Irresistible Peaches and Cream Cupcakes: Your Ultimate Summer Dessert Guide
When peaches are in peak season, there’s no better way to celebrate their juicy sweetness than with these exquisite peaches and cream cupcakes. They are an absolute delight, embodying freshness and flavor in every bite. Imagine a super soft, moist vanilla cupcake base, crowned with a luscious, smooth vanilla buttercream generously speckled with real vanilla bean. To top it all off, a vibrant peach compote, made even more irresistible with tiny cubes of fresh peaches, adds a burst of authentic fruit flavor. This combination is truly heavenly and promises to be a favorite for any occasion.
These delightful peach cupcakes draw their inspiration from the timeless classic dessert, peaches and cream. This iconic pairing evokes memories of warm summer days and comforting treats. For me, it harks back to my parents’ wonderfully sweet neighbors in the US, who first introduced me to this delightful dessert. These homemade peach cupcakes are simply bursting with flavor, making them the perfect indulgence for any spring gathering, summer party, or simply a sweet treat to brighten your day. They’re designed to be easy enough for home bakers yet impressive enough for special occasions.
If you’re looking to explore more delicious cupcake recipes, be sure to try our Banana and Dulce de Leche Cupcakes, rich Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes, and sophisticated Tiramisu Cupcakes.
[feast_advanced_jump_to]
WHY THESE PEACH CUPCAKES ARE A MUST-TRY
- Exquisite Peach Compote: The peach compote in this recipe is more than just a topping; it’s a masterpiece of flavor and texture. We combine beautifully blended, smooth peach compote with finely diced fresh peaches. This thoughtful addition creates an incredible contrast, offering both the deep, concentrated sweetness of cooked peaches and the vibrant, juicy bite of raw fruit. It makes the compote extra delicious and visually appealing, ensuring every mouthful is a delightful experience. It’s the secret weapon that elevates these peach cupcakes to another level.
- Perfectly Soft Vanilla Cupcakes: The foundation of these amazing peaches and cream cupcakes is a vanilla cupcake that is incredibly easy to make and boasts an unparalleled softness. We’ve fine-tuned this recipe to ensure a tender crumb and a delicate vanilla flavor that perfectly complements the peach elements. The use of key ingredients like buttermilk and vegetable oil contributes to its moistness and light texture, making it far from dry or dense. This vanilla cupcake base is robust enough to hold the generous toppings yet light enough to melt in your mouth.
- Luxuriously Smooth Vanilla Buttercream: Capping off these delightful treats is a velvety smooth vanilla buttercream. What truly sets this buttercream apart are the abundant, beautiful specks of real vanilla bean distributed throughout. These specks aren’t just for show; they signify an intense, aromatic vanilla flavor that enhances the overall profile of the cupcake. The buttercream is whipped to a perfect consistency – not too sweet, wonderfully creamy, and easy to pipe, creating a beautiful and delicious crown for your homemade peach cupcakes.
ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS FOR THE BEST PEACHES AND CREAM CUPCAKES
Achieving the perfect flavor and texture for these peach cupcakes relies on using high-quality ingredients and preparing them correctly. Here are some of the key components you’ll need. For a comprehensive list with precise quantities, please refer to the detailed recipe card below.
- Butter: For the best results, always use unsalted butter. It’s crucial that your butter is at room temperature before you begin baking. This typically means taking it out of the fridge 1-2 hours prior, depending on the ambient temperature of your kitchen. Room temperature butter creams more easily with sugar, incorporating air that results in a lighter, fluffier cupcake texture and a smoother buttercream.
- Eggs: Just like butter, eggs should also be at room temperature. This helps them emulsify better with the other ingredients, leading to a more consistent batter and a more tender final product. Plan to remove them from the fridge 1-2 hours before you start mixing.
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk is a secret weapon in baking, known for creating exceptionally soft, moist, and tender cupcakes. Its acidity reacts with baking soda, producing carbon dioxide that contributes to the cupcake’s light and airy structure. Measure out your buttermilk and allow it to come to room temperature alongside your butter and eggs for optimal mixing. If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can easily make a substitute by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to regular milk and letting it sit for 5-10 minutes until it curdles slightly.
