Name: Sour Cream Peach Pound Cake
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 5 h 15 min
Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients: 3 cups (360g) All-Purpose Flour, sifted; 2 cups (400g) Granulated Sugar; 1 cup (226g) Unsalted Butter, softened; 4 Large Eggs, room temperature; 1 cup (240g) Full-Fat Sour Cream, room temperature; 1 teaspoon Baking Powder; ½ teaspoon Salt; 2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract; 2 cups (2-3 medium) Fresh or Frozen Peaches, peeled, pitted, and diced into ½-inch pieces; 1 ½ cups (180g) Confectioners' Sugar, sifted (for simple vanilla glaze, optional); 2-3 tablespoons Milk or Heavy Cream (for simple vanilla glaze, optional); ½ teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract (for simple vanilla glaze, optional)

Sour Cream Peach Pound Cake is more than just a dessert; it’s a glorious celebration of summer’s bounty, perfectly encapsulated in a single, magnificent slice. I’ve always been captivated by the humble elegance of a classic pound cake, a confection whose name originally derived from the traditional recipe calling for a pound each of butter, sugar, eggs, and flour. This particular rendition elevates that timeless charm with the luscious addition of ripe, juicy peaches and the incredible moistness that sour cream imparts.

Why this Sour Cream Peach Pound Cake will become your new favorite?

People adore this cake for its unparalleled texture – an incredibly tender, dense crumb that practically melts in your mouth, perfectly balanced by the vibrant sweetness and slight tartness of fresh peaches. The sour cream doesn’t just add moisture; it contributes a subtle tang that beautifully complements the fruit and richness of the butter, creating a harmonious symphony of flavors. Whether served warm with a dollop of whipped cream or enjoyed cool with a morning coffee, I believe this Sour Cream Peach Pound Cake embodies the comforting embrace of homemade baking, making any occasion feel a little more special. It’s truly a delight to share this recipe with you.

Ingredients:

For the Sour Cream Peach Pound Cake:
- 3 cups (360g) All-Purpose Flour: Sifted. Using all-purpose flour provides the perfect balance of gluten for a tender yet sturdy pound cake. Sifting is crucial here, as it aerates the flour and removes any lumps, ensuring a light and uniform crumb for our delicious Sour Cream Peach Pound Cake.
- 2 cups (400g) Granulated Sugar: This provides the primary sweetness and contributes significantly to the cake’s structure and moisture. It works with the butter to create that classic pound cake texture.
- 1 cup (226g) Unsalted Butter: Softened to room temperature. It’s absolutely essential that your butter is properly softened. This means it should yield to a gentle press but not be greasy or melted. Room temperature butter creams beautifully with sugar, incorporating air that is vital for the cake’s light texture. Using unsalted butter allows us to control the exact amount of salt in our recipe.
- 4 Large Eggs: Also at room temperature. Just like the butter, room temperature eggs emulsify better with the other ingredients, leading to a smoother, more cohesive batter and a better rise. If you forget to take them out, place them in a bowl of warm water for 5-10 minutes.
- 1 cup (240g) Full-Fat Sour Cream: At room temperature. This is the star ingredient that gives our Sour Cream Peach Pound Cake its incredible moisture, tender crumb, and signature tangy flavor. Full-fat sour cream is non-negotiable for the best results; it provides richness that lower-fat versions simply can’t match. Room temperature helps it blend seamlessly into the batter.
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder: Our leavening agent, ensuring a perfect lift and preventing the cake from being too dense.
- ½ teaspoon Salt: A small but mighty ingredient that balances the sweetness and enhances all the other flavors in the cake, making the peach and vanilla notes truly sing.
- 2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract: Use a good quality extract! Vanilla is a crucial aromatic that complements the peaches beautifully, adding warmth and depth to every bite of your Sour Cream Peach Pound Cake.
- 2 cups (approximately 2-3 medium) Fresh or Frozen Peaches: Peeled, pitted, and diced into ½-inch pieces. If using fresh peaches, ensure they are ripe but firm. If using frozen, there’s no need to thaw them completely; just separate them if they’re clumped together. The peaches are the glorious fruit component, adding bursts of juicy flavor and texture.
For the Simple Vanilla Glaze (Optional, but highly recommended for that classic finish):
- 1 ½ cups (180g) Confectioners’ Sugar (Powdered Sugar): Sifted. This forms the base of our quick and easy glaze.
- 2-3 tablespoons Milk or Heavy Cream: You’ll adjust the amount to reach your desired glaze consistency. Heavy cream makes a richer, thicker glaze.
- ½ teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract: To infuse the glaze with a lovely vanilla aroma.

