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Peach Ricotta Layer Cake with Browned Butter Buttercream. Favorite cake of the summer….hands down. Three layers of fluffy cake, filled with bourbon peach jam, raspberry jam, and the most delicious browned butter buttercream. This cake is light, airy, peachy, sweet, and all the things you want in a summertime cake. Trust me, you just have to make this!
It’s been long but great week, and ending it with this peach filled cake just seems like the right thing to do. Plus, I am not sure what it is about summer, but I have a serious baking bug right now. With all the amazing summer produce, it’s hard not to want to use produce in everything I am making. Anyone else feeling same?
I’m spending the next couple of days in Cleveland with family. I’m excited to check out the local markets here, especially the West Side Market, which has been a favorite of mine since I was a kid. My dad used to stop there on his way home from work to pick up fresh produce. It’s just one of the things I miss about living in Cleveland, it’s such a great market.
Assuming the weather is nice, I’ll be spending the first weekend of August outside my kitchen. Most of my family is in Cleveland this weekend, so it will be great to see them all. I know that my brother is really hoping I make Butter Chicken or Gumbo, so I’m sure I will still do a little cooking. The one thing I really want to do though?
Find peaches!! Local peaches are the best, and we have a few birthdays to celebrate, so a remake of this cake might just be in order. Not complaining, as it’s truly one of my favorites right now. What’s not to love about a peach filled cake with browned butter buttercream, you know?
For years now I have been wanting to make a peach layer cake, but summers have come and gone and I just never got around to making one. Well, I finally changed all that this summer, and I could not be happier with how this cake turned out.
This cake is everything…it’s so delicious, pretty, fun, and uses up all the summer peaches you probably have on hand. Not sure about you guys, but my eyes can tend to be larger than my stomach. I can get so excited when I see produce I love, that I buy way more than I actually know what to do with. This isn’t the best habit, but it does force me to get creative with my ingredients and think of new ways to use them up.
So it’s bad that I tend to over-buy…but it’s also kind of good too!
Anyway, let’s talk details.
This is a recipe that isn’t under thirty minutes, or less than ten ingredients, but it’s worth any extra time and effort. I promise.
OK, so you’ll start off by making the fluffy ricotta based cake. First of all, ricotta cakes are the way to go. Not only does the ricotta add a nice flavor, but it adds richness, moisture, and keeps the cake incredibly light and fluffy. This isn’t my first time using ricotta in a dessert, but it’s the first cake I’ve incorporated it into. And it for sure will not be the last…game changer.
While the cake is baking, make the peach jam. Honestly, if you have a surplus of peaches, you should just be making jam all the time. Peach jam can be used in both sweet and savory ways, and yes, it is good. The jam is spread over each layer of cake and it’s the main flavor. I used brown sugar to sweeten the jam. I also gave the jam a kick of flavor with a couple splashes of bourbon, because I will forever love the combination of peaches and bourbon. If you’re not someone who likes to cook with alcohol, not to worry, just omit the bourbon and replace it with lemon juice or two teaspoons of vanilla.
For the buttercream, you’ll need to brown some butter. If you’ve never browned butter, oh man, you are in for a real treat. Browning butter on the stove gives it a nutty, rich flavor, and I swear, makes almost any dish better, whether it’s sweet or savory.
In addition to the browned butter, I also used some mascarpone cheese in the buttercream to give it a very “whipped” feel. I didn’t want the buttercream to be heavy and weigh down the cake, so the lightness of the mascapone is perfect paired with this cake.
Also, I want to talk about cutting the cake layers in half. I have chatted with you guys about this before, but do not stress about this step. It’s a lot easier than you may think. You just need to use a long, serrated knife and try to cut in an even, straight line. The long knife will help make this so much easier.
Don’t worry too much if your layers are not perfectly even. One of the great things about frosting/buttercream is that it covers up mistakes. It’s a delicious and beautiful thing.
And in my opinion, you can never have too much frosting!
