There’s something extra fun about a cake that gets flipped over right before serving. This Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake comes out of the pan with a beautiful layer of tender apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, and crunchy nuts right on top. It’s a cozy fall dessert that looks impressive on the serving platter without being complicated to put together. Serve it as is or add a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side.
Granny Smith, Jonagold, and Cortland apples all work well in this recipe. You want an apple that will hold up well during baking instead of becoming too soft.
Yes. For a thinner, less sweet topping, use 1/4 cup butter and 1/2 cup brown sugar instead of the amounts listed in the original topping.
An 8- or 9-inch round or square metal or silicone cake pan will work.
An 8-inch pan will make a taller cake and will probably need a little more baking time. A 9-inch pan will make a slightly flatter cake.
Let the cake cool in the pan for about 5 minutes. This gives it a chance to settle while keeping the topping warm enough to release from the pan.
If any of the topping stays behind in the pan, carefully place it back onto the cake while everything is still warm. It can settle back into the topping as it cools.
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Yes. Let the cake cool, then freeze it for a couple of hours. Once firm, wrap it in plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil.
Label the cake and freeze it for up to 2-3 months.
Ingredient Notes
- Apples: Granny Smith, Jonagold, and Cortland apples all work well for this cake.
- Salted butter: Used in both the topping and cake. Unsalted butter can also be used.
- Brown sugar: Creates the sweet topping that coats the apples when the cake is flipped.
- Cinnamon: Adds warm flavor to both the apple topping and cake.
- Pecans or walnuts: Either works well and adds a little crunch to the topping.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the cake batter.
- Egg: Helps bind the cake batter together.
- All-purpose flour: Gives the cake its structure.
- Milk: Adds moisture to the batter.
- Greek yogurt: Plain or vanilla Greek yogurt will work. It helps keep the cake moist.
- Vanilla extract: Adds flavor to the cake batter.
- Baking powder: Helps the cake rise while baking.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness in the cake.
How to Make Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch cake pan, if using a silicone pan. Put parchment paper on the bottom if using a metal pan.
- To make topping, combine butter and brown sugar and pour into a small sauce pan.
- Heat over stove until butter is melted, stirring frequently. Turn off the heat and stir in the cinnamon.
- Pour brown sugar mixture into cake line (make sure the parchment is in place).
- Arrange the apples and nuts over the brown sugar mixture, overlapping tightly and making two layers. (The nuts can be arranged in the center or between the apple slices). Set aside.
- To make cake, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add 1 egg and beat until just combined.
- Mix in flour, milk, yogurt, and vanilla.
- Add the baking powder, salt and cinnamon and mix.
- Pour the cake mixture evenly over the apples in the pan.
- Put the pan in the oven and bake for 45 or 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let sit for about 5 minutes.
- Loosen the sides of the cake with a knife. Turn upside down onto a flat serving platter. (The pan should still be warm when you do this, so be careful during this step).
- Allow cake to finish cooling before slicing.
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Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake
This Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake has layers of tender apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, and chopped nuts baked beneath a soft cinnamon cake. Flip it onto a serving platter while it’s still warm to reveal the caramel apple topping.
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch cake pan, if using a silicone pan. Put parchment paper on the bottom if using a metal pan.
-
To make topping, combine butter and brown sugar and pour into a small sauce pan.
-
Heat over stove until butter is melted, stirring frequently. Turn off the heat and stir in the cinnamon.
-
Pour brown sugar mixture into cake line (make sure the parchment is in place).
-
Arrange the apples and nuts over the brown sugar mixture, overlapping tightly and making two layers. (The nuts can be arranged in the center or between the apple slices). Set aside.
-
To make cake, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
-
Add 1 egg and beat until just combined.
-
Mix in flour, milk, yogurt, and vanilla.
-
Add the baking powder, salt and cinnamon and mix.
-
Pour the cake mixture evenly over the apples in the pan.
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Put the pan in the oven and bake for 45 or 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let sit for about 5 minutes.
-
Loosen the sides of the cake with a knife. Turn upside down onto a flat serving platter. (The pan should still be warm when you do this, so be careful during this step).
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Allow cake to finish cooling before slicing.
Helpful Tips
- Slice the apples fairly thin so you can overlap them tightly in the bottom of the pan.
- Arrange the apples in two layers for a nice apple topping when the cake is turned out.
- You can place the chopped nuts in the center of the cake or tuck them between the apple slices.
- If you’re using a metal pan, line the bottom with parchment paper before adding the topping.
- An 8-inch pan will make a taller cake and may need a little more baking time. A 9-inch pan will produce a slightly flatter cake.
- Don’t let the cake cool completely in the pan. Let it sit for about 5 minutes, then turn it out while the topping is still warm.
- Use care when flipping the cake because the pan and caramel topping will still be hot.
Calories: 423kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 266mg | Potassium: 161mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 42g | Vitamin A: 497IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 93mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutritional Disclaimer: Family Fresh Meals is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
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