Equipment You’ll Need:

A 10-12 cup Bundt pan or two 9×5 inch loaf pans. I personally love a Bundt pan for that elegant presentation!
Electric stand mixer with paddle attachment or a hand mixer.
Large mixing bowls.
Rubber spatula.
Whisk.
Measuring cups and spoons.
Sifter or fine-mesh sieve.
Wire cooling rack.

Prepping for Perfection: The Foundation of Your Sour Cream Peach Pound Cake

Gather and Bring to Temperature: Before you even think about mixing, take a moment to ensure all your cold ingredients – butter, eggs, and especially the sour cream – are at true room temperature. This is not just a suggestion; it’s a critical step for a beautifully emulsified batter and the perfect texture for your Sour Cream Peach Pound Cake. When ingredients are at the same temperature, they combine smoothly, preventing curdling and promoting even baking. I usually set mine out on the counter for at least an hour, sometimes two, depending on how cool my kitchen is.
Prepare Your Baking Pan: Generously grease your Bundt pan or loaf pans with butter or baking spray. If using a Bundt pan, pay extra attention to all the nooks and crannies to prevent sticking. Then, lightly flour the pan, tapping out any excess. This creates a non-stick barrier, ensuring your gorgeous Sour Cream Peach Pound Cake releases cleanly and beautifully. For a Bundt pan, I often use a baking spray that contains flour for extra peace of mind.
Preheat Your Oven: Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C). A lower temperature is often preferred for pound cakes as it allows the cake to bake slowly and evenly, preventing the outside from browning too quickly while the inside remains undercooked. It’s crucial for achieving that dense yet tender crumb characteristic of a perfect pound cake.
Prepare Your Peaches: If you’re using fresh peaches, bring a pot of water to a boil, then quickly plunge the peaches in for 30-60 seconds. Immediately transfer them to an ice bath. The skins will slip right off! Once peeled, pit them and dice them into uniform ½-inch pieces. This size ensures the peach pieces are well-distributed throughout the cake without being too large or watery. If using frozen peaches, you can dice them while still slightly frozen; just ensure they are cut consistently.

Crafting the Irresistible Sour Cream Peach Pound Cake Batter

Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together your sifted all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisking ensures these dry ingredients are thoroughly combined and evenly distributed. Set this aside; we’ll be incorporating it into our wet ingredients shortly.
Cream Butter and Sugar: In the large bowl of your stand mixer (or using a hand mixer), beat the softened unsalted butter on medium speed for about 1-2 minutes until it’s light and creamy. Then, gradually add the granulated sugar, continuing to beat on medium-high speed for 5-7 minutes. This step is incredibly important for the texture of your Sour Cream Peach Pound Cake! You’re looking for the mixture to become noticeably lighter in color, pale yellow, and significantly fluffier. This process, known as creaming, incorporates air into the butter, which creates pockets that contribute to the cake’s tenderness and rise. Scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally to ensure everything is evenly mixed.
Incorporate Eggs Gradually: With the mixer on medium-low speed, add the room temperature eggs one at a time. Beat well after each addition, allowing each egg to fully incorporate before adding the next. This ensures proper emulsification, preventing the batter from curdling. After all eggs are added, increase the speed to medium-high and beat for another minute or two, until the mixture is light and fluffy again. Don’t rush this part; patience here truly pays off in the final texture of your pound cake.
Alternate Dry Ingredients and Sour Cream: Reduce the mixer speed to low. Now, we’ll alternately add the flour mixture and the room temperature full-fat sour cream to the butter-egg mixture, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Begin by adding about one-third of the flour mixture, mixing just until almost combined. Then, add half of the sour cream, mixing until just incorporated. Repeat with another third of the flour, the remaining sour cream, and finally, the last third of the flour. The key here is to mix only until just combined after each addition. Overmixing the batter develops the gluten in the flour too much, which can lead to a tough, dry cake – and we definitely want a moist and tender Sour Cream Peach Pound Cake! Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure everything is incorporated.
Fold in the Vanilla and Peaches: Remove the bowl from the mixer. Add the pure vanilla extract to the batter and gently fold it in with a rubber spatula. Finally, add your diced peaches to the batter. Gently fold them in by hand until they are evenly distributed. Be careful not to mash the peaches; we want nice distinct pieces of fruit throughout our Sour Cream Peach Pound Cake. This gentle hand-folding step prevents overmixing the batter and ensures the delicate peaches remain intact.