If you make this peach ricotta layer cake, please be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I love hearing from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every one of you. Oh, and of course, if you do make this cake, don’t forget to also tag me on Instagram so I can see! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Peach Ricotta Layer Cake with Browned Butter Buttercream
Servings: 14 makes ( layer) cake
Calories Per Serving: 2192 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 cup canola oil
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- 3 large eggs
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 3 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Bourbon Peach Jam
- 6 cups fresh or frozen peaches
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons bourbon
- 1/3 cup raspberry jam
Brown Butter Buttercream
- 3 sticks salted butter, at room temperature
- 4 ounces mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 (8-inch) round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter/spray with cooking spray.2. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a hand-held mixer) beat together the canola oil, ricotta, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and buttermilk. Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, mix until just combined. 3. Pour the batter among the cake pans and bake 30-35 minutes, until the tops are just set and no longer wiggly in the center. Remove and let cool five minutes, then run a knife around the edges of the pan and turn the cakes out onto a cooling rack. Cover and let the cakes cool completely before assembling.4. To make the jam. Add the peaches and brown sugar to a medium size pot set over high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, once boiling use a potato masher or fork to break down and mash the peaches. Continue to cook for 5-8 minutes or until the jam has reduced and thickened by 1/3. Stir in the bourbon during the last minute of cooking. Remove from the heat and let cool. Should thicken as it cools. 5. To make the buttercream. Add 2 sticks butter to a skillet set over medium heat. Allow the butter to brown lightly until it smells toasted, about 2-3 minutes. Stir often. Remove from the heat and transfer the butter to the mixing bowl, let cool until it's room temp. 6. Add the remaining stick of butter, mascapone, and powdered sugar and beat the butter and powdered sugar together until the butter is light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and beat until combined.7. To assemble. Using a large serrated knife, carefully cut each cake in half horizontally. Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread 1/4 of the buttercream over the cake and layer with about 1/4 cup of peach jam and 2 tablespoons raspberry jam. Repeat with the remaining 3 cake layers. Be careful not to overfill your layers or the cake will be hard to slice. Frost the outside of the cake. Chill 30 minutes. Serve, or store in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.Â
Hi! Quick question, do I leave the skin on the peaches or take it off for the jam? Can’t wait to see how this turns out!
Hey Christina,
I like to leave the skin on my peaches but you can easily remove it as well, totally up to you!! Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
I just made this recipe for the second time and it’s become a go to birthday cake recipe. The flavors together are absolutely wonderful and I can get enough of the brown butter cream.
Hey Katie,
Awesome!! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks so much for making it! Have the best weekend:) xxT
I made this cake yesterday for my mom’s birthday and it was a huge success!!! The whole family loved it. My husband said it was the best cake I have ever made. The flavors are phenomenal. I felt like I needed a little more buttercream and will make additional next time. Can’t thank you enough for this recipe!
Hey Bethany,
Thanks so much for your comment and sharing your feedback! I love to hear that this recipe was a hit and thanks for making it! xTieghan
Should the eggs, cheese, and buttermilk be brought to room temperature?
Hey Selena,
Yes, that will give you the best results. Let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
I’ve made this twice and both times it’s wowed everyone who tries it. Amazing flavour combinations! 🙂
I’m curious if you have suggestions for making it gluten & dairy free? I’d like to make it for a friend but she’s got some restrictions.
Thanks!
Hey Rebecca,
I am so glad you have been enjoying this recipe!! You could definitely make it gluten free using an equal amount of gluten free flour. I’ve not tested this dairy free and I really am not sure how it would work but you could try using dairy free yogurt in place of the ricotta. Again, I am not sure how that would turn out:) Let me know if you give it a try! xx
Made this cake for a dinner party. Wow. Really tasty and impressive.
I did have trouble with baking the cakes. Had to redo first batch bc centers didn’t set at 30 minutes. 2nd batch baked for 35 minutes still wasn’t 100% set but usable. Used 8in pans. I did cut back the confectionery sugar on the frosting to 2+ cups as suggested in the comments. Perfect flavor but not quite enough frosting.
