Description
Fall just got sweeter! This Caramel Apple Upside-Down Cake flips the script on ordinary desserts with its gooey caramel top and tender spiced crumb.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 tablespoons (56g) unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup (150g) packed brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 medium apples (about 1 pound/450g), preferably Honeycrisp or Granny Smith
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 1/2 cups (180g) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (120ml) whole milk, room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and thoroughly grease a 9-inch round cake pan.
- In a small saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons butter over medium-low heat. Add brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt, stirring until combined. Allow to bubble gently for 1 minute, then pour into prepared pan.
- Peel, core, and slice apples into 1/4-inch slices. Toss with lemon juice and arrange in a decorative pattern over the caramel layer.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- In a large bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in three parts, alternating with milk, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined.
- Carefully spoon batter over arranged apples and spread evenly. Tap pan lightly to remove air bubbles.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool in pan for exactly 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge and invert onto a serving plate. Wait 30 seconds before lifting the pan away.
- Serve warm, optionally with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.