Make some touches!
There are plenty of easy ways to serve this depending on the occasion. Keep it simple, or add a few small touches to make it feel a little more special.
Serving Suggestions
- Coffee: This is one of my favorite cakes with black coffee or a latte. The cinnamon swirl really works with coffee.
- Iced tea: Sweet tea or unsweet iced tea both make sense here. It’s an easy summer dessert situation.
- Whipped cream: A small spoon of lightly sweetened whipped cream on the side is simple and good. I like it most if you skip adding anything else.
- Vanilla ice cream: If you’re serving this as a plated dessert, a scoop of vanilla ice cream is great. It’s especially nice with the Bundt version.
Save it for later
This section covers how to store leftovers and what parts of the recipe you can prepare ahead of time.
Storage and Make Ahead
Store the cake covered at room temperature for 2 days. If your kitchen is warm or humid, I usually move it to the fridge instead so the peaches stay nice.
Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. Let slices sit out for a few minutes before eating, or warm them briefly in the microwave.
You can make the cake a day ahead and glaze it the next day. I often wait to glaze until closer to serving so the top looks fresh.
If you want it to last longer, freeze individual slices or freeze the whole cake (unglazed is easiest). Thaw in the fridge overnight, then add glaze after it’s thawed.
A few quick answers
This section covers a few extra details that may help before you head to the recipe card.
Recipe FAQs
Can I use canned peaches?
Yes. Just make sure they’re well drained, then dice them into bite-sized pieces. I like to pat them dry with paper towels if they seem very wet.
Can I make this in a 9×13 pan instead of a Bundt pan?
Absolutely. A 9×13 is a little simpler for serving, and the bake time is usually shorter. Start checking around 40 minutes and go until a toothpick comes out clean.
How do I know when a Bundt cake is done?
I look for three things: the top springs back when lightly pressed, the edges start pulling from the pan a bit, and a toothpick comes out clean. If the top is browning but the center needs more time, tent it with foil and keep baking.
Can I leave out the pecans?
Yes, you can skip them and still get a good cinnamon ripple. If you want a little texture without nuts, you can add a small handful of oats to the swirl, but it’s optional.
Can I add bourbon or lemon to the glaze?
Yes. Stir in about 1 tablespoon of bourbon for a warmer flavor, or a little lemon juice for a brighter glaze. If it thins out too much, add a bit more powdered sugar.
You might also like
Before you go, take a look at a few other recipes below the recipe card. They use similar ingredients in a different way and are worth saving too.
MORE DINNER RECIPES TO TRY
Southern Peach Cake
INGREDIENTS
Cake Batter
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 cups peeled diced peaches fresh or drained canned
- 1 tbsp all purpose flour for tossing peaches.
Cinnamon Swirl
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter melted
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans optional.
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of salt.
INSTRUCTIONS
Prep and Batter
- heat oven to 350 F and grease and flour a 10 to 12 cup Bundt pan or a 9x13 inch pan
- toss diced peaches with 1 tbsp flour and set aside
- whisk flour baking powder baking soda and salt in a bowl
- beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy then beat in eggs one at a time
- mix in sour cream and vanilla
- add dry ingredients and mix just until combined then fold in peaches.
Swirl Bake and Finish
- stir brown sugar cinnamon melted butter and pecans to a crumbly paste
- spread half the batter in pan add cinnamon swirl in an even layer then top with remaining batter and gently swirl with a knife
- bake until a toothpick comes out clean and top springs back 50 to 60 minutes for Bundt or 40 to 50 minutes for 9x13 then cool 15 minutes and turn out if using Bundt
- whisk glaze ingredients until smooth and drizzle over cooled cake.
