Welcome to the ultimate summer and fall dessert experience: our exquisite Peach Cobbler Cake. Imagine the heartwarming, rustic charm of a classic peach cobbler, perfectly transformed into an elegant, show-stopping layered cake. This isn’t just a dessert; it’s a celebration of ripe, juicy peaches, warm spices, and delightful textures, making it ideal for any special occasion or a simple family gathering during peak peach season. Whether you’re craving a taste of summer sunshine or the cozy flavors of autumn, this cake promises to be an unforgettable centerpiece.
My quest for the perfect peach cake often left me wanting more. Online, a sea of peach upside-down cakes and simplistic peach dump cakes dominated the search results. While delicious in their own right, I yearned for something grander, a truly spectacular layered peach cake that captured the essence of a homemade peach pie but with the sophisticated presentation of a tiered dessert. This longing sparked the creation of this unique layered peach cake recipe, meticulously designed to blend the best of both worlds.
This dessert elevates the humble peach into a culinary masterpiece. It features three exceptionally moist and flavorful peach cake layers, generously interspersed with a rich, cinnamon-spiced peach pie filling. But the magic doesn’t stop there. Each layer is adorned with a delicate, crunchy cinnamon crumble, providing a textural contrast that will tantalize your taste buds. The entire creation is then crowned with a smooth, tangy cream cheese frosting, perfectly balancing the sweetness of the peaches and the warmth of the cinnamon. This combination of soft cake, tender peaches, crisp crumble, and creamy frosting makes every bite an adventure.
To achieve an unparalleled peach flavor that truly shines, this recipe incorporates two distinct peach preparations. We use finely ground freeze-dried peaches, which offer an intense, concentrated burst of peach essence, ensuring that every morsel of cake is infused with authentic fruit flavor. Alongside, lightly pureed fresh peaches are folded into the batter, contributing natural moisture and delightful small chunks that enhance the cake’s texture and natural sweetness. This dual approach guarantees a deep, vibrant peach profile throughout the cake layers, unlike any other homemade peach cake you’ve tasted.
The filling is a labor of love, mirroring the comforting flavors of a traditional peach pie. Sweet, juicy peach pieces are simmered with warm cinnamon until they reach a perfectly spoonable consistency, creating a luscious center for each cake layer. Complementing this tender filling is our irresistible cinnamon crumble. Baked to golden perfection, it introduces a delightful crunch that contrasts beautifully with the soft cake and wet filling, adding an unexpected layer of texture that truly makes this peach cobbler cake a standout dessert. Every detail, from the selection of ingredients to the careful layering, has been considered to make this recipe not just a cake, but an experience.
Baking this cake is a rewarding journey, and I’ve included detailed tips, tricks, and process photos to guide you every step of the way. If you are a devoted fan of peach dessert recipes, you simply must explore the wonders of my cinnamon peach cupcakes, which offer a delightful, individual portion of peach perfection.
Essential Baking Tips for Your Perfect Peach Cobbler Cake
Achieving a truly spectacular Peach Cobbler Cake requires attention to detail. These comprehensive tips will help ensure your cake layers are moist, your fillings are flavorful, and your frosting is flawlessly smooth. For an even deeper dive into crafting the perfect filling, refer to my dedicated guide on homemade peach pie filling.
- Accurate Flour Measurement is Key: Baking is a science, and precision matters. Always spoon your flour into the measuring cup and then level it off with a straight edge. Dipping the measuring cup directly into the flour bag compacts it, leading to an excess amount of flour. This can result in a dense, dry cake rather than the light and tender crumb we’re aiming for. Proper measurement ensures your cake achieves its ideal texture.
- Macerating Peaches for Enhanced Flavor: When preparing the lightly pureed peaches for the cake batter, don’t skip the maceration step. After lightly pureeing them (aim for small to medium chunks, not a completely smooth puree), spread them on a plate and sprinkle with a teaspoon of sugar. Allowing them to sit for 5 minutes draws out their natural juices and intensifies their sweet, vibrant peach flavor, making a noticeable difference in the final taste of your cake.
- Leverage Freeze-Dried Peaches for Intense Taste: For an unmistakable, concentrated peach flavor in your cake layers, incorporate freeze-dried peaches. These gems, found at stores like Target or easily online via Amazon, are a secret weapon for amplifying fruit flavors in baked goods without adding excess moisture. Grind them into a fine powder before adding to the batter for a seamless integration and a powerful punch of peach.
- Strategic Make-Ahead Preparation: To streamline your baking process and make assembly day less stressful, prepare the peach filling and cinnamon crumble a day in advance. Both components can be stored separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator. This not only saves time but also allows the flavors to meld beautifully, ensuring they are perfectly chilled and ready for layering.