- Vanilla paste: While vanilla extract is good, vanilla paste is a game-changer for these vanilla cupcakes and buttercream. It offers a more intense, rich vanilla flavor, comparable to using a whole vanilla bean, but at a more accessible price point. Plus, it provides those beautiful, visible vanilla bean specks that signify premium flavor and quality. You can often find vanilla paste in the baking aisle of larger supermarkets or specialty food stores.
- Peaches: The star of our show! For the most flavorful peach compote and fresh peach cubes, always use ripe, fragrant peaches. Ripe peaches will have a softer texture and a sweeter, more aromatic flavor profile. When selecting peaches, look for ones that give slightly when gently squeezed and have a sweet, fruity aroma. Avoid hard, unripe peaches as they won’t deliver the same delicious results.
Always remember that the quality and temperature of your ingredients significantly impact the final outcome of your peaches and cream cupcakes. Don’t skip these essential tips!
See recipe card for exact quantities.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS – BAKING THE PERFECT VANILLA CUPCAKES
Crafting these soft and flavorful vanilla cupcakes is a straightforward process when you follow these steps carefully. The full recipe with precise measurements can be found in the recipe card further down. Let’s get baking!
Begin by preheating your oven to 160ºC (conventional oven setting). While the oven heats up, prepare a 12-cup cupcake tray by lining each cavity with paper cupcake liners. This ensures easy removal and consistent baking.
In a medium-sized bowl, meticulously sift together all the dry ingredients: the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and a pinch of salt. Sifting is crucial as it aerates the flour, removes any lumps, and ensures that the leavening agents are evenly distributed, leading to a lighter, more uniform cupcake texture. Once sifted, set this mixture aside.
Next, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a large bowl with a hand mixer), combine the softened room temperature butter and the granulated sugar. Cream these two ingredients together on medium to high speed for approximately 3 minutes. This step is vital for incorporating air into the mixture, which contributes significantly to the cupcakes’ light and fluffy texture. The mixture should become pale in color and visibly light and airy.
Now, add the large room temperature eggs one at a time. After each egg addition, mix thoroughly until it is just combined before adding the next. This helps to emulsify the eggs into the butter-sugar mixture smoothly and prevents the batter from curdling, ensuring a consistent texture throughout.
After adding the eggs, pause to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. This ensures all ingredients are fully incorporated. Then, gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on a low speed only until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the flour, as this can develop the gluten too much, resulting in tough, chewy cupcakes instead of soft, tender ones.
Finally, introduce the full-fat sour cream, vegetable oil (such as canola oil), vanilla bean paste, and vanilla extract to the batter. Mix again on low speed until these ingredients are just incorporated. The sour cream adds an incredible richness and moisture, while the vegetable oil keeps the cupcakes wonderfully tender. Again, resist the urge to overmix at this stage.
Once everything appears combined, take a rubber spatula and give the batter one final, gentle fold by hand. This ensures that any pockets of unmixed ingredients at the bottom of the bowl are fully incorporated without overworking the batter.
Evenly divide the prepared cake batter among the 12 lined cupcake liners. Fill each liner about two-thirds full to allow room for rising. Bake them in the preheated oven for 23-25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Once baked, remove the cupcake tray from the oven and let the cupcakes cool on a wire rack for about 5 minutes. After this initial cooling, gently remove the cupcakes from the tin and allow them to cool down completely on the wire rack before frosting. This prevents them from becoming soggy and ensures the frosting doesn’t melt.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS – CREATING THE DELICIOUS PEACH COMPOTE
While your vanilla cupcakes are baking and cooling, this is the perfect time to prepare the flavorful peach compote. This fresh and chunky compote will be the star topping of your peaches and cream cupcakes.
In a medium-sized pot, combine the sliced ripe peaches, granulated sugar, fresh lemon juice, and vanilla paste. Place the pot over medium heat and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Once it starts bubbling, reduce the heat to low-medium and let it simmer for approximately 10 minutes. During this simmering process, the peaches will soften and release their juices, mingling with the sugar and vanilla to create a rich, aromatic syrup. Stir the peaches occasionally to prevent sticking and ensure even cooking.
