This Gluten Free Kuchen is a creamy, decadent cake that is full of ripe peaches. This cake tastes like it was made in a fancy bakery! It is an easy, beginner-level recipe to make, and nobody will believe it is gluten free.
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If you are looking for a cake that will truly feature summer peaches and their sweet flavors, this gluten free peach kuchen is the recipe to make next. It is easy to make with just a few simple ingredients! Kuchen cakes often have a tasty combination of flavors. They can be made with peaches or other fruits, such as apples, cherries, or plums, which infuse the cake with their natural sweetness.
Kuchen cakes originated in Germany. They are often associated with special occasions, family gatherings, and holidays. Many of my husband’s family are from Germany, and I have always wanted to convert one of their kuchen recipes to gluten free.
If you love German desserts, try this Gluten Free German Apple Cake recipe too!
Allergen Information:
This gluten free peach kuchen without canned peaches is gluten-free, nut-free, and soy-free. I have not tested a dairy-free version of this recipe.
I used the Silk brand non-dairy whipping creams and it worked great!”
mary, blog comment
I have a lot of great gluten free peach recipes. They all can be made with fresh or frozen peaches! Check out all of my gluten-free cake recipes for more cake recipes.
Ingredient Notes:
For the full list of ingredients and amounts, please go to the recipe card below.
- Gluten Free Flour Blend – I tested this recipe with Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free Flour Blend. Other blends should work, but keep an eye on the cake batter consistency. Depending on whether the blend is starchy, you may need to add more or less liquid. You can read more about my preferred flour blends in this article The Best Gluten Free Flour Blends (and When To Use Them.)
- Xanthan Gum – Add one teaspoon if your blend doesn’t contain xanthan or guar gum. See the “Substitutions” for a gum-free recipe option.
- Baking Powder – Use aluminum-free baking powder.
- Butter – Unsalted butter.
- Milk – I used oat milk, but plant-based or regular milk will work. If you use oat milk, check my gluten free oat milk list for safe brands. Some readers like to use soy milk.
- Heavy Cream – I used regular heavy whipping cream. So Delicious makes a dairy-free heavy cream, but I have not tested it in this recipe.
- Egg – Size large.
- Peaches – Fresh or frozen. Canned will also work.
Substitutions:
- Swap frozen peaches for fresh peaches. Thaw the frozen peaches and drain the excess liquid before adding them to the wet ingredients.
- You can use canned peaches. Choose canned peaches without heavy syrup, and drain them well.
- Add in other fruits like blueberries or strawberries.
Tips For Success:
- Do not use a standing mixer to mix the cake batter. It will overmix the batter, leaving you with a dense cake. I always mix my wet and dry ingredients by hand until they are barely mixed.
- If you have a 9-inch springform pan, that is easier to use than a 9-inch cake pan. Both work well, but getting the cake out of the pan using a springform pan is easier.
For more baking tips, read my Gluten Free Cake Troubleshooting article. I also wrote about all of my favorite Cake Baking Tools.
Step-By-Step Photos and Directions:
Decide if you want to peel your peaches or leave the skins on. I chose to leave the skins on because of the added fiber. You can do it with a sharp knife to peel your peaches.
Many readers like to boil the peaches for a few seconds to help loosen the skins and make them easier to peel.
Step 1: In a large
Step 2: Add the cold butter and use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the dry ingredients.
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Step 3: When you are finished cutting the butter into the dry ingredients. It will resemble crumbs, like the photo above.
Step 4: Mix the wet ingredients, including the milk, egg, and vanilla extract. Whisk to blend them. Pour them into the dry ingredients and mix them into a dough.
Note this dough will be a little more firm than you are used to.
Step 5: If you have a 9-inch springform pan, use that. If not, use a 9-inch cake pan. To prevent sticking, spray the pan with a gluten free baking spray like the La Tourangelle. If you use a cake pan, I highly advise lining it with parchment paper.
Step 6: Add the cake batter to the pan. Spread it out so it evenly coats the bottom of the pan. Add the sliced peaches in any pattern. Bake at 375º F for 15 minutes.
Step 7: Mix up your creamy custard layer while baking the cake. Add the heavy cream, sugar, vanilla extract, and gluten free flour to a bowl and whisk.
Step 8: Remove the cake from the oven and pour the custard over the top of the cake. It is okay if you can’t see your peaches; the custard absorbs in while the cake bakes.
Step 9: Bake the cake for 25 minutes longer or until the top is golden and the cake feels firm to the touch. Place the cake on a cooling rack and allow it to cool before slicing.
You may also love this homemade Gluten Free Peach Cobbler recipe!
Frequently Asked Questions:
This kuchen tastes like a cake with an almost custardy texture. It is from absorbing the custard while it bakes.
I always recommend storing this gluten free kuchen in an airtight container in your refrigerator. Gluten free baked goods spoil quicker than regular baked goods, and this is especially true for this cake. The custard holds up better in the refrigerator.
Yes! This cake freezes easily. I freeze the slices of the cake in a freezer-safe zipper bag.
More Gluten Free Peach Recipes:
- Easy Gluten Free Peach Loaf Cake
- Gluten Free Peach Cupcakes
- Fluffy Gluten Free Peach Muffins
- Paleo Peach Cobbler – Grain-free and refined sugar-free.
Love This Recipe?
If you made and enjoyed this recipe, I would be incredibly grateful if you could leave a comment below. Please include which flour blend you used. This will help others know this recipe is delicious. Thank you!