- Cooking the Peach Filling to Perfection: When cooking your peach pie filling from scratch, ensure it thickens adequately on the stovetop. It should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon without running off quickly. Remember, the filling will continue to thicken significantly as it cools. Don’t overcook it to avoid a gummy texture, but ensure it’s not too runny, or it will seep into your cake layers.
- High-Altitude Baking Adjustments: Bakers at high altitudes often need to make modifications to prevent issues like dry or collapsed cakes. For this recipe, add an extra 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour to the cake batter. This adjustment helps to strengthen the cake’s structure, allowing it to hold up better against the lower atmospheric pressure and higher evaporation rates, ensuring a perfectly risen and tender cake.
- Room Temperature Ingredients for a Smooth Batter: Always use room temperature butter, eggs, and buttermilk for the cake batter and cream cheese for the frosting. Room temperature ingredients emulsify more effectively, creating a smoother, more uniform batter and frosting. This leads to a more consistent texture in your finished cake and a light, airy frosting.
- Cool Cake Layers Completely: Patience is paramount! Before you even think about frosting or assembling, ensure your baked cake layers are completely cooled. Warm cake will melt the frosting and cause your layers to slide, leading to a messy and unstable cake. Transfer them to a wire rack after a short rest in the pans and let them cool fully.
Crafting the Perfect Peach Cake Layers
The foundation of our Peach Cobbler Cake lies in its incredibly moist and flavorful cake layers. This recipe calls for a unique blend of all-purpose flour and cake flour, which together create a delicate crumb while maintaining a robust structure capable of holding generous fillings. The inclusion of baking powder and baking soda ensures a beautiful rise, while buttermilk contributes to the cake’s tenderness and adds a subtle tang that complements the sweet peaches.
The heart of these layers is, of course, the peaches. By incorporating both finely ground freeze-dried peaches and lightly pureed fresh peaches, we achieve a multi-dimensional peach flavor that is both intense and wonderfully natural. The freeze-dried peaches concentrate the flavor, while the pureed fresh peaches add natural moisture and delightful small fruit pieces that burst with juiciness in every bite. Combined with unsalted butter and a touch of oil for extra moisture, and rich vanilla extract for aromatic depth, these layers are truly a peach lover’s dream.
Achieving the perfect consistency for the cake batter is crucial. After creaming the butter, oil, and sugar until light and fluffy, and incorporating the eggs and peach elements, you’ll gradually alternate adding the sifted dry ingredients with the buttermilk. Mix only until just combined to avoid overworking the gluten, which can lead to a tough cake. The resulting batter will be thick and rich, perfectly suited for baking into three even layers that are robust enough to support the generous filling.
Preparing the Luscious Peach Pie Filling
The peach pie filling is the soul of this layered peach cake, providing that unmistakable cobbler-like experience. Fresh, ripe peaches are peeled, cubed, and then gently simmered with brown sugar, cornstarch, ground cinnamon, and a splash of lemon juice. The brown sugar adds a deep, caramel-like sweetness, while the cornstarch works as a thickening agent, ensuring the filling is beautifully jammy and doesn’t make your cake soggy. The cinnamon infuses the peaches with a warm, comforting spice, and the lemon juice brightens the overall flavor, preventing it from being overly sweet.
Cooking this filling requires a bit of patience, but it’s well worth the effort. Stir constantly over medium heat until the mixture visibly thickens, becoming glossy and spoonable. Remember that it will continue to set as it cools, so don’t be tempted to overcook it. Once it reaches the desired consistency, remove it from the heat and allow it to cool completely. This cooling process is essential for the filling to achieve its optimal texture, making it perfect for layering between your cake tiers.
Crafting the Crunchy Cinnamon Crumble Topping
One of the distinctive elements that truly transforms this into a Peach Cobbler Cake is the delightful cinnamon crumble. This crunchy topping provides a textural contrast that elevates the entire dessert, mimicking the buttery, spiced topping of a traditional cobbler. Made from a simple combination of brown sugar, white granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, a pinch of salt, all-purpose flour, and melted unsalted butter, it’s incredibly easy to prepare.
The key to a perfect crumble is to mix the ingredients with a fork until large, irregular chunks form. These varied sizes will bake into a mix of crisp and slightly chewy pieces. Spread the crumble mixture evenly on a baking sheet and bake until golden brown and firm. Don’t forget to stir the crumbles while they’re hot and again after 10 minutes of cooling; this prevents them from sticking together and ensures distinct, separate pieces. Once completely cool, these crunchy morsels are ready to add a wonderful dimension to each layer of your cake, providing that irresistible textural element.