About 8 minutes into the simmering time, add the corn starch to the pot and stir it in thoroughly. Corn starch acts as a thickener, giving the compote a lovely, spoonable consistency. Continue stirring gently until the remaining 2 minutes of simmering time have passed, ensuring the corn starch is fully dissolved and the compote has thickened.
Once the compote has finished simmering, remove it from the heat. Using an immersion blender, carefully blend about half to two-thirds of the compote directly in the pot until it’s smooth. You want to leave some peach chunks intact for texture, so avoid blending it entirely into a purée. This creates a delightful balance between smooth and chunky. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can carefully transfer a portion of the compote to a regular blender or food processor and blend until smooth, then return it to the pot.
Pour the blended compote into a flat-surfaced bowl or a shallow dish. This allows it to cool down much faster than if left in the hot pot. Place the bowl in the fridge to help it reach room temperature quickly, which should take about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, take your extra fresh peaches and chop them into tiny, uniform cubes. These fresh cubes will be folded into the cooled compote, adding a wonderful bite and burst of raw peach flavor to your peach cupcakes. Once the compote is at room temperature, gently fold in the chopped fresh peaches. Set this delicious peach compote aside and proceed to make the vanilla buttercream.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS – WHIPPING UP THE SILKY VANILLA BUTTERCREAM
Now that your vanilla cupcakes have completely cooled and your peach compote is at room temperature, it’s time to prepare the luxurious vanilla buttercream that will crown your peaches and cream cupcakes.
First, begin by sifting your powdered sugar. This crucial step ensures that your buttercream will be wonderfully smooth and free of any lumps. Powdered sugar can often contain small clumps, and sifting will break these down, resulting in a flawless texture. Set the sifted sugar aside.
In the bowl of your stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, start by creaming the cool room temperature butter on medium speed for about 2 minutes. The butter should be soft enough to indent easily but still hold its shape – if it’s too warm, your buttercream might be greasy or runny. This initial creaming process begins to aerate the butter, making it lighter and fluffier. After 2 minutes, scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl thoroughly with a rubber spatula to ensure even mixing, then continue creaming for another minute.
With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the sifted powdered sugar in three separate portions. Mix in each addition of powdered sugar at a low speed until it is fully incorporated before adding the next. Adding it slowly helps prevent a cloud of powdered sugar from escaping your mixer and allows it to blend smoothly into the butter. Once all the sugar is in, add the vanilla bean paste and vanilla extract. Mix on low speed until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl once more, then increase the speed to low-medium and beat for another 2 minutes. This final beating helps to make the buttercream extra light, fluffy, and smooth.
To achieve that truly silky, professional finish, take the bowl off the stand mixer. With a sturdy rubber spatula or a wooden spoon, vigorously beat the buttercream by hand for a minute or two. This manual mixing helps to push out any excess air bubbles that may have been incorporated by the mixer, resulting in an incredibly smooth, dense, and pipeable buttercream. This step makes a noticeable difference in the final texture of your frosting.
Finally, transfer your perfectly prepared vanilla buttercream to a piping bag fitted with your preferred star piping tip. A Wilton 2D tip, for example, creates a beautiful, classic swirl. Ensure the piping bag is securely sealed at the top to prevent buttercream from escaping.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS – ASSEMBLING YOUR PEACHES AND CREAM CUPCAKES
With your soft vanilla cupcakes cooled, your chunky peach compote at room temperature, and your silky vanilla buttercream ready, it’s time for the exciting final step: assembling these magnificent peaches and cream cupcakes!
EXPERT TIP: If you’re not planning to serve and enjoy your delicious peach cupcakes on the same day they are made, I highly recommend holding off on adding the peach compote to the top of the buttercream until just before you are ready to serve them. This prevents the compote from potentially making the buttercream or cupcake soggy over time, ensuring maximum freshness and presentation. Store the compote separately in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Take your cooled cupcakes and your piping bag filled with vanilla buttercream. Begin to pipe the buttercream onto each cupcake, starting from the outside edge and working your way inwards in a circular motion. As you pipe, aim to create a beautiful, decorative swirl, but leave a small concave or well in the center of the buttercream. This creates the perfect little nest for our vibrant peach compote.
