This caramel apple upside down cake is a fall must-make. We effectively get two desserts in one when we combine a soft cinnamon-spiced cake with buttery caramelized apples. The juices from the topping seep into the cake after inversion, adding unrivaled flavor and moisture. The lovely garnish is actually baked right into the cake, which is what you’ll love most about it in addition to the flavors.
I first published a caramel apple upside-down cake recipe. It deserves its early position in my archives because it is one of my all-time favorites. Every fall, I bake this recipe at least once, and over the years, I’ve made a few small adjustments. The cake is better than ever. I figured you’d appreciate seeing what I’ve done!.
Here is 3 recipe(s):
Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake
In this gorgeous apple upside-down cake, a tender cinnamon-spiced cake is combined with a delectable buttery caramel topping. You won’t regret the extra slices, so cram those apples into the pan because this cake can hold a lot!
Prep: 25min
Total: 1h30min
Yield: 8
Ingredients:
- 6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 medium apples, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch slices (1. 5–2 cups, or 188–250g, apple slices)*.
- 1 and 1/2 cups (188g) all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled)
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 stick (115g) of room temperature, half a cup of unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 6 Tablespoons (90ml) whole milk, at room temperature*
Instruction:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Over medium heat, combine butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Whisk occasionally until butter has melted. Cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute as mixture thickens. Whisk in the cinnamon and vanilla extract after taking the pan off the heat. Pour into a round cake pan or 9-inch pie dish without grease. (Make sure the pan is 2 inches deep. I recommend this pie dish, which is 1. 8 inches deep but I never have an overflow issue. The apple slices should be neatly arranged on top, overlapping as necessary. See photo above. While preparing the cake batter, place the pan in the refrigerator for a short while. This helps solidify or “set” the topping’s arrangement.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt together. Set aside.
- Beat the butter on high speed for about a minute, using a hand-held or stand mixer with a paddle or whisk attachment, until it is smooth and creamy. Beat the two sugars together for about a minute on high speed after adding them both. As necessary, use a rubber spatula to scrape the bowl’s sides and bottom. Beat the eggs and vanilla extract together at high speed until well-combined. As necessary, scrape the bowl’s sides and bottom. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Set the mixer to low speed, then slowly pour the milk into it as it runs. Just until all of the ingredients are combined, beat on low speed. Do not over-mix. To make sure there are no lumps at the bottom of the bowl, you might need to whisk everything by hand. The batter will be slightly thick.
- Remove topping from the refrigerator. Pour and spread cake batter evenly over topping.
- To prevent the top from over-browning before the center of the cake has a chance to fully cook, bake the cake for 40–46 minutes while tenting it with foil halfway through the baking process. A toothpick inserted into the center of the cake should come out mostly clean; a few moist crumbs are acceptable. If your cake takes longer to bake or if it rises and sticks to the foil, don’t be alarmed. (We serve the cake upside down anyway!).
- Take cake out of the oven and let it cool for only 15 minutes on a wire rack. The cake should be turned upside down and placed on a serving dish or cake stand. It’s okay if some of the topping’s juices leak over the sides. The cake can be cut into slices and served warm, but the slices will be a mess. Before slicing and serving, I find it best to let the cake cool to room temperature completely. Do not put the cake in the refrigerator to hasten the cooling process because it might taste too dense.
- Slices that are leftover should be covered and kept for up to 3 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer. Thaw at room temperature. The cake shouldn’t be frozen as a whole because the topping arrangement doesn’t thaw out very well. See make ahead instructions below.
Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake
After tasting Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake from Delish. com, you won’t want any other apple cake.
Prep: 20min
Total: 1h35min
Yield: 8 serving(s)
Ingredients:
- 3/4 c. lightly packed brown sugar
- 1/4 c. butter
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- Pinch kosher salt
- 2 apples, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/2″ thick
- Cooking spray
- 1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
- 3/4 tsp. baking powder
- 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
- 1/2 c. (1 stick) butter, softened
- 1 c. sugar
- 1/2 c. lightly packed brown sugar
- 2 large Nellie’s Free Range Eggs
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 c. milk
Instruction:
- Set the oven to 350 degrees and use cooking spray to grease a 9″ round cake pan. Brown sugar, butter, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt should all be melted over medium heat in a small saucepan. Cook until slightly thickened, 2 minutes.
- Place layers of apples on top of the caramel sauce that has been prepared.
- Bake the apples with the batter until a toothpick inserted in the center of the dish comes out clean, about an hour. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then flip it over and let it cool completely before slicing.
Caramel-Apple Upside-Down Cake
The gooey fruit topping is the best part of the traditional pineapple upside-down cake, and this new version of the classic dessert is no different. Fresh apple slices, which have a tart flavor that is the ideal counterbalance to a sticky-sweet caramel sauce, were used in place of canned pineapple. We don’t like to take sides, but this topping combined with the tender vanilla scratch cake makes for a simple modern treat that might even surpass the original.
Prep: 25min
Total: 1h45min
Yield: 8
Serving Size: 1 Serving
Nutritional information per serving: 550 calories, 68 grams of carbohydrate, 135 mg of cholesterol, 5 1/2 grams of fat, 1 gram of fiber, 5 grams of protein, 17 grams of saturated fat, 50 grams of sugar, and 1 gram of trans fat.
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup butter or margarine
- 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 medium apples, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch wedges
- 1 1/3 cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Instruction:
- Heat oven to 325°F. Spray cooking spray on the bottom and sides of an 8- or 9-inch square pan.
- Melt 1/4 cup butter in a 1-quart saucepan over medium heat while stirring occasionally. Stir in brown sugar. Heat to boiling; remove from heat. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Pour into pan; spread evenly. Place apple wedges on top of the brown sugar mixture, tightly overlapping them and, if necessary, forming two layers.
- Mix the salt, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon in a medium bowl. Beat 1 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until smooth. Add vanilla. Beat milk alternately into the flour mixture gradually, beating well after each addition. Spread batter over apple wedges in brown sugar mixture.
- 55 to 65 minutes of baking time, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on cooling rack 15 minutes. Whipping cream is simultaneously being vigorously beaten in a medium bowl until it starts to thicken. Add 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar gradually while beating until soft peaks form.
- Run knife around sides of pan to loosen cake. Place a heatproof serving plate on top of the pan and flip it over. Remove pan. Serve warm cake with whipped cream. Store cake loosely covered.
Caramel Apple Upside-Down Cake
FAQ
Does apple upside-down cake have to be refrigerated?
The cake can be refrigerated with a tight cover for up to five days after it has been baked and cooled. Additionally, the cake may be frozen for three months. Bring to room temperature before serving.
How do you make a Mary Berry apple cake?
- 225g self-raising flour.
- 1 level tsp baking powder.
- 225g caster sugar.
- 2 large eggs.
- ½ tsp almond extract.
- 150g butter, melted.
- 250g cooking apples, peeled and cored.
- 25g flaked almonds.
Is pineapple upside-down cake popular?
Although its popularity peaked in the middle of the 20th century, pineapple upside-down cake is still a popular potluck dessert today.
How do you store apple cake?
Fresh apple cake keeps well at room temperature for approximately three days. Refrigerator: This cake will remain fresh for 4-5 days in an airtight container. Freezer: Apple cake freezes nicely. Wrap it tightly in a layer of plastic wrap, then a layer of aluminum foil, and then wrap it once more.