Can’t wait to make again.
Hey Lynne,
Wonderful! Love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks for making it! Have the best week:) xTieghan
This is a very delicious cake! Everyone was asking if I put caramel in the frosting…nope, just browned butter 😀 The frosting is next level! Thank you!
Haha browned butter is always the secret 😉 Thanks so much for making this recipe! xTieghan
This cake is phenomenal! So delicious and unique. I made it with Bob’s Red Mill GF Baking Flour and peaches from our backyard and it was amazing. I had friends say this was the best cake they’ve ever had! Will definitely make again in the future.
Hey Paris,
Awesome!! Love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for giving it a try! Have a great weekend:) xTieghan
We made this cake for my birthday this year and it was the best I ever had. The frosting is insanely good and the cake is light and flavorful. I will probably request it for every birthday!
Hey Katie,
Happy Sunday! I love to hear this recipe was enjoyed and I truly appreciate you giving it a try! xxTieghan
I have 4 shallow cake pans that I’d like to use – they’re each about 1.5 inches tall. Do you have any advice for baking time?
Thank you!
Hey Stephanie,
Since I have only made this with 8 inch cake pans I am unsure of the baking time with smaller pans. I would just keep an eye on them and stick a knife in the middle to check for doneness. I hope you love the recipe! xTieghan
MAKE THIS CAKE. It is the best cake I have eaten in my entire life. The browned butter icing is to die for, the peach jam is sublime, and the combo with the tender cake and raspberry jam is just perfect. The cake itself is absolutely massive. I ended up making 1.5x the recipe of icing, because I like to have a thicker layer than was shown in the photos. It was the perfect amount. I also made 1/3 a recipe extra peach jam and ended up with probably 2 -3 cups more than I needed, which was also great, because spreading extra atop each slice of cake was divine. My only issue was that the cake took about 10 minutes longer to cook than the listed time, despite me using two 8-inch pans. But no harm, no foul. I had them in the middle rack and next time would try the top rack. They still tasted fabulous.
Hey Claire,
Happy Friday! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe, I am delighted that it was enjoyed! Thanks for sharing what worked well for you. Have a great weekend:) xTieghan
Hey Tieghan, I really want to make this recipe, but I’m very unsure about the amount of peaches. I used an online converter and it says 6 cups are about 1000 grams, but that can’t be right, can it? Thank you in advance!
Hey Albina,
You will want to use 6 cups of peaches, it should be about 6-8 peaches depending on the size of them. I hope you love this cake, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
This is the best cake I’ve ever eaten! I love how the recipe is written.
One tip I got from reading earlier comments is to make the jam the day before. That way, you can brown the butter for the frosting while the cakes are baking, then wait until they’re both cool enough.
Hey Stephanie,
Wonderful! Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a try, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed! Have a great weekend:) xTieghan
This cake is absolutely amazing!! Made it for family who came into town. I used Peach Truck peaches and it was delicious. I loved that it also had bourbon in the frosting as I live in Kentucky and my family who came into town don’t so it had the special element of surprise. We are pretty picky cake eaters and it was stunning. Everyone kept complementing this cake!!!
Hey Emily,
Happy Wednesday! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for making it! xTieghan
Hey! This cake looks like a dream – I’m planning on making it for my Mum’s 70th this month. Would it be possible to make the cakes in advance do you think (e.g. wrap and freeze) and just ice on the day?
Thanks!
Hey Karin,
Sure, I think that would work well for you! I hope the recipe turns out amazing, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
I had this cake today and it was amazingly moist and flavorful. It was made with peaches from the “Peach Truck” (thepeachtruck.com) – sweet and juicy. It doesn’t get any better than this and it was one of the best cakes I’ve ever eaten.
Hey there,
Wonderful! I am so glad this recipe was a hit, thanks a lot for making it! Have a lovely week:) xTieghan