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A soft, golden, simple vegan peach cake that’s easy to prepare and full of summer flavour. Each bite is tender and moist with sweet, juicy pieces of fresh peach baked right in. Whether you’re enjoying it with coffee or turning it into an impressive dessert for guests, this cake is versatile and perfect for any occasion.
It’s fully dairy-free, egg-free, and easy to make gluten-free, so everyone can enjoy a slice.
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Just in case you're looking for a way to use up some fresh summer peaches, this easy vegan peach cake may be the recipe you've been looking for.
Peaches are my favourite summer fruit, and when you include them in my favourite dessert (cake!), it's going to be an automatic winner of a recipe for me...as long as it's done correctly, and this recipe was tested many times to make sure it was done correctly.
This cake is light, soft, and fluffy, with pops of bright, peachy bites in every mouthful. If you love peaches and you love cake, I think this is going to be a winner for you, too!
And don't feel restricted to making this homemade vegan cake just for the summer; you can also use frozen or canned peaches. Read on to find all the details!
Here’s What Goes Into It
Notes on Ingredients and Options
Only ingredients with special notes are listed below. The full ingredient list can be found in the recipe card.
Flour - This recipe was developed with all-purpose white flour. I haven’t tested it with other flours, other than the gluten-free blend mentioned below.
For vegan gluten-free peach cake: I tested with Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour in the BLUE bag (NOT their gf flour in the red bag!). The cake will turn out denser than the one made with wheat flour, but it's still just as delicious. Find all the details in the recipe notes.
Dairy-Free Milk - Vegan buttermilk will give your cake a soft, fluffy, and moist texture. One of the two ingredients you’ll need to make vegan buttermilk is dairy-free milk. From my testing, soy milk always gives the best results, but any dairy-free milk you have on hand will work.
Peaches - Fresh, in-season peaches are best for this cake; they will give it the best flavour. If your peaches are extra juicy, pat them dry before chopping them, and there's no need to peel them.
Frozen or canned peaches will also work if it's not peach season. To use frozen peaches, thaw them fully, drain, then pat them dry. To use canned peaches, drain and pat them dry.
Vanilla Extract - Vanilla goes perfectly with peaches, but so does almond. To change the flavour a little, replace half of the vanilla with almond extract. (½ teaspoon vanilla extract + ½ teasoon of almond extract)
Putting It All Together
(Note: I’ve outlined the step-by-step on how to make this recipe here, but find the full recipe, ingredients, and directions in the recipe card at the end of this post.)
Stir the sugar and lemon zest until it looks like wet sand.
No mixer is required; just whisk the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet in another, then combine and gently fold in the chopped peaches.
Baking Tip
When a recipe calls for both lemon juice and lemon zest (like this one does!), always zest the lemon first, then juice it second; you'll make things much easier for yourself!
Scrape the batter from the bowl into your prepared cake pan.
Smooth the top so the batter is even in the pan.
Gently press the sliced peaches into the top of the batter and then bake.
Remove the cake from the oven and let it sit in the pan for a few minutes, then remove the cake from the pan and place it on a rack to cool.
Recipe Tip
As tempting as it is, don't slice the cake until it has fully cooled. Allow it to rest for at least 2 hours.
How to Master This Recipe
- Measure and have all your ingredients ready to go before starting. This will make the process run smoothly, quickly, and easily.
- Measure your ingredients correctly. I highly recommend using a scale (this is the one I have) and my weight measurements. Please read my article about how to measure flour correctly.
- Use room temperature milk. Take it out of the fridge well before you start. Using room temperature ingredients in your baking will result in lighter, airier, fluffier textures.
- Make sure your baking powder is fresh. If it isn't, the texture of your cake will not be correct.
- Don't overmix the batter. This will result in a dense, heavy cake.
- Don't over-bake your cake, or it will be dry.
- Read this post from top to bottom before you start. I’ve shared my tips gathered during testing throughout, so you get everything right. Also, read through the full recipe before getting started.
- Follow the recipe exactly as it’s written for the very best results.
Ways to Enjoy It
Have your peach cake just as it is, with sliced fresh peaches on the side, dusted with powdered sugar, with a scoop of silky vegan vanilla ice cream, or creamy dairy-free whipped cream.
When You Give It a Go...
I’d love to hear how it turned out for you! Share your thoughts with a comment and rating below, and/or post a photo of your cake on Instagram and tag me so I can see it. (I'm @delightfuladventures on Instagram).
Simple Vegan Peach Cake with Buttermilk
Suggested Equipment:
Ingredients:
- 1 cup (250ml) unsweetened dairy-free milk (room temperature)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 ¼ cups (281g) all-purpose flour **please see important notes about flour and the gluten-free option below**
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅔ cup (134g) sugar
- 1 tablespoon (6g) lemon zest
- ½ cup (125ml) oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups (230g) fresh peaches, chopped
- ½ peach, sliced (if the peach is small, use ¾ or the whole peach)
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Line an 8-inch circle cake pan with parchment paper, set aside.
Make Vegan Buttermilk:
- Pour the dairy-free milk into a measuring cup or bowl.
- Add the lemon juice to the milk and stir.
- Stir and set aside for 10 minutes.
Make Cake Batter:
- In a medium bowl, add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk well to combine and set aside.
- In a large bowl, add the sugar and lemon zest. Mix them, occasionally pressing the back of the spoon against the mixture to help release the oil from the lemon zest. Mix until both ingredients have combined well, set aside.
- Add the buttermilk, oil, and vanilla to the sugar mixture. Mix well until everything has combined.
- Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until a thick batter has formed. Don't over-mix.
- Gently fold the chopped peaches into the batter.
- Using a rubber spatula, scrape the batter into the prepared cake pan, spread it evenly, and smooth out the top.
- Gently press the sliced peaches onto the top of the cake.
Bake:
- Bake for 50-55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Take care not to over bake.
- Remove the cake from the oven and place the pan on a cooling rack. Let the pan sit for 15 minutes.
Cool & Serve:
- After the 15 minutes have passed, run a butter knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the cake. Place a plate on top of the pan, hold them together, and carefully flip the pan over. Lift the pan off, peel away the parchment paper, then gently flip the cake again onto a cooling rack so it sits right side up. Allow the cake to fully cool before slicing. (At least 2 hours)
Recipe Notes:
- Please read all of the information above, as well as the notes below before making this recipe.
- If you are making the vegan gluten-free version, use 2 ¼ cups (333g) of Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour (Amazon link) in the blue bag, NOT the red bag. Different gluten-free flour blends use different ingredients and ratios, so results may not be the same if you substitute. I’ve only used the brand mentioned above. This recipe will not work with coconut flour or any other single gluten-free flour.
- If using a 9-inch cake pan, bake for 45-50 minutes.
- Storing Leftovers: Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, then refrigerate for 2-3 more days.
- Freezing: Once fully cooled, wrap the cake tightly, place it in an airtight container or freezer bag, and freeze up to two months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature before serving.
- The nutrition info listed below is based on one of 8 servings made as the recipe is written. The cake made with gluten-free flour has a rough calorie count of 357 per serving. Info is only to be used as a rough guide. Click to learn how nutrition info is calculated on this website.
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