Once you’ve piped the buttercream onto all the cupcakes, take a small spoon and carefully fill the middle concave of each buttercream swirl with a generous dollop of your prepared peach compote (including those delightful fresh peach cubes!). The bright color of the compote against the creamy white buttercream creates a stunning visual contrast that will impress all your guests.
These peaches and cream cupcakes are best enjoyed on the day they are made, when their flavors are at their peak and the textures are freshest. However, if you have any leftovers, they can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days, especially if you followed the tip about adding the compote just before serving. Enjoy every tender bite of these homemade peach cupcakes!
EXPERT BAKING TIPS FOR PERFECT CUPCAKES
Even experienced bakers can benefit from a few extra tips to ensure every batch of cupcakes is perfect. These insights will help you achieve the best possible texture and flavor for your peaches and cream cupcakes.
- Embrace a Kitchen Scale for Precision: While many recipes provide volumetric measurements (cups and spoons), using a kitchen scale is by far the most accurate and consistent way to measure your ingredients, especially dry ones like flour. My recipes, including these delicious peach cupcakes, are developed using grams as the default unit because it ensures precision, leading to consistent results every time. Investing in a simple digital kitchen scale will elevate your baking significantly.
- Never Overmix Your Batter: This is a golden rule in baking, particularly for cupcakes. Once you’ve added the dry ingredients to the wet, mix only until they are just combined. Overmixing the batter develops the gluten in the flour excessively, which leads to a tough, dense, and chewy cupcake texture, rather than the light and tender crumb we’re aiming for. To ensure everything is fully incorporated without overmixing, I always finish by giving the batter one final, gentle fold with a rubber spatula by hand. This helps to catch any unmixed ingredients at the bottom of the bowl without activating too much gluten.
- Choose the Right Baking Pans: The type of baking pan you use can surprisingly impact the final texture and color of your cupcakes. For the best results, especially for these soft vanilla cupcakes, I recommend using an aluminum baking pan. Aluminum pans are light in color, which means they reflect heat rather than absorbing it intensely. This results in a more gentle and even bake, preventing the edges from over-browning or becoming dry, and leading to a wonderfully soft and tender cupcake. In contrast, dark-colored baking pans absorb more heat, which can lead to a darker, tougher crust and a drier overall cake.
- Ensure All Ingredients are at Room Temperature: This tip cannot be stressed enough, especially for butter and eggs. Room temperature butter creams beautifully with sugar, creating a light, airy base for your cupcakes and a smooth, lump-free buttercream. Room temperature eggs emulsify better with the fat in the batter, leading to a more homogenous mixture and a finer, more even crumb structure. Cold ingredients can cause the batter to seize and result in a less smooth texture, ultimately affecting the final product. Plan ahead and take these ingredients out of the fridge 1-2 hours before you start your baking process.
DECORATING YOUR PEACHES AND CREAM CUPCAKES
Decorating these peaches and cream cupcakes is where you can truly let your creativity shine! I typically use a Wilton 2D star piping tip, placed inside a large piping bag, to create those beautiful, classic swirls of vanilla buttercream. However, don’t feel limited by this specific tip; feel free to use any other piping tip you might have or prefer. A round tip can create elegant domes, while a ruffle tip can add a delicate touch. You can even simply use a spoon to dollop the buttercream and compote for a rustic, charming look. For an extra touch of elegance, consider garnishing your cupcakes with a fresh mint leaf or a tiny sliver of fresh peach on top of the compote just before serving. Remember, the presentation is almost as important as the taste!
As mentioned in the assembly steps, if you’re not planning to serve the cupcakes on the same day, it’s best to add the peach compote just before serving to maintain the freshest texture and appearance of both the compote and the buttercream.
STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS FOR PEACH CUPCAKES
To keep your delicious peaches and cream cupcakes fresh and delightful, proper storage is key. Store the decorated peach cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature. This will help maintain their moisture and prevent them from drying out. They are best enjoyed within 1-2 days of baking to experience their optimal flavor and texture. If you’ve opted to store the peach compote separately as per our expert tip, it should be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator and added just before serving. This method helps to extend the life of your cupcakes and ensures they taste freshly made.
