Spiced Apple Upside Down Cake
Ingredients
Topping:
- 2 medium apples (about 300g), peeled, cored, and sliced thin
- 75g (⅓ cup) brown sugar
- 60g (3 tablespoons) unsalted butter
Cake Batter:
- 125g (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 150g (¾ cup) white sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 190g (1½ cups) plain flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 120ml (½ cup) regular milk
I’m not much of a baker… but this cake just works
I’ll be the first to admit it, I’m not much of a baker. All the exact measurements and precise timing can be pretty intimidating. That said, every now and then I come across a recipe that completely changes my mind. This Spiced Apple Upside Down Cake is one of those.
The best part? You probably already have most of the ingredients sitting in your pantry. A couple of apples, some butter, sugar, flour, eggs, and a few spices. That’s it. No fancy equipment. No complicated steps. And definitely no need for piping bags or perfect presentation. In fact, the more rustic it looks, the better.
The apples get all glossy and golden in a quick caramel made from butter and brown sugar, while the cake itself is soft, spiced, and just the right amount of sweet. It’s the kind of cake you can whip up on a Sunday afternoon and serve warm with a scoop of ice cream.
If you’re someone who usually sticks to savoury cooking and avoids baking because it feels too complicated, give this a go.
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 170°C fan-forced (or 180°C conventional).
- Grease and line a 20cm (8-inch) round cake tin.
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar together over low heat until smooth and bubbling.
- Starting from the outer edge of the tin, lay the apple slices in a slightly overlapping spiral pattern, working your way toward the centre. Each slice should slightly cover the edge of the one before it. If you have extra slices, tuck them in to fill any gaps.
- Once the apples are arranged, pour the caramel mixture evenly over the apples, covering them completely.
- Beat the softened butter and white sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir through the vanilla.
- In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in two additions, alternating with the milk (half dry → half milk → rest dry → rest milk).
- Spoon the batter over the apples and caramel, smoothing it out evenly.
- Bake for 40–45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Cool the cake in the tin for 10 minutes, then carefully flip the whole cake onto a plate so the apples and caramel are on top. Gently lift the tin off. If any apples stick, carefully reposition them.
- Serve warm with ice cream and enjoy!
Ingredients
Topping:
- 2 medium apples (about 300g), peeled, cored, and sliced thin
- 75g (⅓ cup) brown sugar
- 60g (3 tablespoons) unsalted butter
Cake Batter:
- 125g (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 150g (¾ cup) white sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 190g (1½ cups) plain flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 120ml (½ cup) regular milk
I’m not much of a baker… but this cake just works
I’ll be the first to admit it, I’m not much of a baker. All the exact measurements and precise timing can be pretty intimidating. That said, every now and then I come across a recipe that completely changes my mind. This Spiced Apple Upside Down Cake is one of those.
The best part? You probably already have most of the ingredients sitting in your pantry. A couple of apples, some butter, sugar, flour, eggs, and a few spices. That’s it. No fancy equipment. No complicated steps. And definitely no need for piping bags or perfect presentation. In fact, the more rustic it looks, the better.
The apples get all glossy and golden in a quick caramel made from butter and brown sugar, while the cake itself is soft, spiced, and just the right amount of sweet. It’s the kind of cake you can whip up on a Sunday afternoon and serve warm with a scoop of ice cream.
If you’re someone who usually sticks to savoury cooking and avoids baking because it feels too complicated, give this a go.
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 170°C fan-forced (or 180°C conventional).
- Grease and line a 20cm (8-inch) round cake tin.
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar together over low heat until smooth and bubbling.
- Starting from the outer edge of the tin, lay the apple slices in a slightly overlapping spiral pattern, working your way toward the centre. Each slice should slightly cover the edge of the one before it. If you have extra slices, tuck them in to fill any gaps.
- Once the apples are arranged, pour the caramel mixture evenly over the apples, covering them completely.
- Beat the softened butter and white sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir through the vanilla.
- In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in two additions, alternating with the milk (half dry → half milk → rest dry → rest milk).
- Spoon the batter over the apples and caramel, smoothing it out evenly.
- Bake for 40–45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Cool the cake in the tin for 10 minutes, then carefully flip the whole cake onto a plate so the apples and caramel are on top. Gently lift the tin off. If any apples stick, carefully reposition them.
- Serve warm with ice cream and enjoy!
Helpful Tips
Storage
This cake is best enjoyed fresh, while the caramel topping is still saucy and the crumb is soft. But if you’ve got leftovers (or you’re baking ahead), here’s how to keep it tasting great:
Room Temperature (1–2 days): Store the cooled cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Because of the fruit topping, keep it somewhere cool and out of direct sunlight. If your kitchen is particularly warm or humid, refrigerate instead.
Fridge (up to 4 days): To extend freshness, especially if the weather’s warm, refrigerate the cake. Cover it well with plastic wrap or transfer it to an airtight container to prevent it from drying out. Bring slices to room temperature or gently warm them before serving — a quick zap in the microwave (about 15–20 seconds) helps revive the caramel.
Freezer (up to 2 months): Yes, this cake freezes well! Let it cool completely, then wrap individual slices tightly in plastic wrap and place them in a zip-top freezer bag or container. To serve, thaw slices in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for a few hours. You can reheat gently in the microwave or warm oven.
Substitutions
Pears: Swap the apples for ripe but firm pears. Pears hold their shape well and taste great with the spiced caramel.
Stone fruit: Sliced peaches, nectarines, or plums work nicely, just make sure they’re not too ripe or they’ll become mushy.
Bananas: For something sweeter and more indulgent, thinly sliced bananas caramelise beautifully and give a richer flavour.
Tinned fruit: If your strapped for time, well-drained canned apples or pears can be used. Just pat them dry before layering to avoid excess moisture.
Serving Suggestions
Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or Greek yoghurt.
Watch How to Make It
