Peach Ricotta Cake with Brown Butter Streusel
Published on August 15, 2025
Quick Summary
This Peach Ricotta Cake is soft, moist, and packed with juicy peaches. Topped with a nutty brown butter streusel and a sweet honey glaze, it's the ultimate summer treat! Serve it for brunch, dessert, or a cozy coffee break.
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Pin ItWhen peach season hits, I go a little peach crazy. We have two peach trees, so I have to! There's nothing better than a perfectly ripe peach — juicy, fragrant, and bursting with flavor. And while I love biting into one just as it is, this Peach Ricotta Cake might be my favorite way to celebrate peach season.
This cake is everything I want in a summer cake: it's easy and it's got just the right balance of sweetness and richness. Bonus, it reminds me of a coffee cake, which means it's totally acceptable for breakfast too!
The ricotta keeps the crumb incredibly tender and moist, and every slice is dotted with sweet chunks of fresh peach. Then comes the real magic: a buttery brown butter streusel, it really takes the cake to the next level. Finish it off with a sweet honey glaze, and you've got a cake that's as perfect with a morning coffee as it is with a scoop of vanilla ice cream after dinner.
Whether you're entertaining guests, looking for a bake-ahead brunch treat, or just want to make the most of those perfect peaches, this cake delivers. Trust me, you'll want to make it more than once before the season's over.
Ingredients (with Helpful Notes)
For the Cake:
- All-Purpose Flour: Spoon and level! Never pack flour when measuring!
- Granulated Sugar: Sweetens without overpowering the peaches.
- Baking Powder: Helps the cake rise nice and fluffy.
- Cinnamon: Just a touch warms up the flavor and pairs beautifully with the peaches.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness.
- Whole Milk Ricotta: Use full-fat for best texture; it keeps the cake super moist.
- Eggs: Make sure they're at room temp for better mixing.
- Vanilla Extract: Always use pure vanilla extract.
- Melted Butter: Cool slightly so it doesn't scramble the eggs.
- Fresh Peaches: Ripe but still firm; peel if you prefer, but I leave the skins on for texture and color.
For the Brown Butter Streusel:
- Butter: Browning it adds nutty depth and makes this streusel so much more flavorful.
- Flour + Sugar: Classic combo for a crumb topping, use your fingers or a fork to get that perfect texture.
For the Honey Glaze:
- Confectioners' Sugar: Sift it to avoid clumps.
- Honey: Enhances the natural sweetness of the peaches.
- Vanilla Extract: Rounds out the glaze flavor.
- Milk: Add slowly to reach your desired drizzling consistency.
Tips for Making the Perfect Cake
- Start by browning the butter for the streusel. In a saucepan, over medium heat, stirring often, until it foams, smells nutty, and turns golden brown (about 5–7 minutes). Scrape it into a bowl and let it cool to room temperature before mixing with the flour and sugar.
- Chill the streusel in the fridge while you make the cake to keep the crumbs firm and buttery.
- Don't over mix the batter once the flour goes in, just stir until combined to keep the cake tender.
- Chop the peaches evenly: Aim for small, uniform chunks so they distribute nicely and bake evenly into the cake.
- Gently fold in the peaches so they stay intact and don't turn the batter soggy.
- Use a springform pan, it makes removing the cake easier and gives a beautiful presentation. If you don't have a springform pan, you can use a 9-inch round cake pan. Line it with parchment paper.
- Bake until the top is golden and a toothpick comes out clean, don't over bake or it'll dry out.
- Cool completely before glazing or the glaze will melt right off.
Peach Ricotta Cake with Brown Butter Streusel
Ingredients
For the brown butter streusel:
- 4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
For the cake:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 3/4 cups chopped peaches, 2-3 peaches
For the honey glaze:
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 to 2 tablespoons whole milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- First, make the streusel topping. Place the butter in a medium saucepan and melt over medium heat, stirring often, until it foams, smells nutty, and browns. This will take about 5 to 7 minutes. Scrape the browned butter into a medium bowl and let cool to room temperature. Add the flour and sugar and stir until well combined. Place in the fridge while you make the cake.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the ricotta cheese, eggs, and vanilla. Gradually add in the melted butter, whisking until combined and smooth.
- Add the ricotta mixture to the dry ingredients and stir with a spatula until just combined. Don't over mix. Gently fold in the peaches.
- Grease a 9-inch springform pan generously with nonstick cooking spray. Scrape the batter evenly into the pan and sprinkle evenly with the streusel.
- Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove the pan from the oven and place on a cooling rack. Let the cake cool in the pan for 30 minutes, then carefully remove the sides of the springform pan.
- While the cake is cooling make the honey glaze. In a small bowl, whisk the confectioners' sugar, honey, vanilla, and milk together until smooth. I always start with 1 tablespoon of milk and then add more if necessary.
- Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake. Cut the cake into slices and serve!
Notes
- Room Temperature: Keep leftovers covered at room temp for 1 day.
- Refrigerate: For longer storage, place in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: Freeze slices for up to 2 months. Wrap well and thaw in the fridge overnight.
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?
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