OTHER DELICIOUS CUPCAKE RECIPES TO EXPLORE
If you’ve fallen in love with these peaches and cream cupcakes and are eager to expand your baking repertoire, you’re in luck! Here are some other fantastic cupcake recipes from our collection that we think you’ll adore, perfect for any occasion or craving.
- Salted Caramel Cupcakes
- Apple Pie Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream and Apple Pie Filling
- 25 Best Summer Dessert Ideas
- Biscoff Cupcakes
We truly hope you enjoy baking and savoring these incredible peaches and cream cupcakes! If you give this recipe a try, please make sure to tag me on Instagram @juliemarieeats and leave a review below to let us know how they turned out. Your feedback is always appreciated! For more baking inspiration and delicious ideas, be sure to follow me on Pinterest.
PEACHES AND CREAM CUPCAKES
Pin Recipe
Equipment
- cupcake baking pan
Ingredients
VANILLA CUPCAKE
- 200 g all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 70 g butter room temperature
- 210 g granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 150 g full-fat sour cream, 18% room temperature
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil e.g. canola oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
PEACH COMPOTE
- 100 g peaches + 100 g cut into tiny cubes
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 20 g lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon corn starch
VANILLA BUTTERCREAM
- 330 g powdered sugar
- 200 g butter cool room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1-2 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
VANILLA CUPCAKES
- Preheat the oven at 160ºC conventional oven and line a cupcake tray with 12 cupcake liners.
- Sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set it aside.200 g all-purpose flour, ¼ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer add the butter, and sugar and mix it on medium/high speed for 3 minutes.70 g butter, 210 g granulated sugar
- Add the eggs one at a time into the mixture and mix it in until combined.3 large eggs
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl and continue by adding the flour mixture, continuing on low speed, mixing until just combined.
- Finally add the sour cream, vegetable oil, vanilla bean and vanilla extract and mix until just combined, make sure not to over mix the cake batter.150 g full-fat sour cream, 18%, 2 tablespoon vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- Using a rubber spatula, give the batter a gentle fold to make sure all of the ingredients has been combined.
- Divide the cake batter into the 12 cupcake liners and bake them for 23-25 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Let the cakes cool on a cooling rack. After 5 minutes, gently remove the cupcakes from the cupcake tin and let them cool down completely.
PEACH COMPOTE
- While the cupcakes bake, make the peach compote.
- In a pot heat up sliced up peaches, granulated sugar, lemon juice and vanilla paste. Once it starts bubbling, take it down to a low/medium heat and let it simmer for 10 min. While it cooks, give the peaches a stir once in a while. When 8 min of the 10 min has passed, add the corn starch and stir it in. Continue stirring until the last 2 min has passed.100 g peaches, 50 g granulated sugar, 2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, 20 g lemon juice, 1 teaspoon corn starch
- With an immersion blender, blend the compote until smooth. Pour the compote into a flat surfaced bowl, so it can cool down faster, and place it in the fridge, to reach a room temperature. Takes about 30 min. Meanwhile chop the extra peaches into tiny cubes. Once the compote is room temperature, fold together the chopped fresh peaches with the peach compote. Set it aside and make the vanilla buttercream.
VANILLA BUTTERCREAM
- Once both the cupcakes and compote has cooled down make the buttercream.
- Sift the powdered sugar.330 g powdered sugar
- In your stand mixer, use the paddle attachment, start by creaming the butter for 2 min on medium speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix 1 min more.200 g butter
- On low speed, add the sifted powdered sugar in 3 portion, mix in the powdered sugar at low speed, until each addition is fully incorporated. Add the vanilla bean paste and vanilla extract and mix it in. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and mix for 2 min on low/medium speed.1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, 1-2 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Take the bowl off the stand mixer and with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, beat it well by hand to make sure to remove the air bubbles in the buttercream.
- Transfer the buttercream to a piping back with star piping tip, e.g. Wilton 2D.
ASSEMBLING
- TIP: If you are not serving the cupcakes on the day, then I recommend not adding the peach compote to the cupcake until you are ready to enjoy them.
- Pipe the buttercream on the cupcakes, creating a small concave with the buttercream. In the middle of the buttercream fill it with the peach compote.
- Serve it on the day, but it can also last well for a few days on the kitchen counter, in an airtight container.