Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake

This caramel apple upside down cake is a fall must-make. Combining a soft cinnamon-spiced cake with buttery caramelized apples, we’re essentially getting two desserts in one. After inverting, the topping’s juices seep down into the cake and add unbeatable flavor and moisture. What you’ll love most, besides the flavors, is that there’s no fancy decoration required—the lovely garnish is literally baked into the cake!

I originally published this recipe in 2013 and have since added new photos, a video tutorial, and more success tips. I’ve also made a few small changes to the recipe which are reflected in the printable recipe below.

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One of the first dessert recipes I published was caramel apple upside down cake. It’s a forever favorite and totally deserving of that early spot in my archives. I bake this recipe at least once every fall season and have made a couple minor updates to the recipe over the years. The cake is better than ever. I figured you’d appreciate seeing what I’ve done!

One reader, Hannah, commented: “This was so easy! I love that it only used two apples but made such an impressive dessert and really infused the cake with their flavor. A hit for my family 🙂 ★★★★★”

One reader, Kathy, commented: “This cake is easy and absolutely delicious! I’ve made it 4 or 5 times now, and I’m thinking of making another right now! Definitely becoming my go-to dessert recipe! ★★★★★”

One reader, Sasha, commented: “This recipe is SO GOOD! It will absolutely be a fall classic for years to come. Thanks for this recipe! I followed it as is and it came out perfect. ★★★★★”

This Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake Is:

• Melt-in-your-mouth soft & moist, like this apple cake but remixed a bit!
• Extra flavorful like my beloved apple cinnamon bread
• Easy—no crazy ingredients or techniques required
• Perfectly sized for a small family or gathering
• The best destination for your freshly picked apples 😉

Try it at least once. I guarantee it will be a repeat recipe in your kitchen. And if you are looking for even more inspiration, here is a list of 30+ fall cake recipes.

Apple Upside Down Cake Topping

The topping is baked underneath the cake. After the cake slightly cools we’ll invert it onto a serving plate, the same way we flip pear tarte tatin before serving. The caramel flavor comes from the butter and brown sugar. Combined with vanilla and apples, the topping alone makes this a recipe worth repeating. It’s downright GOOD.

I know you’ll appreciate this: I mention this above, but it’s worth repeating. Apple upside down cake is basically already frosted—once you invert the cake, the garnish is already there! Use apple slices, not chunks, just like I recommend for apple cobbler.

A few preliminary notes on the topping:

• The topping in my original recipe had a little too much butter. I also reduced the cinnamon and put more in the cake itself.
• Melt the butter and brown sugar together on the stove, then cook for 1 minute. The mixture will slightly thicken and take on a caramel-like flavor that intensifies as the cake bakes. Not a lot of recipes do this, but it makes a big flavor difference. In my pineapple upside down cake recipe, we simply add melted butter to the cake pan and sprinkle the brown sugar on top. As a result, you don’t really get the same caramel flavor. Perfectly fine for that recipe, but why not take an extra minute here?
• Arrange the apple slices on top of the butter/brown sugar mixture. Try to squeeze as many apple slices in the pan as you can. No one has ever complained about extra caramel-y apples!

Let’s Make the Cake Batter

The cake batter is pretty straightforward and similar to the original recipe. Like most cakes, the base is creamed butter and sugar. Regular sugar lightens up the crumb, while brown sugar adds flavor. We use both in this cake. The cake is super soft and cinnamon-spiced—similar in taste and texture to apple cupcakes.

The batter differs from my pineapple upside down cake. Pineapple rings are heavier than apple slices, so we use cake flour, egg whites, and sour cream in that recipe to help keep the crumb light. Here we can use whole eggs and all-purpose flour.

Two Baking Tips:

1. You can bake this cake in a cake pan or pie dish, but make sure it’s at least 2 inches deep. I recommend this pie dish, which is 1.8 inches deep but I never have an overflow issue.
2. Because of the wet bottom layer (which is the topping), the cake takes much longer than a typical 1 layer cake. Its juices will bubble up the sides, creating these incredible caramelized edges. (See the edges below? They’re so good!) With upside down cakes, it’s always good practice to place a baking pan or sheet on a lower rack to catch any juices should they splatter over the edges.

Expect a Dense Cake

I’ve made hundreds of upside down cakes, or so it seems, and I say with 100% certainty that this style of cake will always be on the denser side. (Unless you are using store-bought cake mix.) The cake is served upside down. The weight of the topping, which is the bottom of the cake as it bakes, weighs down the crumb beneath it. Upside down cake will never be as light and airy as white cake. If you were to make this exact cake batter and serve it right-side-up, the cake would taste much airier. Does that make sense?

While this apple upside down cake is mega soft and not nearly as dense as, say, pound cake, it’s not overly light either. I know you’ll love its unique texture, especially paired with the caramel apple topping. Let me know how you like it!

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