Easy Peach Loaf Cake With Fresh Peaches

This easy Peach Loaf Cake is made with fresh diced peaches and comes together with about 15 minutes of hands-on work. Baked in a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan, it has a rich, buttery crumb with soft peach pieces and a simple powdered sugar icing.

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I love recipes like this because they remind me why I started baking in the first place. Simple ingredients, a hot oven, and something good coming out that the family wants a slice of. Peaches are one of those summer ingredients that don’t need much help. You just have to let them do their thing, and this loaf cake does exactly that.

The crumb is rich and close-textured, more like a butter cake than a fluffy layer cake, but it should still be tender rather than heavy or gummy.

If you’ve ever brought home a few ripe peaches and then wondered what to make with them, this recipe is your answer. It also happens to be a great one to wrap up and give away, which is the kind of baking I love most. If you want more peach inspiration, my Peach Almond Tart is another summer favorite that comes together without much fuss.

Recipe Highlights

Get the essential details of this peach loaf cake at a glance:

Peach Loaf Cake Ingredients

You only need a handful of pantry basics for this one, but a couple of ingredients are worth a quick note.

Using Fresh Peaches for Peach Loaf Cake

Use ripe peaches that are still firm enough to dice.
There is no need to peel the peaches.
Cut them into ¼-inch pieces, about the size of a blueberry.
Use 10-11 ounces of diced peaches, or about 1 heaping cup.
Depending on their size, you will need one large peach or two smaller peaches.
Leave behind any juice that collects on the cutting board or in the bowl.

How To Make A Peach Loaf Cake

Step 1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×5 loaf pan and set it aside.

Step 2. In a large bowl, beat the room-temperature butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until creamy and well combined.

Step 3. Add one egg, the milk, and the vanilla to the butter mixture. Beat until combined. Add the remaining eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Step 4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix just until incorporated. Do not overmix.

Step 5. Fold in the diced peaches until they’re evenly distributed through the batter.

Step 6. Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan and bake for 55 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs.

Baking Tip – Start checking at 50 minutes. Ovens vary, and you want to pull this one before the edges get too dark. If the top is browning too fast, lay a piece of foil loosely over the top for the last 10 minutes. Test the cake in two or three places near the center so you do not mistake a juicy peach piece for raw batter. The toothpick should have a few moist cake crumbs but no streaks of uncooked batter. The center should spring back lightly when touched.

Step 7. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edges, then carefully turn the loaf out onto a wire rack. Let it cool completely before adding the icing.

Step 8. For the icing, whisk the powdered sugar, vanilla, and 1½ tablespoons of milk until smooth. Add more milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the icing is thick but easy to drizzle. Drizzle it over the completely cooled cake.

Tips for Baking Success

• Dice the peaches small. A small dice means the peach pieces bake into the batter evenly instead of sinking to the bottom or creating wet pockets. Aim for pieces about the size of a blueberry.
• Don’t skip the cool-down. The icing will slide right off a warm cake and make a mess. Give the loaf a full cool before you drizzle.
• Watch your peach amount. More peach feels like a good idea, but too much moisture throws off the batter. Stick to 10-11 ounces. I promise that’s plenty.
• Check for doneness early. Every oven is a little different. Start checking at 50 minutes. A toothpick with a few moist crumbs is exactly what you want.
• Room temperature ingredients. Cold eggs and cold butter don’t blend as smoothly. Pull everything out about 30 minutes before you start. This is a baking rule I follow for almost everything.

Storage

Store the cake tightly covered at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, refrigerate it for up to 5 days. Let refrigerated slices come to room temperature before serving for the softest texture.

To freeze, wrap individual slices tightly in plastic wrap and place them in a zip-top bag. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature or microwave a slice for about 20 seconds.

Add the icing after thawing if you plan to freeze the whole loaf.

More Loaf Cakes and Peach Desserts

Try my Easy Lemon Loaf Cake with Sour Cream and Lemon Glaze for another simple glazed loaf. For more ways to bake with peaches, make my Peach Pandowdy or enjoy a dish of Homemade Peach Ice Cream with Blackberries.

Recipe

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