• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Wanderlust and Wellness

  • Home
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Affiliate Disclaimer
    • Nutritional Disclaimer
  • Charcuterie Board Ideas
  • Party Appetizer Recipes
    • Chicken Wing Recipes
    • Air Fryer Recipes
  • Easy Cocktails
    • La Croix Cocktails
  • Party Desserts
  • Dinner Party Ideas
  • All Recipes
  • About
    • Work with Me
  • Shop
Home » Desserts » Apple Upside-Down Cake

Apple Upside-Down Cake

LAST UPDATED: September 17, 2019 • FIRST PUBLISHED: October 5, 2017 • Leave a Comment

Sharing is caring!

81 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Yummly
  • Email
Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

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!

an apple upside down cake on parchment paper

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.
a person drizzling honey over an apple upside down cake

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.

a slice of apple upside down cake being pulled up by a spatula

Recommended kitchen tools for this recipe

Wanderlust and Wellness participates in the Amazon affiliate program. Please see my affiliate disclaimer. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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!

SAVE TIME AND MONEY!

    We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at anytime.

    Built with ConvertKit

    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

    Print
    clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
    a slice of apple upside down cake being pulled up by a spatula

    Apple Upside-Down Cake


    • Author: Jennifer
    • Prep Time: 15
    • Cook Time: 50
    • Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
    • Yield: 9 1x
    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    Description

    A delicious fall dessert made with fresh apples and caramelized brown sugar and honey.


    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 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

    Instructions

    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.

    Notes

    • For a gluten-free version, use a 1 to 1 gluten-free flour. 
    • Nutritional Disclaimer
    • Category: dessert
    • Cuisine: American

    Keywords: upside-down cake, apple upside-down cake, fall baking

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @wanderlustandwellness on Instagram and hashtag it #wanderlustandwellness

    Jennifer

    Jennifer is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Wanderlust and Wellness since 2016. She creates easy, approachable gluten-free recipes for the everyday home cook; because cooking gluten-free doesn’t mean food has to be complicated or tasteless.

    Let’s Connect!

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Hey there! Welcome to Wanderlust and Wellness! Here you'll find simple yet elegant recipes for the everyday woman. These recipes are easy enough for a weeknight dinner, but also elegant enough to serve to your dinner guests. Click here to meet Jennifer!

    Let’s Connect!

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

    Copyright © 2022 Wanderlust and Wellness

    Terms and Conditions - Privacy Policy