Easy Apple Upside Down Cake Recipe
This Easy Apple Upside Down Cake is a warm, comforting dessert featuring caramelized apples and a moist, buttery cake. Perfect for fall, this quick and simple recipe combines the sweet aroma of cinnamon-spiced apples with a luscious brown sugar topping and tender cake, making it ideal for brunch, dessert, or breakfast.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
For the Topping
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 3 Honeycrisp apples, sliced into ¼-inch half circles
For the Cake
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup milk (dairy or plant-based)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
Instructions
- Prepare the Pan and Topping: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Place ¼ cup of butter in a 9-inch round cake pan and let it melt in the oven. Remove the pan from the oven and evenly sprinkle ½ cup of brown sugar over the melted butter. Arrange the sliced apples in overlapping circles over the sugar mixture to create the caramelized topping.
- Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and salt until well combined.
- Mix the Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk the milk, melted butter, vanilla extract, and egg together until smooth and well blended.
- Combine and Pour: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently stir until just combined. Be careful not to overmix to keep the cake tender. The batter should be smooth but not runny. Pour the batter evenly over the arranged apple slices and smooth the top with a spatula.
- Bake: Bake the cake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The cake should be golden brown and slightly pulling away from the sides of the pan.
- Cool and Flip: Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges to loosen the cake, then place a serving plate over the pan and carefully invert the cake to reveal the caramelized apple topping. Lift off the pan and serve.
Notes
- Butter can be substituted with coconut oil or plant-based butter for a dairy-free option.
- Milk can be replaced with oat, almond, or soy milk depending on dietary preferences.
- Different apple varieties such as Granny Smith, Fuji, or Pink Lady can be used for varying flavor profiles.
- Use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend to make the cake gluten-free.
- You may swap half of the sugar with coconut sugar to reduce refined sugar intake.
- Be careful not to overmix the batter to maintain a soft and tender crumb.
Keywords: apple upside down cake, caramelized apple cake, easy apple cake, fall dessert, apple cinnamon cake, moist apple cake, quick dessert, upside down cake recipe
Find it online: https://dinewithlily.com/easy-apple-upside-down-cake-recipe/
