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Moist Peach Pound Cake Recipe with Fresh Peaches

Before peach season ends in New York, I wanted to share this fresh peach pound cake recipe. It’s baked in a bundt pan so the shape is effortless, and it’s finished with a light brown sugar bourbon glaze. The bourbon is just enough to give the glaze a subtle, rounded warmth without overpowering the cake’s peach flavor.

I picked up a generous bundle of peaches at the farmer’s market and set about turning them into something special. When I test recipes I often buy extra fruit—especially for cakes—because experimentation rarely goes perfectly the first time. For this cake, the peaches are macerated briefly with brown sugar to release their juices. I reserve those juices and brush the cake with the peach syrup after baking; it adds shine, extra moisture, and a bright peach note that really lifts the pound cake.

The cake itself is rich and tender, made with butter, a mix of granulated and brown sugar, eggs, sour cream, and buttermilk for a moist, dense crumb. The diced peaches fold into the batter so you get juicy pockets of fruit throughout. Baking low and slow in a 10-inch bundt pan helps the cake bake evenly and develop a lightly caramelized exterior.

The glaze is straightforward: brown sugar, butter, and heavy cream boiled briefly to meld the flavors and thicken, then finished with vanilla and a tablespoon of bourbon. After the glaze cools slightly, pour it over the cooled cake so it forms a glossy, slightly sticky coating that complements the peach syrup brushed on earlier.

Make sure to let the cake cool in the pan for about 20 minutes before turning it out, then cool completely on a wire rack. Brushing with the reserved peach syrup while the cake is still slightly warm helps the syrup soak in and keeps the surface glossy and evenly colored.

Fresh Peach Pound Cake

Author: Miranda Couse

A luscious slice of homemade pound cake made with juicy peaches, delicately arranged on a plate.

Recipe Details

  • Prep time: 30 mins
  • Cook time: 1 hr 15 mins
  • Total time: 1 hr 45 mins
  • Yield: About 10 servings (10-inch bundt cake)

Ingredients

Cake

  • 3 cups peaches, peeled and diced
  • 5 tablespoons light brown sugar (for the peaches)
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup buttermilk

Glaze

  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon bourbon

Instructions

Cake

  1. Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Spray a 10-inch bundt pan with nonstick spray and dust with 2 tablespoons of flour, tapping out any excess.
  2. Peel and dice the peaches, then toss them with 5 tablespoons light brown sugar. Set the peaches aside and allow them to release their juices; reserve the syrup when you drain them later.
  3. In a large bowl, cream the butter with the granulated and brown sugars until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
  4. Add the vanilla and then add the eggs one at a time, mixing until each is incorporated and scraping the bowl between additions.
  5. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  6. Stir the sour cream into the buttermilk.
  7. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the buttermilk mixture to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix until just combined, scraping the bowl as needed.
  8. Drain the macerated peaches, reserving the liquid. Fold the diced peaches into the batter until evenly distributed.
  9. Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan and smooth the top.
  10. Bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs but no raw batter.
  11. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 20 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  12. When the cake is cool, brush the entire surface with the reserved peach syrup to add shine and extra peach flavor.

Glaze

  1. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the brown sugar, butter, and heavy cream. Bring to a boil and continue to boil gently for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  2. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla and bourbon. Let the glaze cool for about 20 minutes so it thickens slightly.
  3. Pour the cooled glaze over the top of the cake, allowing it to drip down the sides.
  4. Slice and serve once the glaze has set slightly. Enjoy!

Nutrition (approximate per serving)

Calories: 617 kcal | Carbohydrates: 91 g | Protein: 7 g | Fat: 25 g | Saturated Fat: 15 g | Cholesterol: 129 mg | Sodium: 396 mg | Potassium: 276 mg | Fiber: 1 g | Sugar: 63 g | Vitamin A: 1010 IU | Vitamin C: 3.1 mg | Calcium: 105 mg | Iron: 2.3 mg

Note: Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.

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