Peach Upside-Down Cornmeal Cake – A Sweet Birthday Tradition
- LB
- Aug 12
- 4 min read
There’s something about making a cake from scratch for someone you love that feels a little bit like time travel. You’re standing in your kitchen, whisk in hand, knowing that every step—every stir, every slice of peach—is for someone who will one day remember not just the taste, but the feeling of the day.
For my daughter’s second birthday, I wanted that kind of cake. A cake with a story, a little texture, and a lot of love.
Her first birthday cake had been a sugar-free applesauce banana creation made with coconut sugar. It was sweet in theory, not so much in flavor (but hey, it looked great in photos). This year, though, I decided we’d do something different—something she could truly taste and remember, even if the memory is just a flash of color and flavor tucked away somewhere deep in her little mind.
I’d been scrolling Instagram one night when a video caught my eye: golden slices of peach, glossy and caramelized, nestled on top of a tender cornmeal cake. My favorite cake for my own birthday is a pineapple upside-down cake, so the idea felt like a nod to my own tradition while making space for hers. And her birthday—right in the heart of peach season—made the choice feel inevitable.
So, the morning of her birthday, we tied on our aprons. She stood on her kitchen stool, curls still rumpled from sleep, eager to “help.” We sliced peaches, measured cornmeal, stirred together batter. I knew I wanted to serve it warm, so we baked it that morning, the smell of butter and peaches filling the kitchen as balloons bobbed in the corner.
This was her first cake with real sugar, a tiny rite of passage. And while I’m not sure she understood the full weight of that milestone, she definitely understood how good it tasted. We ate it fresh from the oven, the peaches soft and sweet, the cake tender with that faint rustic crunch from the cornmeal.
It wasn’t just a cake—it was a marker of time. Her second trip around the sun. My second year of learning how to be a mother. A reminder that life’s sweetest things often come in season.
The Best Peach Upside-Down Cornmeal Cake Recipe
Serves 8–10
Ingredients for Peach Topping:
3–4 ripe peaches, sliced into thin wedges
¼ cup butter (½ stick)
½ cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
Ingredients for Cornmeal Cake Batter:
1 cup fine cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter, softened
¾ cup coconut sugar or granulated sugar
5 large eggs
½ cup sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Step-by-Step Instructions for Making Peach Upside-Down Cornmeal Cake
1. Prepare your pan and peaches Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). In a 9-inch round cake pan or cast iron skillet, melt the butter for the topping. Stir in the coconut sugar/brown sugar until evenly mixed. Arrange peach slices in a circular pattern on top of the sugar mixture.
2. Mix the dry ingredients In a medium bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. Cream the butter and sugar In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Add the eggs Beat in the eggs one at a time, making sure each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Stir in the vanilla.
5. Bring it all together Mix in the sour cream until smooth. Gradually add the dry ingredients, mixing just until combined.
6. Bake Pour the batter gently over the arranged peaches, smoothing the top. Bake for 35–45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
7. Flip and serve Let the cake rest for 10 minutes in the pan, then run a knife around the edge. Place a serving plate over the pan, flip quickly but carefully, and lift the pan to reveal your golden peach topping.
Serving & Storage Tips
This peach upside-down cake is best served warm the day it’s made, with the juices still soaking into the cake. Pair it with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for a true summer dessert. Store leftovers covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Why You’ll Love This Fresh Peach Dessert
Uses seasonal ripe peaches for the sweetest flavor.
Combines the nostalgic charm of upside-down cake with the rustic texture of cornmeal.
Perfect for summer birthdays, picnics, and special occasions.
Can be made in a cast iron skillet for extra caramelization.
From my kitchen to yours, I hope this Peach Upside-Down Cornmeal Cake brings as much joy to your table as it did to ours. If you try it, let me know in the comments—especially if you put your own twist on it. Your ideas might just inspire someone else’s new favorite cake.
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