A delightfully peachy cake made from a box cake mix and a packet of peach Jell-O, with real peaches folded into the batter for extra moisture. It’s finished with a rich brown sugar frosting that borders on caramel. Originally published May 5, 2017.
Table of Contents
- Peach Cake with Brown Sugar Frosting
- Best Peach Cake Ingredients
- How to Make Peach Cake
- Peach Cake Recipe Tips
- How to store Brown Sugar Peach Cake
- More fruity cakes you will like I’m sure!
- Best Peach Cake with Brown Sugar Frosting Recipe
My sister Nikki has published a YA novel I’ve followed from the earliest drafts, and for her book release she suggested something peachy. In the story, peaches go unpicked during a strike and rot on the ground — a detail that inspired this summery peach cake.
Salem, the protagonist of the novel, is a shy high school girl whose sister died in an apparent accident. As Salem investigates, she discovers that the death may not have been accidental. The peach theme in the book made a peach cake the perfect choice to celebrate the book release.
Peach Cake with Brown Sugar Frosting
This cake is based on a simple formula: a yellow cake mix combined with peach Jell-O and frozen peaches, then topped with a pourable brown sugar frosting that sets to a soft, slightly crackled finish. The Jell-O gives the cake a pretty peachy color, while the peaches add moisture and flavor. The edges of the cake caramelize and become deliciously chewy—my favorite part.
If you prefer a lighter frosting, a cream cheese frosting also pairs nicely with the peach cake, but the brown sugar icing here creates a decadent, caramel-like topping that complements the fruit beautifully.
Best Peach Cake Ingredients
Here’s a quick list of what you need. Full instructions are in the recipe card below.
- 1 (15-oz) box yellow cake mix
- 2 (3-oz) boxes peach Jell-O (powder, not prepared)
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup oil (light-tasting olive oil or vegetable oil)
- 1 (16-oz) bag frozen sliced peaches (do not thaw)
Brown Sugar Frosting Ingredients
- 1/2 cup salted butter (1 stick)
- 2 cups packed brown sugar
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ice water for an ice bath (not added to the frosting)
How to Make Peach Cake
Cut each frozen sliced peach in half so the pieces are bite-sized. Do not thaw the peaches before folding them into the batter.
The brown sugar frosting starts as a hot caramel-like mixture and is cooled and whipped until thick but still pourable; it sets with a soft interior and a delicate crackle on top.
Peach Cake Recipe Tips
- Use the specified sizes. The proportions matter: use a 15-oz cake mix and two 3-oz Jell-O boxes for the best texture and color.
- Cool the frosting properly. After boiling the butter, brown sugar and cream, set the pot in an ice bath (avoid getting water in the frosting) and cool to room temperature, scraping the sides. Then beat 3–5 minutes until thick but still pourable.
- Substitute butter if desired. If you prefer butter in the cake batter, substitute 1 cup (2 sticks) melted butter for the oil.
How to store Brown Sugar Peach Cake
Store the cake at room temperature, covered, for a day or two. After that refrigerate to keep it fresh. The cake also freezes well—wrap slices or the whole cake tightly in an airtight container before freezing.
More fruity cakes you will like I’m sure!
Try other fruit-forward sheet cakes and desserts for similar results—blackberry, strawberry, or cherry cakes all work well with simple boxed-mix methods and creative frostings.
Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram
Best Peach Cake with Brown Sugar Frosting
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 (15-oz) box yellow cake mix
- 2 (3-oz) boxes peach Jell-O, powder (not prepared)
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup oil* (light-tasting olive oil or vegetable oil)
- 1 (16-oz) bag frozen sliced peaches, do not thaw**
For the frosting:
- 1/2 cup salted butter (1 stick)
- 2 cups packed brown sugar
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ice water for an ice bath (not added to the frosting)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch pan.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat together the cake mix, 2 boxes of peach Jell-O (powder), 4 eggs, and 1 cup oil.
- Open the bag of frozen sliced peaches and cut each slice in half so they are more bite-sized. Do not thaw.
- Fold the peaches into the batter with a sturdy wooden spoon.
- Pour the batter into the greased pan and bake at 350°F for 40–45 minutes. Check the center with a toothpick; moist crumbs are okay. The edges will be quite brown.
- Let the cake cool completely on a wire rack.
- While the cake cools, make the frosting: in a 2-quart pot combine butter, brown sugar, and heavy cream. Stir over medium-high heat until it reaches a boil across the surface. Boil, stirring frequently, for 1 minute.
- Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.
- Prepare an ice bath and set the pot in the ice bath (avoid getting water into the frosting). Cool the frosting, scraping the sides occasionally, until it reaches room temperature and thickens.
- Use a hand mixer to beat the frosting 3–5 minutes until thicker but still pourable.
- Spread or pour the frosting over the cooled cake. Allow it to set before slicing.
- Store the cake covered at room temperature for a day or two, then refrigerate. You can also freeze slices or the whole cake in an airtight container.
Notes
* Light-tasting olive oil works well, but any neutral vegetable oil is fine.
**You can likely use fresh or canned peaches if drained very well, but this recipe was developed with frozen slices.