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A sweet brown sugar cake filled with Fresh Peach Jam then topped off with a vanilla peach buttercream frosting makes for a decadent summertime dessert.

This post and recipe was created for #SummerDessertWeek! I was sent samples by some of the sponsor companies but as always opinions are 100% mine.

Last week peaches were on sale at my market. It was early in the season so I hadn’t yet seen them at the farmer’s market and I’d been craving them. So when they were on sale I bought a few pounds to tide me over.

I cut into one as soon as I got home and while it was juicy and bursting with flavor it was a little on the soft side. Instead of letting them all get too soft I decided to save them by baking with them.

I’ve made peach pie many, many times so I wanted to make something different this time. Initially I thought about cupcakes but honestly I didn’t want to have to sit and decorate 12 individual cakes. That naturally led me to a cake.

After playing around with a few flavor combinations I settled on a sweet brown sugar cake with fresh homemade peach jam filling. I wasn’t set on a frosting flavor but I figured by the time I was ready to assemble the cake I would figure it out.

Ingredients:

flour
baking powder
salt
butter
brown sugar (I used Dixie Crystals)
vanilla extract
eggs
milk
peaches
cornstarch
lemon
cinnamon
powdered sugar (I used Dixie Crystals)

To make the cake preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 9 inch springform pans with cooking spray. Place parchment circles on the bottom. I used my Circulon Nonstick Springform pan because it releases beautifully.

In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.

In a large bowl cream together the butter and brown sugar.

Add in the eggs and vanilla and mix until well combined.

Add half the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix well.

Add the milk and mix for 2-3 minutes or until well incorporated.

Add remaining flour mixture and mix until well combined and smooth.

Divide the batter between the two pans and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes.

Release the sides of the pan and cool completely on wire racks.

Meanwhile, chop the peaches into small pieces. Add the peaches, brown sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice to a small saucepan. Heat over medium high heat, stirring frequently, until it boils.

Reduce heat and mash the peaches. Continue cooking over medium heat until the mixture has thickened. Remove from heat and cool. To make the cake place one layer on a cake board. Spread about a half cup of frosting over top of it then pipe an icing border around the edge.

Pour 1/2 cup of peach filling inside the border and spread. Top with the second layer.

Top the cake with additional frosting and spread around the sides.

Decorate with a sliced peach and fresh mint leaf on top.

This is an easy cake to bake. It bakes up nicely and since it’s already in two layers you don’t need to cut it in half. It’s not overly big but it’s big enough to serve a small crowd.

The peach filling it really what makes this cake. I didn’t peel my peaches so after my jam cooled I put it in a food processor to smooth it out. If you peel your peaches you can go ahead and skip that step.

I had trouble deciding on a frosting type but finally went with a vanilla peach buttercream and boy was it a winner! I used the remainder of my fresh peach filling, the caviar from a vanilla bean, and additional vanilla extract. Both flavors really shine in this frosting.

Do I have to use fresh peaches?

No, you can use frozen peaches to make the jam if you’d like. Don’t use canned peaches as they are usually sitting in sugar and don’t have the same flavor as a fresh or frozen peach.

Can I make a different flavor frosting?

Sure! You can switch it up to make a simple vanilla buttercream frosting if you’d like. You can also add freeze dried raspberries to the frosting instead of the peach filling in order to make a peach melba cake. A cinnamon frosting would be delicious here as well.

Can I use store bought peach jam?

You can but it really isn’t the same. If you have to buy the jam I recommend going to a farmer’s market where you can pick up something fresh and without all the extra preservatives and ingredients. Otherwise, make this jam as it is super easy to do.

I am not a cake decorator. Any suggestions for easy decorating?

Yes! Crush up graham crackers or sugar cookies and sprinkle around the top and bottom edges then simply cut up a peach and lay on top. Another suggestion would be to just use gold sprinkles on top along with a fresh peach. These are simple yet elegant ideas. The first bite of this cake was amazing. My husband and I both just stared at each other. I’m not one to eat a ton of cake but I gobbled this one up. The fresh peach filling really worked to brighten up the cake and paired nicely with the sweetness of the brown sugar. The vanilla and peach in the frosting toned down the sweetness and helped add flavor to the entire cake.

I had fun decorating this cake too. A graham cracker crumb edge around the bottom was an easy and fun decoration on the cake. On the top I simply put large swirls and sprinkled with clear and gold sprinkles. Then I topped it off with a sliced peach and fresh mint from my garden. This recipe is 100% a keeper and will be appearing on our dessert table through the summer and fall.

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