Peach Upside Down Mini Cakes Recipe
These Peach Upside Down Mini Cakes are delightful individual-sized treats featuring a buttery brown sugar and peach topping, with a moist, tender cake studded with juicy peach cubes. Perfectly baked in a muffin pan, these mini cakes are served warm and make a charming dessert or snack packed with fresh peach flavor and a sweet caramelized topping.
- Author: Tara
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 12 mini cakes 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Topping
- Non-stick cooking spray
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (cold)
- 6 teaspoons light brown sugar
- 3 fresh peaches (divided into slices and cubes)
Cake Batter
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)
- 1 large egg (at room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup buttermilk (at room temperature)
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Generously spray a 12-cup muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Prepare Topping Butter: Cut 1 tablespoon of cold unsalted butter into 12 equal pieces. Place one piece of butter into the bottom of each muffin cup. Cold butter is easier to cut for even distribution.
- Add Brown Sugar to Cups: Sprinkle about ½ teaspoon of light brown sugar evenly over the butter pieces in each muffin cup to create the caramelized topping.
- Arrange Peach Slices: Slice 1 to 2 of the peaches into thin slices. Arrange approximately three peach slices at the bottom of each muffin cup over the butter and sugar.
- Prepare Cake Batter Peaches: Cut the remaining peaches into small cubes to measure about 1 cup. Set these cubed peaches aside for folding into the batter.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat 1/3 cup room temperature butter and 2/3 cup granulated sugar together on medium speed until fluffy and creamy, about 2 minutes.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Add the large egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to the butter-sugar mixture. Beat for an additional 2-3 minutes until the batter becomes fluffy and pale. It may curdle initially, but continue beating until smooth.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients and Buttermilk: Add half of the flour mixture to the batter and mix on low speed for 1 minute. Then stir in the buttermilk and beat for another minute. Finally, add the remaining flour mixture and mix just until combined to avoid developing gluten.
- Fold in Cubed Peaches: Gently fold the 1 cup of cubed peaches into the batter, evenly distributing them without overmixing.
- Fill Muffin Cups: Using a large cookie scoop or tablespoon, evenly divide the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each about three-quarters full over the peach slices and brown sugar.
- Bake: Place the muffin pan in the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean and the tops are golden.
- Cool and Invert: Allow the cakes to cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Run a butter knife around the edges of each cup to loosen the cakes. Place a wire rack over the muffin pan, then carefully invert the pan to release the mini cakes onto the rack, exposing the caramelized peach topping.
- Serve: Serve the Peach Upside Down Mini Cakes warm, optionally with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an extra indulgent treat.
Notes
- Using cold butter for the topping helps in cutting and distributing it evenly.
- Room temperature ingredients for the batter (butter, egg, buttermilk) promote better mixing and fluffier cake texture.
- Don’t overmix the batter after adding the flour to avoid a dense or tough cake.
- Peach slices at the bottom create the classic upside-down effect and caramelize during baking.
- These mini cakes are best enjoyed warm but can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Keywords: Peach cake, upside down cake, mini cakes, individual desserts, peach recipes, summer dessert