Hopefully everything is just peachy wherever you are. Peaches are something that are great year-round. In season, there's nothing better. Whenever we vacation in South Carolina (SIGH, it's been years), often in August, there would be vendors selling peaches from bushel baskets along the road-side. When the season is just right, those peaches are near-perfect. During the winter, there's nothing better than biting into a fresh peach to remind one of summer. There's nothing better than this Amish peach upside-down cake to transport one to summer, no matter what time of year!
This Amish peach upside-down cake recipe is an old classic, an old favorite. A talented young Mennonite photographer took the photo for me, years ago. She's married now and living in Iowa, but it was fun meeting her. She showed up once at a library talk of mine in Pennsylvania and asked if she could take some photos for Amish365.com So I said "sure",why not?
Peaches are popular in Amish kitchens. They can well, so peaches can be enjoyed year-round. And when they are fresh they can be turned into jams, spreads, breads, pies, and other desserts. Peach fried pies are often a favorite, the filling being packed into the sugary crust.
Peach trees are popular on Amish farmsteads, generally growing well in the temperate Midwestern climate that many Plain people inhabit. Peach trees, if you can keep them from getting nipped by late-season frosts, are generally easy to grow.
Note on this recipe: an Amish cook would use home-canned peaches with its own syrup, If you are making this at home you can use home-canned peaches, store-bought peaches in syrup, or fresh peaches and make your own syrup., Making the syrup is easy, just take a ½ cup brown sugar (dark) and ½ cup water and simmer over medium heat, stirring until just thickened. Then set aside and follow recipe.
Meanwhile, use the freshest peaches you can for this amazing cake!
And slice them up!
Peach upside-down cake is one of those staples of Amish church gatherings. Refreshing and fruity, it can double as dessert or a breakfast food. The cake is very portable, it holds together very well on a bumpy buggy ride to and from church. So, yes, peach upside-down cake has definitely become an Amish. I imagine this recipe would work just as well with nectarines or apricots if you wanted to experiment. I'd also be tempted to add a teaspoon or two of cinnamon.
🍑 Amish Peach Upside-Down Cake
- 1 quart sliced peaches, drained
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 2 / 3 cup vegetable shortening
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup white sugar
- 2 1 /2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 eggs
📋 Instructions
- Drain peaches and reserve syrup.
- Melt butter in a skillet.
- Add brown sugar and 2 tablespoons syrup and drained peaches to skillet.
- Add water to remaining syrup to make 1 cup and set aside.
- Cream together shortening and sugar until light and crumbly.
- Add eggs and vanilla.
- Beat until fluffy.
- Sift together the baking powder, salt, and flour.
- To the creamed mixture, add the dry mixture and 1 cup of syrup alternately, stirring after each addition till smooth.
- Use slotted spoon to remove peaches from skillet and spread peaches in bottom of greased 13×9 inch cake pan.
- Spread batter over peaches and bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes.
🍑 More Amish Peach Recipes
Miriam Peachy's Peach Cobbler - So good!
Peach Dump Cake - Wow!
Peach Strudel - Classic!
🖨️Full Recipe
Amish Peach Upside-Down Cake
Ingredients
- 1 quart sliced peaches, drained
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 2 / 3 cup vegetable shortening
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup white sugar
- 2 1 /2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- a 2 eggs
Instructions
- Drain peaches and reserve syrup.
- Melt butter in a skillet.
- Add brown sugar and 2 tablespoons syrup and drained peaches to skillet.
- Add water to remaining syrup to make 1 cup and set aside.
- Cream together shortening and sugar until light and crumbly.
- Add eggs and vanilla.
- Beat until fluffy.
- Sift together the baking powder, salt, and flour.
- To the creamed mixture, add the dry mixture and 1 cup of syrup alternately, stirring after each addition till smooth.
- Use slotted spoon to remove peaches from skillet and spread peaches in bottom of greased 13×9 inch cake pan.
- Spread batter over peaches and bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes.
Hollandlady
I think there is a step missing. What about the cake batter? 😀
Kevin Williams
Thanks for pointing that out, I corrected the omission!
Jane Koehn Giesbrecht
My mother canned over 100 two-quart jars of sliced Faye Alberta peaches from our orchards every summer for years. We baked, broiled and had them for breakfast and Sunday Fauspa (late Sunday afternoon coffee with desert in place of a supper), and every which way. My parents were Holdeman Mennonite. The women wore black tie down under the chin scarfs and the men wore beards.
Kevin Williams
Thank you, Jane, for such an informative, insightful post. I learned a few things reading it. I had never heard of Faye Albert peaches and never heard the team Sunday Fasupa....I don't know much about the Holdeman Mennonites, but I'll have to do some reading!