Go Back
–+ servings
Print

Peach Crisp Cake

Layers of soft cinnamon-vanilla cake, homemade peach filling, baked oat streusel, and brown butter frosting. It's as comforting as peach crisp, but in cake form and so perfect for summer!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 1 hour
Cooling Time 3 hours
Total Time 5 hours
Servings 15 slices

Ingredients

Cinnamon-Vanilla Cake

  • 2 Cups (210g) sifted cake flour* DIY recipe in notes
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 Cup (113g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 Tbsp vegetable oil any unflavored cooking oil
  • 1 1/3 Cups (267g) granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1/3 Cup (80g) sour cream, room temperature
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 3/4 Cup (180ml) whole milk, room temperature

Peach Filling

  • 2 Cups (314g) fresh peaches, diced (about 2 medium peaches)* see notes for frozen or canned peaches
  • 2 Tbsp light brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 tsp water
  • 1 1/2 tsp cornstarch

Brown Butter Frosting

  • 1 1/2 Cups (339g) unsalted butter, divided
  • 4 1/2 Cups (540g) powdered sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 2 Tbsp whole milk, room temperature
  • 1/4 tsp salt, or to taste

Baked Oat Streusel

  • 1/2 Cup (40g) old-fashioned oats
  • 1/2 Cup (60g) all purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1/4 Cup (50g) packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1/4 Cup (57g) unsalted butter, softened

Instructions

Make the Cinnamon-Vanilla Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (177ºC). Prepare three 6-inch or two 8-inch cake pans by spraying the sides with baking spray and fitting a parchment paper circle to the bottom of the pan.
  • In a medium bowl, add the sifted cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Whisk to combine and set aside. 
  • In the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or with a handheld mixer and large bowl), beat the butter on high speed for two minutes until it's light and creamy. Add the sugar and vegetable oil, then mix on medium-high speed for another two minutes. Scrape down the bowl and paddle as needed. Turn the mixer to low speed and add the eggs one at a time. Add the vanilla and sour cream, turn the mixer to high speed, and beat for one full minute. It may look curdled at this point, but don’t worry – it will become smooth cake batter at the end.
  • Add the dry ingredients all at once and turn the mixer to low speed. Mix until just combined, then slowly pour in the milk. Continue to mix on low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and give it a few stirs with a whisk to make sure there are no lumps. The batter will be slightly thick.
  • Pour the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans, then bake for 28-32 minutes. They're done when they spring back to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pan for five minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack for an additional few hours of cooling.

Make the Peach Filling

  • Peel and dice the peaches, then set half of the peaches (1 Cup, 157g) aside. Add the other half of the diced peaches into a medium saucepan along with the brown sugar and cinnamon. Stir to combine and set the pan over medium heat. The peaches will start to leak their juices as they cook, so stir frequently as you bring the mixture to a boil. At this point, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 8 minutes while continuing to stir frequently.
  • Remove the peaches from the heat and use a potato masher to mash them into a puree. Mix together the cornstarch and water and add it in, along with the remaining peaches. Cook until the newly added peaches are soft and the filling is thick, about 5 minutes.
  • Transfer the peach filling to a heat proof container and let it cool in the refrigerator until cold and thickened. If you're cooling it for longer than an hour, cover the filling.

Make the Baked Crisp Topping

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF (177ºC) and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Add all of the ingredients except for the butter into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix together on low speed to combine, then add in the softened butter. Continue mixing on low speed until the mixture begins forming pea-sized clusters.
  • Spread the mixture evenly onto the parchment-lined cookie sheet, then bake for 5 minutes. Stir the topping around a bit with a silicone spatula, then bake for another 5 minutes until it begins to turn golden brown. Let the crumble topping cool completely to room temperature, then store in an airtight container until you’re ready to assemble the cake.

Make the Brown Butter Frosting

  • Set 1 Cup (226g, 2 sticks) of the unsalted butter aside so that it comes to room temperature by the time you're ready for it. Use the remaining 1/2 Cup (113g, 1 stick) of butter with the instructions for browning below.
  • Brown the Butter: Add 1/2 Cup (1 stick) of the unsalted butter into a large frying pan and cook over medium heat until the butter melts, stirring occasionally. Continue cooking for another 1-2 minutes while stirring constantly. The melted butter will start to foam on top, then will turn light brown in color and smell deliciously nutty. Remove from heat at this point and transfer to a glass container. Allow it to re-solidify for about 2 hours at room temperature or place it into the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. It should be completely room temperature and thick (about the consistency of a thick caramel) before continuing on with the buttercream recipe.
  • Once the brown butter is room temperature, cream the rest of unsalted butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high until creamy and light in color, about 5 minutes, scraping down the bowl and paddle as needed.
  • Add the cooled brown butter and vanilla and mix on medium speed until uniform. Turn the mixer to low speed and add the powdered sugar a few cups at a time, scraping down the bowl and paddle after mixing in each addition. Add the milk and salt and continue mixing on low speed until smooth.

Assembly

  • Once the cinnamon-vanilla cakes are completely cooled, level them to your desired height. Add a swipe of brown butter frosting onto a cardboard cake circle and place the first cake layer on top. Place about 1 Cup of the brown butter frosting into a piping bag and snip off 1/2 inch opening, then pipe a dam around the edge of the cake layer. Add a thin layer of brown butter frosting into the center of the dam and smooth it down, then top peach filling until the dam is about 2/3 full. Top with a layer of baked oat streusel, then place the next cake layer on top.
  • Repeat the filling and stacking process with the final cake layer. Crumb coat the cake with brown butter frosting, then place it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to let the frosting set firm.
  • Use the remaining brown butter frosting to decorate the cake. To create the look pictured, use a small icing spatula to create diagonal swipes in the cake finish, then press more of the baked oat streusel around the bottom 1/3 of the cake. Top with sliced peaches and more oat streusel.

Notes

*DIY Cake Flour Recipe: To make your own cake flour, spoon and level one cup of all-purpose flour and remove 2 Tbsp. Add 2 Tbsp of cornstarch. Repeat per the amount of cake flour you need, then sift the flour and cornstarch mixture 4 times (don’t skip that step!). After sifting, spoon and level to re-measure the amount of cake flour you need. Keep in mind that since store bought cake flour weighs less than homemade cake flour, 2 cups of homemade cake flour will weigh closer to 265g instead of 210g. 
**Peaches: you can use frozen or canned peaches as an alternative to fresh peaches for the filling. If using canned, be sure to use peaches in 100% juice (not heavy syrup).
Make Ahead Tips: 
  1. The cinnamon-vanilla cake layers can be baked ahead and stored at room temperature, wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to two days. Alternatively you can store the cakes in the freezer for up to two months.  
  2. The peach filling can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. 
  3. The baked oat streusel can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. 
  4. The brown butter can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container for up to two weeks. When you’re ready to use it, bring it back to room temperature. It should be slightly creamy before using in this recipe.
  5. The frosting can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. When you’re ready to use it, bring it back to room temperature and re-mix in your stand mixer to bring it back to smooth buttercream consistency. 
  6. See this blog post for more tips on making and decorating cakes ahead.