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This easy peach coffee cake takes a handful of pantry staple ingredients and turns them into something special! This is a recipe you can make for breakfast, afternoon snack, or dessert any time of year.
Coffee cake is such a versatile thing to make. I mean, it’s hard to find another baked good that is socially acceptable to eat for breakfast, afternoon snack, or dessert.
Whether it’s a classic cinnamon coffee cake, pumpkin coffee cake in the fall, or a lemony blueberry coffee cake in the spring, I love them all.
This easy peach coffee cake is my newest addition to that list. It uses just a handful of pantry staples but turns them into a perfectly light, moist, peach-packed cake. Plus, since it uses canned peaches, it can be made any time of year!
WHAT IS COFFEE CAKE?
Every time I share a coffee cake recipe, I get someone wondering why there’s no coffee listed in the ingredients.
So what exactly is coffee cake and why doesn’t it have any coffee in it?
Coffee cake is a moist cake that is often topped with some kind of streusel topping. It does not typically have any coffee in it. It is called coffee cake because it is meant to be enjoyed alongside a cup of coffee.
Coffee cakes can be served for brunch, an afternoon snack, or dessert.
This easy coffee cake fits that description perfectly! It’s moist thanks to tons of peaches in the batter, is topped with a streusel topping as well as a simple vanilla glaze, and goes great with a cup of your favorite hot coffee, cold brew coffee, or tea.
HOW TO MAKE THIS EASY PEACH COFFEE CAKE
So what exactly makes this peach coffee cake recipe so easy?
A white cake mix and canned peaches.
Every time I share a doctored cake mix recipe on social media, I get someone trying to claim that it’s not actually baking if you use a cake mix. But they’re wrong!
Just because we aren’t baking from scratch doesn’t mean we aren’t truly baking. There are so many reasons why someone might need or want to use a few shortcuts when baking!
If you’re looking for a from-scratch recipe that uses fresh peaches, check out my fresh peach coffee cake.
But if you’re looking for a super quick recipe that can be made with pantry staples any time of year, this easy peach coffee cake is the recipe for you.
Easy peach coffee cake ingredients
For the cake batter, you will need just 3 simple ingredients:
- A (15.25 ounce) box of white cake mix
- 3 large eggs
- 2 (15 ounce) cans of sliced peaches in juice
For the peaches, you will drain only ONE of the cans. Leave the second can undrained. You need the juice from the peaches to bring the batter together.
Since the cake relies on the juice from the canned peaches, I don’t recommend swapping in fresh or frozen peaches here.
You can substitute canned peaches in syrup, but keep in mind that the cake cake will be sweeter, so I recommend using a light hand with the icing later.
The streusel uses:
- 1 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
- 1 cup flour
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
If you are out of brown sugar, check out my brown sugar substitute tutorial. I also have tips on how to soften brown sugar if yours has hardened.
And finally, for the icing you will need:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons milk
I often don’t realize I am out of powdered sugar until I’m in the middle of making a recipe. If you’re like me, check out my tutorial on how to make powdered sugar to save yourself a trip to the store.
Making this recipe
Grab a large bowl and your electric hand mixer and beat together the cake mix and the eggs. The batter will be really thick.
Set aside the mixer and switch to a spatula. Fold in both cans of peaches, including the juice from the undrained can. Once this is well combined, spread the batter into the bottom of a greased 13×9-inch pan.
To make the streusel, whisk together the brown sugar and the flour. Use a fork or your fingers to work the butter into this mixture until clumps form. Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the cake batter.
Bake the cake for 35-40 minutes. The cake is done when the center springs back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let the easy peach coffee cake cool on a wire rack. Once it has cooled, whisk together the icing ingredients and drizzle the icing over the cake.
STORAGE & FREEZING TIPS
Store your easy peach coffee cake, covered, at room temperature for up to 2-3 days.
If you need to, you could easily make this cake the night before you plan to serve it.
You can also freeze the cake whole or in slices.
If you want to make the cake ahead of time and freeze it whole, leave off the icing. Wrap the cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap followed by a layer of heavy-duty foil and freeze for up to a month.
Before serving, let the cake thaw at room temperature, then whisk together the icing and drizzle it over the cake.
If you simply want to freeze leftover slices of this easy peach coffee cake, wrap each slice in plastic wrap and store in a zip-top freezer bag.
When you’re ready to enjoy, unwrap and place a slice of easy peach coffee cake on a microwave-safe plate and microwave for 30-60 seconds to both thaw the cake and warm it through.
Easy Peach Coffee Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 box white cake mix 15.25 ounces
- 3 large eggs
- 2 15-ounce cans sliced peaches in juice 1 drained, 1 undrained
For the streusel:
- 1 cup light brown sugar lightly packed
- 1 cup flour
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
For the icing:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 13×9-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to mix together the cake mix and eggs. Batter will be very thick. Switch to a spatula and fold in both cans of peaches, including the juice from the undrained can, until well combined. Spread the batter into the bottom of the prepared pan.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and flour. Using a fork or your fingertips, work the butter into the flour mixture until large clumps are formed. Sprinkle evenly over the cake batter.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Set on a wire rack to cool.
- When cool, whisk together the icing ingredients and drizzle over the cake.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
