Apple Upside Down Cake is a cozy, easy to make cake made with a layer of tender cinnamon apples baked beneath a soft and buttery spiced cake topped with a caramelized topping that turns into the most delicious layer when the cake is flipped. It’s simple enough for a weekend bake but special enough for fall gatherings and the holidays.
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Why Make This Recipe
I love baking with apples just as soon as the weather even hints cooler seasons are on the way. One of my favorite ways to bake with apples is by making apple cake. My Apple Coffee Cake, French Apple Cake, Apple Spice Cake and Apple Cider Cake are just a few of my favorite apple cake recipes from the blog. I am so excited to add this gorgeous apple upside down cake recipe to the blog.
- Layers of flavors and textures. From the soft, fluffy and buttery vanilla and apple pie flavored cake to the tender, caramelized apples, this apple upside down cake will delight your senses.
- Easy to make, bake and eat. This easy upside down cake with caramelized apples tastes like a cake straight from your favorite bakery, but it is actually incredibly quick and easy to make at home. Just mix up the sugar caramel sauce, layer the sliced apples, mix up the easiest spiced cake batter, bake, slice and enjoy.
- Stunning cake that’s easy to make. Impress all your guests with the most stunning and cozy cake thats just as easy to make as any other cake.
Ingredients and Substitutions
This upside down apple cake recipe requires just a handful of simple ingredients to make and you probably already have them in your pantry and fridge. Here’s what you’ll need.
- Apples: Use apples meant for baking. I personally love using Granny Smith apples. Jonagold, Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Pink Lady apples also work well.
- All Purpose Flour: To make this upside down cake gluten free, use a good 1-1 gluten free flour. I recommend using the one from Bob’s Red Mill. Make sure to measure the flour by weight (240 g) rather than cups to ensure the best outcome for the cake.
- Apple Pie Spice: Feel free to use the recommended apple pie spice or use your preferred fall spice blend.
- Baking Powder This acts as a leavener in this fluffy upside down cake with apples. This cake has not been tested with baking soda.
- Butter: Vegan butter or plant based can also be used in place of regular unsalted butter.
- Granulated Sugar: This cake calls for granulated sugar, but maple sugar would also work well to make this recipe refined sugar free.
- Eggs: This recipe has not been tested without eggs.
- Vanilla Extract: The scent of vanilla gives a warm cozy background flavor to this cake.
- Buttermilk: Feel free to use sour cream or greek yogurt in place of the buttermilk.
How To Make
Learn how to make apple upside down cake in a few easy steps.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C). Grease and line the bottom of a 9 inch (23 cm) cake pan with parchment paper. In a mixing bowl whisk the melted butter with the light brown sugar until a paste forms. Evenly spread the paste across the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Wash, dry, peel, core and slice the apples into ¼ inch slices. Just try to keep the slices as similar as possible to make the layering easier. Decoratively layer the apple slices across the bottom of the pan, fully covering the sugar paste.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, apple pie spice and salt together until well combined.
- In a large mixing bowl fitted with paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar and light brown sugar on medium speed for 3 -4 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. With the mixer on low, cream in the eggs and vanilla extract until well combined. Finally, with the mixer on low, alternate mixing the dry ingredients and buttermilk into the wet ingredients in this order: dry, buttermilk, dry, buttermilk, dry. Evenly spread the buttery spice cake batter into the prepared pan on top of the apples. Make sure to fully cover the apples with the cake batter.
- Bake the apple upside down cake for 40 - 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool the cake pan in the pan for 10 - 15 minutes. Use a butter knife to gently separate the edges of the cake from the pan. Place a serving platter or large plate over the top of the cake pan. Invert the cake pan to the top is now on the bottom of the platter or plate. Gently lift the pan off of the cake to reveal the parchment lined apples. Gently remove the parchment paper from the apple layer. The cake is now ready to be served.
How To Store, Freeze, Thaw and Serve
- Store: Place the upside down apple spice cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: Make sure the caramelized apple cake is completely cooled to room temperature. Wrap the cake or cake slices in plastic wrap and place in an airtight container. Store in the freezer for up to 2 - 3 months.
- Thaw: The easiest and tastiest way to thaw the cake is to let it sit out at room temperature until fully thawed or overnight in the fridge. Enjoy at room temperature or microwave until it’s your preferred temperature.
- Serve: This upside down apple cake is best served as is or topped with freshly whipped cream, warm with a scoop of cold vanilla ice cream and with a drizzle of caramel sauce.
M’s Expert Tips
- Prepare the pan. Generously grease the bottom and sides of the pan. I also recommend lining the bottom with parchment paper.
- Use the right apples. The best apples for this cake are also the best apples for baking other apple desserts. Look for apples like Granny Smith and sweeter apples like Jonagold, Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Pink Lady apples.
- Bring cold ingredients to room temperature. This allows the ingredients to mix together more evenly which requires less mixing, resulting in soft, fluffy, moist and tender cake.
- Measure the flour properly. I highly recommend using a food scale to get perfectly measured ingredients every time.
- Don’t overmix the batter. Make sure to mix the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined.
