Peach Upside-Down Cake

This upside-down cake swaps the usual yellow cake for a dark, warmly spiced gingerbread batter made with molasses, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Peach halves sit cut-side down in a pool of melted butter and brown sugar, each hollow cradling a cherry, with the gingerbread poured carefully over the top.

When you flip it after baking, you get a stunning presentation: glossy, caramelized peach halves with bright cherry centers sitting on top of a dark, moist spice cake. The brown sugar base melts into a sticky glaze that soaks into the cake where it meets the fruit.

The gingerbread batter is the real departure here. It’s deeper, spicier, and more complex than typical upside-down cake batter, and the molasses plays beautifully against the sweet peaches.

Chef Tips

• Place the peach halves at the corners and center of the pan as directed. This ensures even distribution so every slice gets fruit.
• Pour the batter slowly and carefully over the arranged fruit. Pouring too fast can shift the peaches and cherries out of position.
• Let the cake rest 5 minutes after removing from the oven before inverting. This lets the caramel set just enough to cling to the cake instead of running off.
• Serve warm with whipped topping. The spices are most fragrant when the cake is still warm from the oven.

Variations

• Apple version: Use peeled, sliced apples instead of peach halves for a fall-inspired gingerbread upside-down cake.
• Pear gingerbread: Ripe pear halves work beautifully here and pair naturally with the ginger and clove spices.
• Bourbon glaze: Add a tablespoon of bourbon to the brown sugar-butter base for a boozy, caramel depth.