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This caramel apple upside-down cake is perfect for fall!

Caramel Apple Upside-Down Cake

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This caramel apple upside-down cake is the perfect dessert for fall!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 12 slices
Calories 431
Author Annalise

Ingredients

Caramel apple layer:

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

Cake layer:

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

Caramel sauce topping:

  • 1 cup light or dark brown sugar (213 grams)
  • ½ cup unsalted butter (113 grams)
  • ¼ cup 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.

Nutrition

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