Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake layers fresh apples in a delicious sticky caramel sauce over top of a lightly spiced homemade crumb cake. A fun fall twist on a family favorite!
When the leaves start changing and the temperature starts cooling down, it’s time to start enjoying everything autumn! This season is perfect for caramel and apples.
This recipe puts a new spin on traditional pineapple upside down cake and it is every bit just as good. Try it with some Five Minute Brown Sugar Drizzle poured over the top. You won’t be sorry!
What You’ll Need to make Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake
- Butter – regular salted butter, softened. Unsalted butter can also be used
- Brown Sugar – we use light brown sugar because it has the perfect amount of molasses flavor.
- Apples – Granny Smith Apples are a favorite for this recipe because they don’t fall apart when you bake them and their tart flavor provides a nice contrast to the sweetness of the sugar. Honeycrisp, Braeburn or Fuji apples are good substitutes.
- Flour – we use all purpose white flour to make this cake.
- Pantry Staples – granulated (white) sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Eggs – white or brown, 2 large.
- Vanilla extract – ever tried making your own homemade vanilla extract? If not, store bought is just fine!
- Milk – we usually use whole milk because it is what we have on hand, but any type of milk may be used, including half and half or heavy cream.
How to make Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake
With cooler temperatures and falling leaves, apple recipes are wonderful this time of year!
Lightly spiced crumb cake, topped with delicious sticky caramel sauce and fresh apples, this fun twist on an old favorite is perfect for the season.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease an 8 inch square baking pan.
Place 1/4 cup of the butter and all of the brown sugar into a small saucepan.
Heat on medium for about one minute, stirring until butter has melted and mixture is completely combined. Remove from heat.
Pour the sugar mixture into the prepared pan. Spread the apple slices over the sugar mixture and set aside.
In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Set aside for now.
In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl with if using an electric mixer), beat remaining softened butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until the mixture is light and creamy, about 3 minutes.
Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix in eggs, adding one at a time. Mix in vanilla.
Mix in half of the flour mixture, then add in the milk. Once combined, scrape the sides of the bowl and then slowly add the remaining flour mixture. Mix just until combined.
Spread the batter in an even layer over the apple slices in the prepared pan.
Place cake in oven and bake at 350 degrees F for 45-55 minutes until top is golden brown and toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Remove the cake from oven and cool about 10 minutes. Gently run a knife around the edges and invert the cake onto a serving plate.
Cut and serve immediately, drizzled with additional brown sugar drizzle if desired. Enjoy!
Other Sweet Treats You Might Like
Apple Crumble Cookie Cups – Tender pieces of fresh apple wrapped in a buttery cinnamon, vanilla, and brown sugar sauce and baked in a bite sized oatmeal cookie cup.
Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies – Makes 15 perfect and delicious cookies with crispy edges and soft, chewy middles.
Brown Sugar Candy – decadent and rich little bites of crumbly brown sugar heaven.
Banana Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins – bite sized, easy and delicious!
Fudgy Salted Cookie Bars – a soft and chewy one pan treat with a great balance of gooey chocolate and the perfect hint of flaky sea salt!
Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake
Equipment
- Electric mixer stand or handheld
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup butter softened, divided
- 2/3 cup brown sugar lightly packed
- 2 cups apples peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp table salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease an 8 inch square baking pan.
- Place 1/4 cup of the butter and all of the brown sugar into a small saucepan. Heat on medium for about one minute, stirring until butter has melted and mixture is completely combined. Remove from heat.
- Pour the sugar mixture into the prepared pan. Spread the apple slices over the sugar mixture and set aside.
- In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Set aside for now.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl with if using an electric mixer), beat remaining softened butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until the mixture is light and creamy, about 3 minutes.
- Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix in eggs, adding one at a time. Mix in vanilla.
- Mix in half of the flour mixture, then add in the milk. Once combined, scrape the sides of the bowl and then slowly add the remaining flour mixture. Mix just until combined.
- Spread the batter in an even layer over the apple slices in the prepared pan.
- Place cake in oven and bake at 350 degrees F for 45-55 minutes until top is golden brown and toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from oven and cool about 10 minutes. Gently run a knife around the edges and invert the cake onto a serving plate.
- Cut and serve immediately, drizzled with additional brown sugar drizzle if desired. Enjoy!
Nutrition *
* The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator.
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