- Use the baking times as a guide. As a general rule, when the cake becomes very fragrant, it’s a good idea to start checking. Begin checking on the cake at the minimum baking time. A toothpick inserted into the center of the cake should come out clean. The top of the cake should be golden brown and the sides of the cake should pull slightly away from the pan.
- Cool the cake in the pan, but not for long. As the cake cools, so does the caramelized apple layer. Make sure to flip or invent the pan around 10 minutes after pulling the cake from the oven.
- Run a thin knife around the edges. Loosen the cake from the sides before flipping, then place your serving plate firmly over the pan and invert it in one confident motion.
- Don't panic if an apple sticks. Sometimes this happens, don't panic. Simply lift the apple from the pan and place it back where it belongs on the cake. The warmth of the cake and the caramel sauce will help to keep the slice in place.
- The best way to serve apple upside down cake. I am a big fan of serving this apple cake warm with cold vanilla ice cream on top or on the side with a drizzle of salted caramel sauce.
FAQs
What are the best apples for making an upside down cake?
The best apples for this coffee cake are also the best apples for baking other apple desserts. Look for a mix of tart apples like Granny Smith and sweeter apples like Jonagold, Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Pink Lady apples.
What’s the best way to prevent the apples or cake from sticking to the pan?
Grease the pan really well and line the bottom with parchment paper. Don’t let the cake cool in the pan for more than 5 - 10 minutes. Right before inverting the cake onto a serving plate, run a thin knife around the edge of the pan to loosen any pieces that may have started sticking to the pan.
Why is my upside down cake soggy?
Too much moisture from the apples or an underbaked cake can contribute to a soggy texture. Make sure the cake is fully baked in the center before removing it from the oven, and avoid using an excessive amount of apple filling.
Can I make this cake in a different pan?
The best pan for this upside down cake recipe is a 9 inch (23 cm) round cake pan. I do not recommend using a springform pan.
Other Apple Recipes to Try
If you try this Apple Upside Down Cake recipe please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Doing so helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to bake. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using @olivesnthyme so I can see what you’re baking! - M
Apple Upside Down Cake Recipe
This easy apple upside down cake is the ultimate fall dessert! Juicy spiced apples bake into a buttery caramelized topping, while the soft, buttery and tender spiced cake underneath makes every bite full of cozy flavor. Flip it out of the pan for a beautiful dessert that looks impressive but is surprisingly simple to make.
Equipment
- 1 9 inch (23 cm) cake pan
- 1 sheet parchment paper
- 1 knife
- 1 stand mixer with paddle attachment or electric hand mixer with beaters
Ingredients
Caramel Topping
- 6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups peeled apple slices about 2 large apples
Spiced Cake
- 1½ cups (180 g) all purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1½ teaspoons apple pie spice see notes
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract
- ¾ cup (180 ml) buttermilk, room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C). Grease and line the bottom of a 9 inch (23 cm) cake pan with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl whisk the melted butter with the light brown sugar until a paste forms. Evenly spread the paste across the bottom of the prepared pan.6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, melted, ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar, ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon , ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Wash, dry, peel, core and slice the apples into ¼ inch slices. Just try to keep the slices as similar as possible to make the layering easier. Decoratively layer the apple slices across the bottom of the pan, fully covering the sugar paste.2 cups peeled apple slices
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, apple pie spice and salt together until well combined.1½ cups (180 g) all purpose flour, 1½ teaspoons baking powder, 1½ teaspoons apple pie spice , ½ teaspoon salt
- In a large mixing bowl fitted with paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar and light brown sugar on medium speed for 3 -4 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. With the mixer on low, cream in the eggs and vanilla extract until well combined. Scrape the bottom and sides of the mixing bowl.6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, room temperature, ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar, ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar, 2 large eggs, room temperature, 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract
- Finally, with the mixer on low, alternate mixing the dry ingredients and buttermilk into the wet ingredients in this order: dry, buttermilk, dry, buttermilk, dry. Evenly spread the buttery spice cake batter into the prepared pan on top of the apples. Make sure to fully cover the apples with the cake batter.¾ cup (180 ml) buttermilk, room temperature
- Bake the apple upside down cake for 40 - 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool the cake pan in the pan for 10 - 15 minutes.
- Use a butter knife to gently separate the edges of the cake from the pan. Place a serving platter or large plate over the top of the cake pan. Invert the cake pan to the top is now on the bottom of the platter or plate. Gently lift the pan off of the cake to reveal the parchment lined apples. Gently remove the parchment paper from the apple layer. The cake is now ready to be served. I recommend serving this with freshly whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream and a drizzle of salted caramel.
Notes
Store: Place the upside down apple spice cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Serve: This upside down apple cake is best served as is or topped with freshly whipped cream, warm with a scoop of cold vanilla ice cream and with a drizzle of caramel sauce.
Apple Pie Spice: Feel free to use the recommended apple pie spice or use your preferred fall spice blend. If you want an approximate apple pie spice blend, mix 1 teaspoon cinnamon with ¼ teaspoon nutmeg and ¼ teaspoon ginger.
Apples: Use apples meant for baking. I personally love using Granny Smith apples. Jonagold, Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Pink Lady apples also work well.
did you make this recipe?tag @olivesnthyme on Instagram
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