Upside Down Apple Cake - Real Life Dinner

Upside Down Apple Cake is a must-make dessert! We’re talking caramelized apples with a hint of cinnamon baked under a perfectly dense and buttery cake. There really isn’t a better way to celebrate apple season, especially if you’re like me and get excited about simple recipes that turn out beautiful! If you prefer peach desserts, try my Upside Down Peach Cake. It’s just as simple and just as delicious!

This cake recipe actually works with almost any fruit. It’s a great trick to have up your sleeve. Berries, plums, pears…whatever you fancy or whatever is in season, give it a try. If you don’t want to flip it over, you can just serve it by the scoop out of the baking dish. Either way, you’ll be glad you made it and so will everyone you serve it to.

More Delicious Apple Recipes

Step-by-Step pictures for how to make Upside Down Apple Cake

Tips for making Upside Down Apple Cake

For the best flavor, use a mix of your favorite red and green apples.
Make sure to cut the apples into little pieces as shown in the step-by-step photo collage. You could also do really thin slices, squeezing in as many slices as you can. Just keep in mind that the smaller or thinner they are sliced, the better they will cook.
Use an apple peeler/corer/slicer to easily cut up and peel the apples.
Apples put off a little extra moisture. So if you want to, you can shake them in a tbsp of flour or a half tbsp of cornstarch before putting them in the bottom of your baking dish.
Be careful when turning the hot cake upside down on the platter, so you don’t burn yourself.
Serve warm with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Baker’s Tools:

Upside Down Apple Cake

Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

40 mins

Total time

1 hour

Celebrate apple season with this apple upside down cake with caramelized apples and a perfectly dense, buttery cake, and a hint of cinnamon.

Author: Maria

Recipe type: Dessert/Cake

Serves: 10-12

Ingredients

4-5 apples, peeled and diced small (You want about 3 cups, and a mix of red and green makes it yummy.)
½ cup salted butter, melted
1½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ cup + 1 tbsp brown sugar
½ cup canola or vegetable oil
½ cup butter, softened
1¼ cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp baking soda
⅛ tsp ground nutmeg

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8-cup capacity circle pan or any 8-cup baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
Peel and cut the apples. Set aside.
Melt ½ cup butter and pour it into the prepared baking dish.
Next, place the apples evenly on the bottom of the dish.
Sprinkle 1½ tsp of cinnamon evenly over the apples.
Using your hand, sprinkle the brown sugar over the cinnamon and apples.
In a separate mixing bowl, combine the oil, ½ cup softened butter, and 1¼ cups granulated sugar. Mix well until creamy.
Next, add the eggs and vanilla. Mix again.
In another small bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and ground nutmeg. Then add it to the egg/sugar mixture. Stir until combined.
Spread batter over the brown-sugar-covered apples.
Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let the cake set for 3-5 minutes, and then carefully turn it out onto a big plate or cake stand. It's important to do this while the cake is still hot so that it will come out easily. Be careful. This is somewhat difficult to do.
Once it is inverted onto the plate or cake stand, you can serve it or let it continue to cool. I prefer to serve it while still warm with ice cream. SO GOOD!
Enjoy!