Italian Peach Cake
Fluffy and bursting with fresh peaches, this Italian peach cake is delicious and a must-try summer dessert!
This Italian peach cake is such a popular summer dessert and for all the good reasons!
Loaded with fresh peaches, hints of vanilla and lemon, and a light glaze made with apricot jam, this cake is ridiculously delicious, and so easy to make.
Once cooked and cooled, you can cut your summer peach cake into slices and serve it straight away, or top it with lemon or orange curd, Italian pastry cream, zabaglione, or with a scoop of Italian ice cream.
Family and friends absolutely LOVE it, and together with my limoncello cake, this is one of my most requested summer desserts for birthdays and gatherings!
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Italian peach cake ingredients
For this summer peach cake, you'll need basic ingredients you most probably have in your pantry already.
As a nice extra bonus, this is also a completely dairy-free peach cake!
Here are the 8 ingredients you'll need:
- Flour: I use regular all-plain flour or Italian 00 flour.
- Peaches: You can use nicely ripe yellow peaches, white peaches, or nectarines.
- Eggs: Go for large-sized eggs.
- Sugar: Use regular granulated sugar for this recipe. You can also use raw cane sugar.
- Olive oil: I use light olive oil, but you can substitute with sunflower oil or an equal amount of melted (and cooled) butter.
- Lemon: For the best flavor, make sure you use an organic unwaxed lemon.
- Vanilla: Use vanilla extract or scrape the vanilla seeds right out of a vanilla bean pod.
- Baking powder: A little baking powder gives the cake a soft and bouncy texture.
Equipment
You don't need any professional equipment to make this easy peach cake recipe, here are the kitchen tools I use:
- 8-inch cake pan - You can use an 8-inch or 9-inch (20 or 22 cm) loaf pan, round cake pan, or bundt cake pan.
- Hand mixer - You can also use a stand mixer or a simple whisk.
How to make fresh peach cake
This peach cake recipe couldn't be easier!
It's all made in one bowl and comes together in just 5 minutes.
Here's a quick recipe overview with step-by-step pictures.
Scroll down until the end of the post for the full recipe
STEP 1. Whisk eggs and sugar until you have a pale and fluffy mixture.
STEP 2. Slowly whisk in olive oil, vanilla and lemon zest.
STEP 3. Place a sieve over the bowl and add flour and baking powder, mix briefly to combine all the ingredients.
STEP 4. Pour the batter into the cake pan, top with sliced peaches and bake for about 30-40 minutes. Remove from the oven, cool and serve.
Storage Tips
- Serve: You can leave your peach cake at room temperature for up to 30 minutes, or longer if you place it in an airtight container in a cool dry spot in your kitchen.
- Fridge: The cake will keep well in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can definitely freeze peach cake! Cut the cake into slices, place them on a tray, and freeze for 30 minutes, then transfer them into individual ziplock bags.
You can store frozen cake slices in the freezer for up to 1 month.
More Italian dessert recipes to try
Looking for more dessert recipes? Try these traditional Italian desserts:
- Amaretti Cookies - Italian Almond Cookies
- Italian Butter Cookies
- Ciambellone - Olive Oil Bundt Cake
- Lemon Ricotta Cake
- Italian Ricotta Cookies
- Classic Tiramisu Without Eggs - Authentic Italian Recipe
- Italian Hangover Cake
- Crostata - Italian Jam Tart
- Limoncello Mascarpone Cake
Did you try this recipe?
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Recipe
Italian Peach Cake
Ingredients
- 3 large free-range eggs
- 140 g sugar, (or fine demerara sugar)
- 120 ml lightly-flavoured extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, (or half vanilla pod, scraped)
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 200 g sifted all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder, (15 gr)
- 600 g peaches , about 3-4 peaches, peeled and pitted
To decorate:
- 1 tablespoon apricot jam
- 1 tablespoon confectioner sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C/360°F and adjust a baking rack onto the middle shelf. Grease and dust with flour (or line with parchment paper) a 8-inch cake pan and set it aside.
- In a large bowl, place the eggs and sugar. Beat the mixture with an electric whisker until light and pale, then gently whisk in the olive oil, followed by the vanilla, lemon zest, and mix until all the ingredients are combined.
- Slowly incorporate the flour into the batter, mixing until just combined. Sprinkle the baking powder over the batter and mix until just combined (do not overmix).
- Fold into the batter 2 peaches cut into tiny chunks, and mix until just combined.
- Pour the peach cake batter into the prepared baking pan. Top the batter with the remaining 2 peaches cut into thin slices.
- Bake in the oven for approximately 30-40 minutes. To check if the cake is ready, insert a toothpick in the middle, if it comes out clean, the cake is ready.
- Remove the peach cake from the oven, and lightly brush it with apricot jam. Allow to cool, then gently remove the cake from the pan.
- Dust the peach cake all over with confectioner sugar and serve at room temperature.
Notes
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
This Italian Peach Cake looks so delicious! I love how easy it is to make, and the fresh peaches and lemon zest sound perfect for summer. The tips on storing and freezing are really helpful too. thank you for sharing!
You have lemon zest twice in the recipe is that correct?
Hi Donna, thank you for spotting the typo, it's 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon zest 🙂 The recipe has now been corrected!
Can you use frozen or canned peaches?
Hi Julia, I would use frozen peaches, defrost them in the fridge overnight before use 🙂
I wish you would convert your gram measurements in the recipe. I have a scale but not very reliable. I made the peach cake and it has taken much longer to be dry in the center when I test it. I made the mistake of putting the peach slices on the bottom instead of the top of the cake because I mistakenly thought that the picture indicated that. Ihope it turns out, I am looking for peach recipes in the summer.