Description
This Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake is a delightful twist on a classic dessert, featuring tender apple slices caramelized in a buttery brown sugar topping, layered beneath a moist and spiced cinnamon nutmeg cake. Baked to golden perfection and served inverted, this cake combines the warm flavors of autumn spices and rich caramel, perfect for cozy gatherings or anytime sweet craving strikes.
Ingredients
Scale
Topping
- 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)
Cake Batter
- 1 and 1/2 cups (188g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 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
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 350°F (177°C) to prepare it for baking the cake.
- Prepare Topping: In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine butter and brown sugar. Whisk occasionally until butter melts and then whisk constantly for 1 minute as the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and stir in cinnamon and vanilla extract. Pour this mixture into an ungreased 9×2 inch pie dish or round cake pan and arrange the peeled apple slices on top neatly, overlapping as necessary. Refrigerate the pan for a few minutes to set the topping arrangement.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.
- Make Cake Batter: Using a mixer with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat softened butter on high speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add granulated and brown sugars and beat on high until well creamed, another minute. Scrape bowl sides and bottom. On high speed, incorporate eggs and vanilla extract until combined, scraping if needed. Lower mixer speed to low, slowly add the dry ingredients, and then pour in the milk while mixing. Beat just until combined with no lumps, avoiding overmixing.
- Assemble Cake: Remove the topping from the refrigerator. Pour and spread the cake batter evenly over the apple topping in the pan.
- Bake: Place the pan in the oven and bake for 40–46 minutes. Halfway through baking, tent with foil to prevent over-browning. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool and Invert: Remove cake from oven and cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Carefully invert the slightly cooled cake onto a serving plate. Allow the cake to cool completely at room temperature before slicing to avoid messy pieces. Avoid refrigerating for immediate cooling, as this may make the cake dense.
- Store Leftovers: Cover leftover slices and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze slices for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen slices at room temperature. Whole cake freezing is not recommended as it affects the topping’s appearance.
Notes
- Use a 2-inch deep pan to prevent overflow during baking; a 9×2 inch pie dish works well.
- Chilling the topping with arranged apple slices before adding batter helps maintain a neat presentation.
- Do not over-mix the batter to keep the cake tender.
- Tent the cake with foil halfway through baking to avoid excessive browning.
- Allow cake to cool completely before slicing for best texture and cleaner slices.
- Refrigerate or freeze leftover slices for longer storage; avoid freezing the whole cake.
- Room temperature ingredients help achieve a smooth, well-mixed batter.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: caramel apple cake, upside down cake, autumn dessert, apple cake, caramel dessert, cinnamon cake