Whipping Up the Velvety Cream Cheese Frosting
No peach dessert is complete without a perfectly complementary frosting, and our cream cheese frosting is the ideal choice for this cake. Its tangy sweetness provides a beautiful balance to the rich peach flavors and spiced crumble. This frosting is made with softened cream cheese and slightly cold unsalted butter, which are beaten together until light and fluffy. The slight chill in the butter helps maintain the frosting’s structure, preventing it from becoming too soft.
Sifted powdered sugar is gradually added, ensuring a smooth, lump-free consistency. Finishing with pure vanilla extract enhances the overall flavor profile. Beat on high speed until the frosting is wonderfully creamy, airy, and spreadable. For best results and ease of decorating, prepare the cream cheese frosting right before you intend to assemble the cake, ensuring it’s at the perfect consistency for spreading and piping.
How to Assemble and Decorate Your Peach Cobbler Cake
Assembling this multi-layered peach cake is where all your hard work comes together, culminating in a visually stunning and incredibly delicious dessert. Precision and a gentle touch are key to creating beautiful, stable layers.
Begin by placing a small dollop of frosting on your cake stand or serving platter; this acts as an adhesive to keep your cake secure. Using a serrated knife, carefully level the tops of your cooled cake layers, ensuring an even surface for stacking. Place your first cake layer on the prepared board. Spread about 3/4 cup of the luscious cream cheese frosting evenly over this layer. Then, using a piping bag fitted with a round tip (or simply snipping the corner off a Ziploc bag), pipe a sturdy border of frosting around the very edge of the cake. This “dam” will contain the delicious peach filling.
Inside the frosting dam, spread half of the chilled peach pie filling. Ensure it’s evenly distributed but doesn’t reach the piped border. Next, generously sprinkle a portion of your crunchy cinnamon crumble over the peach filling, creating an enticing textural layer. To help the next cake layer adhere firmly, pipe about five small dollops of frosting directly onto the crumbles. Carefully place the second cake layer on top, pressing down gently to secure it. Repeat the frosting, dam, filling, and crumble steps for the second layer.
For the final layer, place the third cake layer upside down. This technique uses the flat bottom of the cake as the top, resulting in a perfectly smooth surface for frosting. Apply a very thin “crumb coat” of frosting over the entire cake. This light layer traps any loose crumbs, creating a clean canvas. Chill the cake in the freezer for about 15 minutes to set this crumb coat. Once firm, apply the remaining cream cheese frosting in a thicker, even layer, smoothing it to your desired finish. For decoration, artfully arrange extra peach slices and a scattering of the remaining cinnamon crumble on top. This not only enhances the visual appeal but also provides a preview of the delightful flavors within. Every slice of this best peach dessert will be a testament to your baking prowess!
Serving and Storage Suggestions
This Peach Cobbler Cake is a masterpiece best enjoyed with loved ones. Serve slices at room temperature to allow the full spectrum of flavors and textures to shine. For an extra special treat, consider pairing it with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream or a dollop of freshly whipped cream. The cool, creamy accompaniment beautifully complements the warm spices and tender peaches of the cake. A light dusting of ground cinnamon or a few fresh mint leaves can also add a delightful touch to each serving.
To store your cake, place it in an airtight cake carrier or cover it loosely with plastic wrap. It will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Allow slices to come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving for optimal flavor and texture. The assembled cake can also be frozen for longer storage. To freeze, chill the frosted cake until firm, then wrap it tightly in several layers of plastic wrap and then a layer of aluminum foil. It can be stored in the freezer for up to 1-2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before bringing it to room temperature for serving.
If you’re still craving more delightful peach creations, be sure to try my peach cobbler cookies for a bite-sized treat, or indulge in the comforting warmth of my peach cinnamon rolls for a spectacular breakfast or brunch.
If you’ve fallen in love with this incredible Peach Cobbler Cake recipe, please don’t hesitate to leave astar review below! Your feedback helps other bakers discover this amazing dessert. I’d also love to see your creations! Make sure to tag me on Instagram @stephaniesweettreats. For more inspiring baking ideas and sweet treats, follow me on Pinterest.
