This caramel apple upside-down cake is the perfect dessert for fall! Serve this beautiful cake as it is, or top slices with a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream to send it over the top.

overhead view of caramel apple upside down cake on plates

When it comes to fall desserts, for me apple beats pumpkin every single time. And when you put apple together with a little cinnamon and a drizzle of homemade caramel? Yes, please! These are definitely a few of my favorite things.

I love this caramel apple upside-down cake recipe so much. It’s got a lid of apples baked in brown sugar and butter until soft and caramelized, a simple cinnamon-scented cake underneath, and extra caramel sauce for drizzling over the top. I also love how beautiful the cake is! It’s a stunning centerpiece for any fall gathering.

closeup of slice of caramel apple upside down cake

Table of Contents

Ingredients you’ll need

Let’s get baking, shall we? Here’s everything you’ll need to make this caramel apple upside down cake recipe.

ingredients for caramel apple upside down cake

The best apples for baking

The best apples to bake with are ones that are tart, firm, and won’t break down in the oven. Granny smithjonagoldjonathangalahoney crisp, and pink lady/cripps pink are all great varieties to choose from. For this apple cake, you’ll only 2-3 medium apples.

How to make caramel-apple upside down cake

  1. Prepare cake batter. This is a standard one-bowl cake recipe! Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and creamy. Mix in the eggs and vanilla. And finally, add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt, and mix just until a thick batter comes together. cake batter in a mixing bowl
  2. Make caramel base and slice apples. Heat butter and brown sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until butter is melted, stirring to bring the mixture together. It’ll look grainy and that’s okay. Turn the heat off and peel the apples and slice them 1/4-inch thick. slicing apples on a cutting board
  3. Arrange everything in a 9-inch pan. Grease your round pan with nonstick spray and (recommended) line with a round of parchment paper. Pour the caramel base into the pan and arrange the apple slices on top, overlapping them slightly. Carefully spread the cake batter on top of the apples. lining pan with caramel, apples and cake batter
  4. Bake. Bake the cake until lightly browned on top and the center springs back when gently pressed, 30-35 minutes. Let the cake cool inside the pan for about 10 minutes to finish setting up.
  5. Turn it upside down and cool. While the cake is still hot, carefully flip it out onto a plate or cake stand (see tips below!). baked caramel apple cake before and after flipping it upside down
  6. Make a quick homemade caramel sauce. Combine brown sugar, butter, and milk in a saucepan (it can be the same unwashed pan you used earlier) over medium heat. Whisk mixture as it melts and let it simmer for a few minutes until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and salt. whisking caramel sauce
  7. Top with caramel and serve. I like to spread some on top of the whole cake to make it look more impressive, and add another spoonful over individual slices when serving. If you want to be even more extra, add whipped cream or vanilla ice cream on top.
caramel apple upside down cake on pan

Tips for baking an upside-down cake

Follow these tips to get beautiful upside-down cakes every time:

  • Choose the right pan. This cake can be baked in almost any 9-inch round baking pan, such as a cake pan, pie pan or even a cast iron skillet. For best results as it bakes, the pan should be at least 2 inches deep so it won’t overflow in the oven.
  • Grease your pan very well and line with parchment. I use a very heavy coating of non-stick baking spray that includes flour (like Baker’s Joy), but you can also use a coating of butter and flour. Parchment paper is your secret weapon for easily getting the cake out of the pan in one piece.
  • Let the cake cool, but not completely. Before you flip the cake upside-down, let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes to let it finish setting up. However, don’t let it cool completely or it won’t come cleanly out of the pan.
  • Be flip-wise. Run a knife around the edges of the cake, then invert a serving plate on top of the pan. In one quick and confident motion, flip the cake upside-down. The cake should immediately release (especially if you used parchment paper!). If you don’t feel it release right away, let the cake sit on the plate inside the pan, for a few minutes. Gravity will help the cake release in one piece.
  • Remove the cake pan. Carefully lift the pan off the cake. If any fruit has stuck to the pan, remove it and place it back on the cake. (No one will ever know!)

Serving and storing

This apple cake is best served within 1-2 days of baking, and it can be even be served while it’s still slightly warm from the oven (yum!).

If you’re not serving it right away, gently cover it in plastic wrap in store at room temperature. Add the caramel drizzle only right before serving, either over the whole cake or on individual slices.

closeup of caramel apple upside down cake on a plate

Get the recipe

This recipe was first created for Go Bold With Butter. See the original post here.

This caramel apple upside-down cake is perfect for fall!
5 from 4 reviews

Caramel Apple Upside-Down Cake

Servings: 12 slices
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
This caramel apple upside-down cake is the perfect dessert for fall!

Ingredients
 

Caramel apple layer:

  • ¼ cup (56 grams) unsalted butter (56 grams)
  • ½ cup (106 grams) packed light or dark brown sugar (106 grams)
  • 2-3 (226 grams) medium apples , peeled and sliced ¼-inch thick (about 226 grams)

Cake layer:

  • 1 ½ cup (180 grams) all-purpose flour (180 grams)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter , softened to room temperature (113 grams)
  • 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar (200 grams)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • cup (75 grams) milk (75 grams)

Caramel sauce topping:

  • 1 cup (213 grams) light or dark brown sugar (213 grams)
  • ½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter (113 grams)
  • ¼ cup (56 grams) milk , whole milk (preferred) or 2% (56 grams)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream , for serving (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously grease a round 9-inch baking pan (such as a cake pan) with a baking nonstick spray.
  • In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and brown sugar together for about 2 minutes, stirring until combined. Mixture will still be slightly grainy. Pour into prepared baking pan.
  • Arrange apple slices on top of caramel so that they’re slightly overlapping each other.
  • In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
  • With an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium high speed until pale and creamy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed.
  • Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each. Mix in vanilla.
  • Add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the milk, and ending with the flour mixture. Mix until just combined.
  • Pour batter over apple slices and gently spread it into an even layer.
  • Bake cake until top is golden brown and center springs back when gently pressed, about 30-35 minutes.
  • Let cake stand in the pan about 10 minutes. While cake is still warm, run a knife around the edges and invert it onto a plate or cake stand (If you wait till cake is cool, it may not come cleanly out of the pan).
  • To make the caramel sauce, add the brown sugar, butter, and milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and simmer for 3-4 minutes, stirring often, until caramel is smooth and thickened. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract and salt.
  • Top cake with additional caramel sauce. I like to spread some on top of the whole cake to make it look more impressive, and add another spoonful over individual slices when serving.

Video

Notes

  • To ensure the cake comes out from the pan cleanly, line the pan with a circle of parchment paper in addition to greasing it with nonstick baking spray.
  • While this cake is lovely all by itself, if you’d like to make it more indulgent, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream to slices for serving.
Calories: 431kcal, Carbohydrates: 61g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 21g, Saturated Fat: 13g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 80mg, Sodium: 123mg, Potassium: 155mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 47g, Vitamin A: 666IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 67mg, Iron: 1mg
Cuisine: American
Course: Dessert
Author: Annalise
Have you tried this recipe?I’d love to hear about it! Leave a rating and review below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram @completelydelicious with #completelydelicious.

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