Summertime Georgia Peach Cupcake Recipe

Summer is just around the corner and I can already hear the BBQ grills sizzling. 

As we enter grilling season, I love knowing I have a dessert in my back pocket that is quick to make and bursting with flavor. Cupcakes make a great utensil-free dessert and they’re even better when they’re infused with delicious summer flavors. We’ve done all the recipe testing you’ll ever need,  so you can dive right in and bake and enjoy your very own Georgia Peach Cupcakes! Whether you’re trying to find the right treat to bring to a summer BBQ, trying to make something nice for a special someone or yourself or simply trying to use up peaches from your latest peach picking haul, these cupcakes are sure to please.

One of the most amazing things about these cupcakes is that the base of the recipe is boxed cake mix, so they’re pretty hard to ruin! We will show you how to doctor up this boxed mix to create your own beautiful and delicious peach cupcakes right from the comfort of your luxury Atlanta apartments. 

Summertime Georgia Peach Cupcake Recipe

Before baking, let’s do an inventory of the ingredients and supplies needed. I like to gather all my supplies before starting so I can ensure I won’t find myself halfway through making my batter only to find out I don’t have eggs or another important ingredient. 

Cupcake Ingredients:

• 1 box (15.25 oz) white cake mix (Duncan Hines is a favorite)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ⅓ cup white sugar
• ¾ tsp salt
• ⅓ cup water
• 1 cup pureed fresh peaches 
• 2 Tbsp canola oil
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup sour cream
• 4 egg whites

Buttercream Ingredients:

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 lb powdered sugar (about 3.5 cups)
• 1 cup pureed fresh peaches (3-4 peaches)
• ½ Tbsp peach extract or ½ cup freeze-dried peaches, pulverized to dust (optional)
• Pinch of salt
• Heavy cream (optional, as needed)

Supplies: 

• Cupcake pan
• Cupcake liners
• Spatula 
• Mixing bowls
• Hand or stand mixer (optional)
• 4 Tbsp ice cream scoop or ¼ cup measuring cup (optional)

Method

Baking the cupcakes

After gathering all your ingredients, grab your apron and it’s time to bake! 

First you want to preheat your oven to 325° Fahrenheit and line your cupcake pan with the cupcake liners. 

In a mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients and whisk together. If you are using a hand or stand mixer you can then combine all the wet ingredients into your mixing bowl and mix on low-medium for two minutes. If you are mixing your ingredients by hand you will want to mix in the wet ingredients one at a time to reduce lumps and minimize the strain of mixing.  

After your batter is fully combined (it’s okay if there are a few small lumps), fill each of the cupcake liners about ¾ full. Using a ¼ cup measuring cup or a 4 Tbsp ice-cream scoop works perfectly. Once the cupcake tin is full you can bake them in the oven until a toothpick comes out clean, about 14-16 minutes.

Preparing the frosting

While the cupcakes are baking, it is time to get started on the buttercream frosting. 

This recipe calls for peach extract or freeze-dried peaches to really amp up the peach flavor. These ingredients are completely optional, however, so you will still have a beautiful buttercream without them. 

The first thing you’ll want to do is bring your cup of pureed peaches to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir often and simmer the peaches until they are reduced to about a quarter cup of thick, peachy paste. Allow this paste to cool completely. You can pop it in the fridge to help speed things up or make it in advance and allow it to come to room temperature before incorporating.

Beat the butter in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or with a hand mixer in a large mixing bowl. After about 1-2 minutes on medium, add the cream cheese and continue to beat for another 3 minutes or until fully combined. 

Add in the salt, peach paste and peach extract or freeze dried peaches if using. Combine the peaches into the butter and cream cheese mixture. Now begin adding the powdered sugar a cup at a time mixing in between additions to fully combine the sugar. 

After you have added all the sugar, mix on medium-high for a few minutes to get a nice fluffy buttercream. If your buttercream is too thick you can add heavy cream a tablespoon at a time to thin it out or, alternatively, add more powdered sugar a few tablespoons at a time if it is too thin.

Assembling the cupcakes

By now the cupcakes are fully cooled and ready to be dressed with buttercream. 

You can slather it on with a butter knife or use a piping tip and piping bag to achieve a beautiful swirl. I used a 1A piping tip to get this swirl.

If you don’t have piping bags or piping tips you can still achieve a beautiful swirl with a clean zip-top plastic bag. Using a spatula fill your bag with about two cups of buttercream. Twist the unfilled parts of the bag closed and down around the buttercream, forcing it into one corner of the bag. Use some scissors to cut a straight line across the tip of the bag, creating a small opening in the corner. 

Now you can swirl the buttercream on your cupcakes! You can garnish the cupcakes with peach slices right before serving.

Storage tips: Store cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge until 30 minutes before serving. You can leave cupcakes on the counter out of direct sunlight if in an air-conditioned room. Cupcakes will keep for about 3 days if stored properly. 

What are you waiting for? Those Georgia peaches aren’t going to bake themselves! Grab a box or two (or three… or four…) of the juicy fruit from your local peach farm near Atlanta and test these summery treats right at home! 

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Photos courtesy Amy Cornish