Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan (or line with parchment). You’ll thank yourself later for the easy release.

Beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. This is the part where you pretend you’re in a bakery and not just procrastinating in the laundry room.

Beat in eggs one at a time, then mix in vanilla extract. Scrape the bowl so you don’t lose any of that vanilla magic.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. This keeps the leavening even and avoids clumps that ruin the texture.

Alternate adding the dry mix and milk to the batter, starting and ending with dry ingredients. Mix just until combined; overmixing makes the cake dense.

Gently fold in chopped peaches. If you’re feeling fancy, swirl in a bit of peach preserves for a fruity ribbon!

Pour batter into the prepared pan. Smooth the top so it bakes evenly and doesn’t hide your struggle from the edges.

Bake for 28–35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Every oven is different—trust the test, not the timer.

Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. This prevents soggy bottoms and makes slicing easier.

Optional: dust with powdered sugar or top with whipped cream. Slice and serve. Enjoy the fruits of your labor (literally)!