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apple upside down cake

Apple Upside Down Cake Recipe

This Apple Upside-Down Cake features a buttery brown sugar topping layered with apple slices and a spiced cake batter. It’s baked until golden, flipped to reveal a glossy caramelized topping, and best served once cooled for neat slices. Perfect for a cozy dessert or special occasion!
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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Calories: 315kcal
Author: Anne Carter
Servings: 8

Equipment

Ingredients

Topping

  • 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup 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

  • 1 and 1/2 cups 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 unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 6 Tablespoons whole milk at room temperature*

Instructions

  • Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C).
    preheating-the-oven-for-apple-upside-down-cake-preparation
  • Prepare Topping: Melt butter and brown sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, whisking until thickened (about 1 minute). Remove from heat, stir in cinnamon and vanilla, and pour into a 9-inch round cake pan. Arrange apple slices on top and refrigerate.
    preparing-the-topping-for-apple-upside-down-cake
  • Mix Dry Ingredients: Whisk flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt together in a bowl.
    mixing-dry-ingredients-for-apple-upside-down-cake-batter
  • Cream Wet Ingredients: Beat butter until creamy. Add sugars, then eggs and vanilla, beating until combined.
    creaming wet ingredients
  • Combine Ingredients: Gradually mix dry ingredients into wet, alternating with milk, until the batter is smooth. Avoid over-mixing.
    combining-dry-and-wet-ingredients
  • Assemble Cake: Pour the batter evenly over the chilled apple topping.
  • Bake: Bake for 40–46 minutes, covering with foil halfway through. Check doneness with a toothpick—it should come out with a few moist crumbs.
  • Cool and Serve: Cool the cake for 15 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate. Let it cool completely before slicing for neater pieces.
    baking-apple-upside-down-cake-in-the-oven

Nutrition

Calories: 315kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 160mg | Potassium: 130mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 38g | Vitamin A: 450IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 1.2mg