Baking Your Magnificent Sour Cream Peach Pound Cake

Fill the Pan and Prepare for Baking: Carefully spoon the finished Sour Cream Peach Pound Cake batter into your prepared Bundt pan or loaf pans. Use your rubber spatula to gently spread the batter evenly. If using a Bundt pan, you can gently tap the pan on your counter a couple of times to release any trapped air bubbles and help the batter settle evenly into the mold. This step also helps to prevent large air pockets in your finished cake.
Bake to Golden Perfection: Place the pan in your preheated 325°F (160°C) oven. Bake for approximately 60-75 minutes for a Bundt pan, or 50-60 minutes for two loaf pans. Keep an eye on it, as oven times can vary. The cake is done when a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the thickest part comes out clean or with only a few moist crumbs attached. If the top of your cake starts to brown too quickly before it’s fully cooked through, you can loosely tent it with aluminum foil for the remaining baking time. This gentle, slow bake is what gives our Sour Cream Peach Pound Cake its incredible, even texture and rich golden crust.
Initial Cooling in the Pan: Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan on a wire cooling rack for at least 15-20 minutes. This crucial step allows the cake to set up properly and prevents it from breaking when you attempt to remove it. During this time, the cake gently pulls away from the sides of the pan as it cools, making for an easier release.
Complete Cooling: After the initial cooling period, carefully invert the pan onto the wire rack. If you greased and floured well, it should slide out effortlessly! Allow the Sour Cream Peach Pound Cake to cool completely on the wire rack before attempting to glaze or slice it. This can take a couple of hours. Cooling thoroughly is important because slicing a warm pound cake can result in a gummy texture, and glazing a warm cake will cause the glaze to melt right off, leading to a sticky mess instead of a beautiful drizzle.

Drizzling Sweetness: The Vanilla Glaze for Your Sour Cream Peach Pound Cake

Whisk Glaze Ingredients: While your cake is cooling, prepare the simple vanilla glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together the sifted confectioners’ sugar, 2 tablespoons of milk or heavy cream, and the ½ teaspoon of pure vanilla extract until smooth. You’re aiming for a consistency that is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon but thin enough to drizzle. If it’s too thick, add more milk or cream a tiny bit at a time (like ½ teaspoon at a time). If it’s too thin, whisk in a little more sifted confectioners’ sugar. The goal is a glaze that flows nicely but still leaves a visible, delicious layer on your Sour Cream Peach Pound Cake.
Glaze the Cooled Cake: Once your Sour Cream Peach Pound Cake is completely cool to the touch, place the wire rack with the cake over a piece of parchment paper or a baking sheet (to catch any drips). Drizzle the vanilla glaze evenly over the top of the cake, allowing it to cascade down the sides. You can use a spoon to guide the glaze, or just go freehand for a rustic look. Let the glaze set for about 15-30 minutes before serving. This final touch adds an extra layer of sweetness and a beautiful sheen that truly elevates the presentation of your homemade Sour Cream Peach Pound Cake.

