Southern Peach Cake is a moist vanilla butter sheet cake with tender peaches folded right in and a simple peach glaze on top.
I like this one because it tastes old-fashioned in the best way. The crumb is soft and rich, the peaches stay juicy, and the glaze gives it that little extra sweetness without needing frosting.
For me, it’s a great cake for potlucks, church dinners, and weekend baking. It slices cleanly, travels well, and it’s especially nice with coffee or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Simple sheet cake: No layers, no fuss. You just bake it in a 9×13 and slice.
Classic peach flavor: Using canned peaches (and a little of the syrup) gives that familiar Southern dessert taste I always want with peach cake.
Moist, buttery crumb: It’s a vanilla butter cake at heart, so it stays tender and doesn’t eat dry the next day.
Easy glaze: The peach glaze comes together in a minute and sets up nicely, so you can stack slices on a plate without a mess.
Good with fresh peaches too: When peaches are actually ripe and sweet, this cake is a great place to use them.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Cake
- All-purpose flour: I use regular AP flour here. It gives the cake structure but still keeps the crumb soft.
- Baking powder: This is what gives the cake its lift. Make sure yours isn’t old, because it really matters in a simple cake like this.
- Fine salt: Don’t skip it. It keeps the sweetness from tasting flat.
- Unsalted butter: Softened butter creams better with the sugar and makes the texture lighter. If you only have salted butter, just go a little lighter on the added salt.
- Granulated sugar: This is the classic choice for that old-fashioned, clean sweetness in a butter cake.
- Eggs: Room temperature eggs mix in more smoothly and help the batter stay nice and even.
- Vanilla extract: Use a vanilla you like the taste of since it’s the main flavor in the cake base.
- Whole milk or buttermilk: Whole milk works great, but buttermilk makes it a little richer and a little more tender.
- Sliced peaches: Canned peaches in heavy syrup are my pick for the most classic flavor and reliable sweetness. Fresh peaches work too when they’re truly ripe.
- Flour (for tossing peaches): This helps keep the peaches from sinking and keeps the batter from getting watery around the fruit.
- Butter or baking spray: Grease the pan well so the corners release easily. A 9×13 can like to stick around the edges.
Glaze
- Powdered sugar: This gives you that smooth glaze texture. If it’s lumpy, sift it or just whisk a little longer.
- Reserved peach syrup or peach juice: This is where the peach flavor in the glaze comes from. I usually start with a little and add more if needed.
- Vanilla extract: Just a small amount makes the glaze taste more like it belongs on a butter cake.
- Milk: Use this to thin the glaze if it gets too thick. Add it a splash at a time.
- Ground cinnamon (optional): A pinch is nice if you want a warm, cobbler-like feel, but I don’t always use it.
Recipe Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Heat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter or baking spray.
- Mix the dry ingredients: Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl, then set aside.
- Toss the peaches: Drain the peaches well, chop if the slices are large, then toss with 1 tablespoon flour to lightly coat.
- Cream the butter and sugar: Beat the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs: Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing after each one until combined.
- Add the vanilla: Mix in the vanilla extract.
- Add the flour and milk: Mix in the dry ingredients alternating with the milk (or buttermilk), just until you no longer see dry flour.
- Fold in the peaches: Gently fold the floured peaches into the batter.
- Bake: Spread the batter evenly in the pan and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool: Cool the cake in the pan for about 20 minutes, then let it cool completely before glazing.
- Make the glaze: Whisk the powdered sugar, reserved peach syrup (or juice), vanilla, and enough milk to make a thick, pourable glaze.
- Glaze the cake: Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake and let it set for about 10 minutes before slicing.
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
Drain the peaches really well. Extra liquid can make the cake heavy and leave gummy spots around the fruit. I usually let them sit in a strainer for a few minutes while I mix the batter.
Don’t skip flouring the peaches. That light coating helps the fruit stay suspended instead of sliding to the bottom. It also helps keep little pockets from getting too wet.
Stop mixing as soon as the flour disappears. Overmixing is the quickest way to make a butter cake turn out a little tough. Stir just until it’s combined, then fold in the peaches.
Let it cool completely before glazing. If the cake is warm, the glaze will melt and soak in instead of sitting on top. I wait until the pan feels totally cool to the touch.
Buttermilk is worth it if you have it. It makes the crumb a bit more tender and gives a subtle tang that works really well with peaches.
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
- Vanilla ice cream: A scoop on the side is simple and classic. I like it best when the cake is at room temp and the ice cream is very cold.
- Whipped cream: A dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream is nice if you want something softer than ice cream. Add a pinch of cinnamon on top if you used it in the glaze.
- Fresh berries: A handful of strawberries or blueberries on the plate makes it feel a little lighter. It’s also a good move if your peaches are super sweet.
- Hot coffee or iced tea: This is a good cake for a casual dessert with coffee. Sweet tea works too if you’re keeping it Southern.
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 leftovers covered at room temperature for 1 to 2 days if your kitchen is cool. After that, I usually move it to the fridge so the fruit stays in good shape.
Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. The cake will firm up a bit when chilled, which is normal for butter cakes.
For serving, I like letting slices sit out for 15 to 20 minutes so the crumb softens again. You can also warm an individual slice briefly in the microwave.
If you want them to last longer, freeze individual portions (glazed or unglazed both work). Thaw in the fridge overnight, then bring to room temp before serving.
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 fresh peaches instead of canned?
Yes. Use about 2 cups of fresh ripe peaches and toss them with a little lemon juice (about 2 tablespoons) to keep the flavor bright. If your batter feels thick, add a splash more milk.
Do I have to use heavy syrup peaches?
No, but they give the most classic flavor and they’re reliably sweet. If you use peaches in juice, the cake will still work, but the glaze may need a bit more powdered sugar or vanilla to taste.
How do I know when the cake is done?
The top should be lightly golden and the center should look set, not jiggly. A toothpick inserted near the center should come out clean (a moist crumb is fine, wet batter is not).
Can I use buttermilk?
Definitely. I like buttermilk here because it makes the cake a little more tender and gives the flavor a subtle tang. It’s a simple swap for the milk.
Why did my peaches sink to the bottom?
This usually happens if the peaches weren’t drained well or if they weren’t tossed with flour. Very heavy peach chunks can do it too, so chopping large slices into smaller pieces helps.
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
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup whole milk or buttermilk
- 2 cups sliced peaches drained and chopped if large
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour for tossing peaches
- butter or baking spray for pan.
Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp reserved peach syrup or peach juice
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 to 2 tbsp milk as needed
- pinch of ground cinnamon optional.
INSTRUCTIONS
Cake
- Heat oven to 350 F and grease a 9x13 inch baking dish
- whisk flour baking powder and salt
- toss drained peaches with 1 tbsp flour
- cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy
- beat in eggs one at a time then mix in vanilla
- mix in dry ingredients alternating with milk just until combined
- fold in peaches
- spread batter evenly in pan and bake until golden and a toothpick comes out clean 40 to 50 minutes
- cool in pan 20 minutes then cool completely before glazing.
Glaze
- Whisk powdered sugar peach syrup vanilla and enough milk to make a thick pourable glaze
- drizzle over cooled cake and let set 10 minutes before slicing.