Easy Gluten Free Kuchen
Ingredients
Cake Layer:
- 1 ½ cups gluten free flour blend * see notes
- ⅔ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder aluminum-free
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspon ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup unsalted butter COLD
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 peaches peeled or skin on
Custard Layer:
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons gluten free flour blend
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375º F and place the oven rack in the middle of the oven.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients. (The first five ingredients.) Whisk to blend.
- Add the cold butter chunks to the dry ingredients. Use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour mixture. The end result should look like it is filled with crumbs.
- In a smaller bowl, add the milk, vanilla, and egg. Whisk and pour into the dry ingredients.
- Mix into a thick cake batter.
- Grease a 9-inch springform pan or cake pan. If you use a cake pan, line it with parchment paper too.
- Add the cake batter and spread it evenly over the bottom of the pan.
- Slice your peaches and place them over the cake batter. Peeling the peaches is optional. I left mine on.
- Bake for 15 minutes.
- In a small bowl, combine the custard ingredients and whisk.
- Remove the cake from the oven and pour the custard over the top of the cake.
- Bake for an additional 25 minutes. The cake is finished baking when it is golden on top and firm to the touch.
- Remove the cake from the oven and place on a cooling rack.
Notes
- I tested this recipe with Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 flour. Other blends should work. I haven’t tested others at this time.
- Xanthan Gum – be sure your blend has a binder like xanthan or guar gum. If yours doesn’t contain this, add one teaspoon.
- If you need gum-free, use my DIY Gluten Free Flour Blend in this recipe.
- You can use any fruit to make this gluten free kuchen.
- You can use frozen peaches. Thaw them and drain any extra liquids.
- You can use canned peaches. I recommend not using canned peaches in heavy syrup. Drain all syrup well.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It should keep fresh for up to 4 days.
SPECIAL NOTE
Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn’t test, you may need to adjust your moisture levels in your baked goods.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
This is third Kuchen this time with apples. Thank you, my husband is a very picky eater and he loves it!!!
I love this cake with apples. I am so glad you are having fun experimenting with different types of fruit!
How long do you whisk the custard layer ingredients? I overwhisked it and it became thick. The time before I didn’t get all the flour whisked in and found it at the bottom of the bowl. I’m fun experimenting. Thanks for posting this recipe.
Hi Kim, which flour blend did you use? It is easier to troubleshoot if I know that because they all perform a bit differently.
I’m not sure what I did wrong but mine did not turn out good ☹️The “cake batter” part was really thick for some reason – almost like a dough? Not sure if that had something to do with it? But I also couldn’t get the custard layer to cook and I had to take it out because the sides started to burn – any thoughts? I’m definitely going to try it again!
Hi Megan, My best guess is it is the gluten free flour blend. Your blend sounds like it was very starch heavy. Which did you use? If it is not a U.S. brand, I can look up the ingredients and make some suggestions.
This recipe was so easy and tastes so good! I highly recommend making this peach kuchen. My daughter and my husband raved about how good it tastes. The only thing I’ll change next time I make it is to use a deeper pan. My custard almost spilled over.
Hi Mary, I am glad you loved this recipe. Mine almost spilled over too. I had a pan under mine to catch any drips.
Can you substitute a non dairy creamer for the heavy cream such as coconut creamer?
Hi Jessica, I haven’t tested non-dairy creamer in this recipe.
I used the Silk brand non dairy whipping creams and it worked great!
I am so glad the non-dairy whipping cream worked well. Thank you so much!
Another delicious recipe! I have been going to Germany every year for about 18 years. 16 years ago I became allergic to wheat. The memory of the delicious German Kuchen was something I didn’t think I would ever have again. (There is another Kuchen that I had there, it was made with apples and yeast, any idea what the recipe would be?) Well, tonight I made your version and am delighted with the taste! I did not have fresh peaches, so substituted out sweetened canned peaches. Because of the additional sugar in the peaches, I should have cut back on the sugar in the cream mixture to even it out. Although a tad bit sweet, it was still delicious and will definitely be making it again with the fresh peaches! Thanks for another 5 star recipe!
I am so glad you are able to have kuchen again. We have been to Germany a few times, and I do remember how good kuchen was before going gluten free. I haven’t heard of a kuchen with yeast, I would be curious to see that if you find it.
I have made this cake 3 times. Two times with blueberries the third time with peaches. It is absolutely the best! No one could believe it was gluten free. This is my go to cake from now on. It is easy and delish!
Wow, I am so glad you are having fun experimenting using different fruits in this cake. I am thrilled nobody could tell it was gluten free.
Hello Sandi. I just made your Peach Kuchen and it was great; almost as good as the French Apple Cake! Or it was a tie. 🙂 It does have that custard texture that I love. BTW, I did have to take the risk and use canned coconut milk in the batter. Plus, for the heavy cream, I blended 6 oz plain Goat Milk Yogurt with 2 oz of canned coconut milk. And I did use your DIY Flour Blend and it obviously worked with this recipe, too.
I am so glad to hear you loved this cake. Also, thank you for sharing your adaptations, and that my Diy flour worked well. I really appreciate it! Thank you.
Thank you for recipe, was absolutely delicious, will definitely be making again and look out for more of your recipes.
I am so glad you tried my recipe. Thank you so much, April.
Thanks for the recipe! This kuchen was delicious! I used frozen peaches, about 450 g of them. . .that weight was before I thawed and drained them. I will definitely be making this again.
Thank you so much, Cheryl. I am so glad you loved the recipe.