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Peach Upside Down Cake Baked in a Cast-Iron Skillet

Peach Upside Down Cake

This peach upside down cake is a one-skillet Southern classic where ripe peach halves sink into a bubbling brown-sugar caramel while a tender buttermilk-scented cake bakes above them. Ten minutes of resting sets the caramel, then one confident flip reveals glossy amber fruit on top. Homey, honest, and built from pantry staples, it tastes like late-August afternoons on a porch.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 8 Slices
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter for the caramel topping
  • 0.75 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 4 medium ripe but firm peaches peeled, pitted, and halved; about 1.5 lb total
  • 1.5 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
  • 1.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter softened, for the batter
  • 0.75 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs at room temperature
  • 1.5 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.5 cup whole milk at room temperature

Equipment

  • 1 10 inch cast-iron skillet or a 9 inch round cake pan set on a baking sheet
  • 1 Large mixing bowl
  • 1 Medium mixing bowl for dry ingredients
  • 1 electric hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle
  • 1 Whisk
  • 1 Rubber spatula
  • 1 serving platter larger than the skillet

Method
 

  1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 F.
  2. Melt the 6 tablespoons of butter directly in the 10 inch cast-iron skillet over low heat, swirling to coat the bottom evenly. Remove from the heat.
  3. Sprinkle the packed light brown sugar evenly over the melted butter and gently smooth it with the back of a spoon into one solid layer. Do not stir it into a paste.
  4. Pat the peach halves dry with a paper towel to remove surface juice. Arrange them cut-side down on the brown sugar in a snug single layer, tucking a few pieces into any gaps. Set the skillet aside.
  5. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined.
  6. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed for 3 minutes, until pale and fluffy.
  7. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 30 seconds after each. Beat in the vanilla extract.
  8. With the mixer on low, add one-third of the flour mixture, then half the milk. Repeat with another third of the flour, the remaining milk, and finish with the last of the flour. Mix just until no dry streaks remain.
  9. Spoon the batter over the peaches in the skillet, then gently spread it to the edges with a rubber spatula, being careful not to shift the fruit.
  10. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the top is golden brown, springs back when lightly pressed, and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake portion comes out clean.
  11. Set the skillet on a wire rack and rest for exactly 10 minutes so the caramel can set.
  12. Run a thin knife around the edge of the cake. Place a serving platter upside down over the skillet, then, using oven mitts, grip both together and invert in one confident motion. Lift the skillet straight up.
  13. If any peach pieces stick to the pan, lift them out with a spoon and set them back into place on the cake. Cool 15 minutes more, then slice into wedges and serve warm.

Notes

  • Use peaches that are ripe but still firm; overripe fruit weeps too much juice and softens the crumb.
  • Well-drained canned peach halves work beautifully out of season and are historically authentic.
  • Rest the cake exactly 10 minutes before inverting. Sooner and the topping slides, later and the caramel glues to the pan.
  • Serve warm with lightly sweetened whipped cream, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or a spoonful of bourbon cream. A cup of hot coffee alongside is traditional.
  • Store loosely covered at room temperature for up to 2 days; reheat slices for 10 seconds in the microwave to refresh the caramel.