Upside-Down Apple Coffee Cake is a cinch to make and a stunning one-pan recipe.
The juices from the fresh apples combine with the brown sugar, spices, and melted butter to create the most tasty caramel. The chopped nuts add earthiness to the spiced cake sponge for the perfect bite.
#1
Start the apple topping by heating the butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Whisk until the butter has melted, then take the pan off the heat and stir in the cinnamon and vanilla.
#2
Pour the caramel sauce into the bottom of the prepared cake pan. Arrange the apple slices on the sauce
#3
Then, pour the batter over the apples. It's just that easy.
Salted Caramel
To make a salted caramel apple upside-down cake, stir in 1 teaspoon of salt when you add the cinnamon/vanilla.
Upside-Down Apple Coffee Cake
Equipment
- 1 cast iron pan or spring form pan
Ingredients
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup fine chopped pecans or walnuts
For the Topping
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups Thin sliced apples I used a combination of Honeycrisp and Granny Smith
Instructions
For the Cake
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- Line the bottom of an 8” cast iron pan or use a round baking pan with parchment paper. (Tip: if plating on a serving dish-I recommend a pan with a removable bottom like a springform pan.)
- Spray parchment and sides of the pan with nonstick baking spray; set pan aside. (Tip: Spray parchment paper generously so that the apples don’t stick!)
- Using an electric mixer, add sugar, eggs and vanilla extract. Beat on medium speed for 3-4 minutes, or until mixture is light yellow in color.
- Add flour, baking powder and salt; mix on low speed until just combined.
- Using a separate bowl, add melted butter, buttermilk and vegetable oil; stir until well combined.
- Add the liquid mixture to the larger bowl and mix on low speed until just combined. (Tip: Make sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to ensure the mixture is well combined!)
- Stir in the fine-chopped pecans or walnuts
For the Topping
- Combine all the topping ingredients (melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, salt) using a medium bowl. Spread this mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan. I arrange the apples in a spiral for a prettier presentation, but this is optional.
- Pour batter over the apples.
- Bake for 30 minutes and then cover top of the pan with aluminum foil. Continue baking for 25-30 more minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out mostly clean. (Tip: If using a pan with a removable bottom, put a sheet pan on the oven rack underneath to catch any potential drips.)
- Let cake cool in pan for 5 minutes.
- Run a table knife around edge of the cake and then place a serving plate upside-down on top of the pan. Invert the cake onto the serving plate. (Note: If the parchment paper comes out with the cake, simply peel it off the top and discard.)
- Let cake cool for 25-30 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
Caramel Sauce
I like serving the cake with extra caramel sauce, but this is an option. For my cream cheese caramel recipe, click HERE
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