Perfect Peach Pound Cake
This peach pound cake recipe is the perfect summer dessert! Made with fresh, juicy peaches, this cake is tender, moist, and full of flavor. Baked in a bundt pan, it’s as beautiful as it is delicious. Whether you serve it plain, with whipped cream, or a scoop of ice cream, this peach dessert is a must-try.
Fresh peaches add a special touch to desserts, turning something simple into a show-stopping treat. This peach pound cake recipe is the perfect way to use your ripest, juiciest peaches and create a cake that’s bursting with flavor.
This tender, moist pound cake is baked in a beautiful bundt pan, making it as stunning to look at as it is delicious to eat. Whether you’re hosting a gathering or just treating yourself, this cake is a winner for any occasion.
If you’re a peach lover searching for the ultimate summer fruit cake, this recipe is your answer. It’s a delightful balance of fresh peaches and buttery pound cake, perfect for celebrating the flavors of the season.
If you’re exploring more ways to bake with peaches, don’t miss my recipes for Old Fashioned Peach Cobbler and German Peach Cake (Peach Kuchen). Both are summer favorites in my kitchen and a great way to use up an abundance of ripe peaches. Happy baking!
Why This Peach Pound Cake Stands Out
Pound cake is famous for its delicate yet rich texture. Traditionally, it was named for its simple recipe—calling for a pound each of flour, butter, sugar, and eggs. While modern variations adjust these proportions, the result is always a delightful treat.
This peach pound cake recipe elevates the classic with fresh peaches and a few special touches, making it perfect for peach season. Here’s why this recipe is a must-try:
- The cake is light, airy, and incredibly moist while keeping the dense texture pound cake lovers adore.
- Heavy cream replaces sour cream, adding a richer, creamier flavor.
- Cake flour gives the cake a fine, velvety texture. Don’t have cake flour? No problem—I’ll share an easy substitute with common pantry ingredients.
- Each bite bursts with the natural, aromatic flavor of fresh peaches, making it a true summer delight.
Fresh Peaches vs. Frozen Peaches
When it comes to making the perfect peach pound cake, choosing the right peaches is key. Fresh, ripe peaches, especially in summer, bring a sweet, tangy flavor and a juicy texture that’s hard to beat.
For the best results, pick peaches that are ripe but still firm. If fresh peaches aren’t in season, don’t worry—canned or frozen peaches are excellent alternatives. Choose canned peaches packed in juice (not syrup) and drain them thoroughly before use. Frozen peaches can go straight into the batter, saving time and effort.
While frozen or canned peaches may not completely replicate the vibrant flavor of fresh peaches, they still create a moist, flavorful cake that celebrates the essence of this beloved summer fruit. Whichever option you choose, your pound cake will be a delightful treat!
How to Make Peach Pound Cake
1. Prepare the Dry Ingredients and Cream the Butter: Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl; set aside. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed for 2 minutes until creamy.
2. Cream Sugar and Add Eggs: Gradually beat in the sugar at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium, add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Stir in lemon zest and vanilla.
3. Add Flour and Cream: Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the heavy cream. Mix until just combined.
4. Add Peaches and Bake: Toss diced peaches with 2 tablespoons of flour and fold into the batter. Pour the batter into a prepared pan, smoothing the top. Bake at 60-70 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a rack for 20 minutes, then unmold and cool completely before slicing.
How to Serve and Store Peach Pound Cake
Dust your peach pound cake with powdered sugar and serve it plain with a cup of tea for a simple treat. For an elegant dessert, pair it with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream and fresh peach slices.
To store, keep the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or refrigerate for up to 10 days. This cake also freezes beautifully! Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, place it in a freezer-safe bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, leave it at room temperature for about an hour or until fully defrosted.
Tips for Perfect Peach Pound Cake
Creating a delicious peach pound cake is about more than just following the recipe—it’s the little details that make a big difference.
- Temperature: Use room-temperature butter and eggs to prevent curdling and ensure smooth mixing.
- Mixing: Proper mixing is key for achieving the perfect crumb texture. A stand mixer works best, but a hand-held mixer will do the job. Mixing by hand? Consider it an arm workout!
- Pan Choice: A 10-cup bundt pan, like the Nordicware Bavaria Pan, works perfectly for this recipe. You can also use a 9×5-inch loaf pan or a 12-cup bundt pan. Be sure to thoroughly grease every nook and cranny, especially with intricate bundt pans, to prevent sticking.
Perfect Peach Pound Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cup cake flour, *see note below for a substitute
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/4 cup sugar
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1 1/2 cup fresh peach, diced into 1/2-inch cubes
- 2 tbsp flour, to coat peach cubes
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325˚F. Grease a bundt pan or 9×5 inch loaf pan. Dust the pan with flour and set aside.
- Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl; set aside.
- In the bowl of electric mixer with a paddle attachment, beat butter at medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add sugar and beat until the mixture becomes light and fluffy at medium-high speed, about 3-4 minutes.
- Reduce the speed to medium. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally. Add the lemon zest and vanilla and mix well.
- Turn the speed to low and add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the heavy cream. Mix until the flour is just barely incorporated.
- Coat diced peaches with 2 tablespoons of flour in a bowl and add to the cake batter. Stir into the cake batter until combined. Do not over mix. Put the cake batter into a prepared pan and smooth the top with a fork.
- Bake the cake for 60-70 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Place the cake pan on a wired rack and let cool for 20 minutes. Unmold the cake and let cool completely, right side up, before slicing.
Perfect as is. I doubled the recipe to make it in three loaf pans to give as gifts. I didn’t have cream so I substituted 1 C 2% milk and I used 1 16 oz bag of frozen peach slices from Target and diced them. I followed all the steps religiously and they came out perfectly. I am a novice baker (at best) so I appreciated all the specific steps. Baked at 325 degrees for 1 hr, 15 mins.
Thank you very much. It was fun.
Angela R.
Cedar Rapids, IA
Just made this as written with cake flour, but I did 1/2 tsp of baking powder for more lift, and I added 1/2 tsp almond extract in addition to the vanilla. The lemon zest brings a nice brightness to the flavor. Also, I used fresh farmers market peaches that I blanched and peeled yesterday and tossed with some lemon juice to prevent browning. The lemon juice in the peaches is a nice addition to turn up their flavor. My only issue… I did this in a 9×5 loaf pan and at 325 it really needed more like 100+ min for a knife to come out clean. (I lost track, just checked every 10 min or so. It’s a LOT of “wet” to bake up. I baked it in my Breville oven which is usually accurate. I draped foiL on it after an hour to prevent over browning. The end result is incredibly delicious. I might cut the sugar back to 1 cup if I make this again.
This is gorgeous! And peaches are in season right now where I live — perfect timing. Thanks!