Serving Your Delightful Sour Cream Peach Pound Cake

Slice and Enjoy: Once the glaze has set, use a sharp, serrated knife to carefully slice your Sour Cream Peach Pound Cake. For the cleanest slices, wipe your knife clean between cuts. This ensures each slice looks as perfect as it tastes.
Storage: Store any leftover Sour Cream Peach Pound Cake tightly wrapped in plastic wrap or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days. For longer storage, you can refrigerate it for up to a week. If refrigerating, let it come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving to ensure the best flavor and texture.
Serving Suggestions: While this Sour Cream Peach Pound Cake is absolutely divine on its own, it’s also wonderful with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream, a dollop of fresh whipped cream, or even alongside a simple berry compote. The peaches within are so flavorful, you might even find yourself adding a few extra fresh peach slices on the side! It makes for a perfect dessert, a delightful brunch treat, or an elegant accompaniment to your afternoon tea. Enjoy every moist, peachy bite!

Conclusion:

Well, my friends, we’ve reached the sweet end of our journey, and I genuinely hope you’re as excited as I am about this particular creation. This isn’t just another dessert recipe; it’s a heartfelt invitation to experience pure, unadulterated baking joy. I truly believe that once you pull this gorgeous cake from your oven, you’ll understand exactly why I’ve poured so much enthusiasm into sharing it with you. This cake is a true showstopper, a dessert that manages to be both incredibly sophisticated and wonderfully comforting all at once.

What makes this recipe an absolute must-try? It boils down to an exquisite trifecta: unparalleled moisture, delightful tenderness, and a flavor profile that sings with the essence of summer. The magic truly happens when the subtle tang of sour cream meets the luscious sweetness of ripe peaches, all enveloped in a rich, dense, yet surprisingly light pound cake crumb. It’s a texture that melts in your mouth, leaving behind a lingering taste of sun-kissed fruit and creamy goodness. Many pound cakes can lean towards the dry side, but thanks to our star ingredient, the sour cream, this one remains incredibly moist and utterly irresistible, even days after it’s baked. You’ll find yourself reaching for just one more slice, and then perhaps another, because it’s simply that good. It’s the kind of cake that makes you close your eyes and savor every single bite, a testament to simple, quality ingredients coming together in perfect harmony.

Now, let’s talk about making this masterpiece shine even brighter on your table. While a simple dusting of powdered sugar is elegant and perfectly sufficient, there are so many delightful ways to serve this cake. For a truly indulgent experience, I highly recommend pairing a slice with a generous dollop of freshly whipped cream, perhaps infused with a hint of vanilla or almond extract. Imagine that light, airy cream contrasting with the dense, fruity cake – pure bliss! Alternatively, a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream, slowly melting into the warm cake, creates an incredible symphony of temperatures and textures. If you’re feeling a bit fancy, a homemade peach or berry compote spooned over the top adds another layer of fruity complexity and a beautiful visual appeal. For a seasonal twist, consider adding a sprinkle of toasted pecans or almonds to the batter before baking, or a drizzle of warm caramel sauce just before serving. This cake is incredibly versatile, adapting beautifully to your preferences and the occasion. You could even make a simple lemon glaze to drizzle over it for a bright, zesty counterpoint to the sweet peaches.

For those who love to experiment, feel free to switch out the peaches for other stone fruits like plums, nectarines, or even a mix of berries when they’re in season. The robust structure of the pound cake can handle a variety of additions, making it a fantastic base for your creative culinary adventures. Think about a subtle hint of cardamom or nutmeg in the batter during autumn, or a touch of almond extract to enhance the peach flavor. This cake isn’t just for dessert; it makes a stunning centerpiece for a brunch spread, a delightful companion to afternoon tea, or a thoughtful gift for a loved one. Its sturdy yet tender nature means it travels well, too, making it ideal for potlucks or picnics. The possibilities for enjoying and customizing this recipe are truly endless.

So, now it’s your turn! I genuinely hope you feel inspired to head into your kitchen, gather those simple ingredients, and bake this incredible Sour Cream Peach Pound Cake for yourself and your loved ones. Trust me, the aroma filling your home as it bakes is a reward in itself, and the first bite will confirm that every moment spent was absolutely worth it. There’s something so incredibly satisfying about creating something delicious from scratch, and this recipe delivers on that promise beautifully. I cannot wait to hear about your baking triumphs and see how you choose to serve this delicious treat. Please, don’t hesitate to share your experiences, your serving suggestions, or any creative variations you come up with. Tag me, tell me in the comments, or simply send a mental high-five across the internet. Happy baking, everyone, and get ready to fall in love with your new favorite pound cake!