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Peach Cobbler Cake
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Ingredients
Peach Cake
- 2 cups All-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 cups Cake flour
- 2 tsp Baking powder
- 1/2 tsp Baking soda
- 1 tsp Salt
- 3/4 cup Unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/4 cup Oil, canola or vegetable
- 1 3/4 cup White granulated sugar
- 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
- 4 Large eggs, room temperature
- 1 oz Freeze-dried peaches, grounded to a fine crumb
- 1 cup Lightly pureed peaches, about 2-3 peaches or 6 oz
- 1 tsp White granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup Buttermilk, room temperature
Peach Filling
- 4 Peaches, peeled and cubed or 1 lb
- 1/2 cup Brown sugar, packed light or dark
- 1 TBSP Cornstarch
- 1 TBSP Lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp Ground cinnamon
Cinnamon Crumb Topping
- 1/2 cup Brown sugar, packed light or dark
- 1/4 cup White granulated sugar
- 1/2 TBSP Ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1 1/4 cup All-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup Unsalted butter, melted
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 16 oz Cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 cups Unsalted butter, slightly cold
- 5 cups Powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Peach Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray three 8 inch cake pans with baking non-stick spray. Line with parchment circles. Spray again.
- Peel and chop the peaches. Place in food processer and blend until small pieces remain. Place on a plate and sprinkle the sugar over the top. Let it sit for 5 minutes. Blend the freeze dried peaches into a fine crumb.1 oz Freeze-dried peaches, 1 cup Lightly pureed peaches, 1 tsp White granulated sugar
- In a mixing bowl, sift the flour, cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.2 cups All-purpose flour, 1 1/4 cups Cake flour, 2 tsp Baking powder, 1/2 tsp Baking soda, 1 tsp Salt
- Using a mixer, beat the butter, oil, and sugar on high for 2 minutes. It should become light in color and fluffy. Add in the vanilla, eggs, freeze-dried peaches, and lightly pureed peaches. Mix on medium speed until combined.3/4 cup Unsalted butter, 1/4 cup Oil, 1 3/4 cup White granulated sugar, 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract, 4 Large eggs
- Add in the dry ingredients and buttermilk. Mix on low speed until just combined. Take off the mixer and stir.3/4 cup Buttermilk
- Divide the batter between the three pans evenly or use a kitchen scale. Bake for 25-30 minutes. The cakes are done baking when a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Let the cakes sit in the pan for 10 minutes. Then, transfer to a cooling rack. Allow the cakes to cool completely.
Peach Filling
- Peel and chop the peaches into small cubes. Combine peaches, brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and lemon juice in a saucepan. Heat over medium heat. Cook until it thickens. Take off heat and let cool completely. It will thicken more as it cools.4 Peaches, 1/2 cup Brown sugar, 1 TBSP Cornstarch, 1 TBSP Lemon juice, 1/2 tsp Ground cinnamon
Cinnamon Crumb Topping
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick spray. Combine brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon, salt, flour, and melted butter. Mix with a fork. Mix until combined and there are large chunks.1/2 cup Brown sugar, 1/4 cup White granulated sugar, 1/2 TBSP Ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp Salt, 1 1/4 cup All-purpose flour, 1/2 cup Unsalted butter
- Spread on the cookie sheet and bake for 8 minutes. Stir the crumbles while hot, and again 10 minutes later. Cool completely.
*I will make the peach filling and cinnamon crumble ahead of time, for an easier assembly.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Sift the powdered sugar in a large bowl. Set aside.5 cups Powdered sugar
- Using a mixer, beat the butter on high speed for 2 minutes. Add the cream cheese and beat on high for 1 minutes. Stir.16 oz Cream cheese, 2 cups Unsalted butter
- Add in half of the powdered sugar and mix on low speed. Add the remaining powdered sugar and mix. Next, add in the vanilla. Mix on high speed until the frosting is creamy.1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
Assembly
- Place a small amount of frosting on the board you are decorating your cake on. Use a serrated knife to cut the tops off the cake so they are level.
- Place the 1st layer of cake down. Spread 3/4 cup of frosting over the top of the cake. Place frosting into a piping bag and pipe a border around the edge of the cake. Spread half of the peach filling and sprinkle some of the crumble on top. Enough to coat the top.
- Tip: Pipe 5 dollops of frosting on top of the crumbles, to help the next cake layer stick together. Repeat with the second cake layer. Place the third cake layer with the bottom of the cake facing up.
- Frost the cake in a very light layer of frosting. It should be very light and you should see a lot of the cake peeping through. Freeze for 15 minutes to lock the crumbs in place.
- Frost the rest of the cake. Top with extra peaches and cinnamon crumble for decoration.
Notes
Peaches- I used yellow peaches from the grocery store. They were firm. You can use frozen and thawed peaches.
High altitude baking- Add 3 TBSP of extra flour.
Peach filling and crumb topping can be made ahead of time. Store these in separate air tight container and store in the fridge.