Apple Upside-Down Cake

Move over pineapple, it’s time for the fall fruit to shine with this apple upside-down cake. Made with fresh apples, this cake is a delicious fall alternative to the traditional upside-down cake. With fresh apples and caramelized brown sugar and honey, your house will smell amazing and your dinner guests will fall in love!

Traditional upside down cakes are pineapple, but I’m not a huge pineapple fan. So when I discovered this apple upside down cake in an old edition of Taste of Home magazine, circa 1996, I thought I have got to try this one! It did not disappoint. If you’re not a huge pineapple fan but still want the moist cake served up with most upside down cakes, you’ll want to try this one.

Ingredients needed

• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup raw honey
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter – softened
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 Granny Smith apples – peeled and sliced
• 1/2 cup pecan halves
• 2 eggs – room temperature

How to make apple upside-down cake

1. Preheat over to 350 degrees
2. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the milk, honey, and vanilla.
3. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt. 
4. Peel, core, and slice apples into 1/4 in. rings. 
5. In a 9×9 baking pan, add 1/4 cup of the butter and place into the oven to melt. Add in 1/2 cup of the brown sugar and stir to combine. Place apple slices (single layer) and pecans onto the pan, on top of the sugar mixture, covering the entire bottom of the pan.  
6. In a large mixing bowl, add the remaining 1/4 cup softened butter and remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar and beat with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add in eggs, beat for another minute. 
7. While the mixer is running on low, gradually add in portions of the milk mixture alternately with the flour mixture. Keep alternating until all is added and well-combined. 
8. Pour batter over apple slices and spread carefully to fill the pan. 
9. Bake 45-50 minutes or until a knife or toothpick comes out clean from the center. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes. Then, carefully loosen the sides, place a cake plate or pan on top and invert. 
10. Drizzle with additional honey and pecans.

Recipe FAQs and variations

Can I make this apple upside-down cake gluten-free?

Yes, you can swap in any 1 to 1 gluten-free flour with the recipe. Be sure it is a 1 to 1 flour.

How do you flip a cake upside down?

Let the cake cool on a rack for 10 minutes. Then, carefully loosen the sides, place a cake plate or pan on top and invert. The cake should easily transfer.

How long should you wait before flipping the cake?

Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before flipping.

Recommended kitchen tools for this recipe

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For years I only used a hand mixer when baking before I finally took the leap and purchased a KitchenAid stand mixer – best baking decision I ever made!

Enjoy these other fall-inspired desserts!

• Gluten-free Mini Apple Galettes – perfect single serving dessert
• Baked Apple Dumplings – simple yet elegant fall dessert
• Pumpkin Pie Chia Pudding – pumpkin pie flavors in an easy single serving dessert
• London Fog Shortbread Cookies – all the flavors of your favorite London Fog Latte in a shortbread cookie

Apple Upside-Down Cake