Apple Cinnamon Upside-Down Cake

This apple cinnamon upside-down cake is everything that I love about fall! The caramelized apple topping is deliciously gooey with hints of cinnamon. The lightly spiced cake is the perfect complement to the topping.

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 55

Total Time: 1 15

Servings: 9 servings

Equipment

8-inch square pan
parchment paper
metal cooling rack

Ingredients

Brown Sugar Topping

¼ cup unsalted butter
⅔ cup dark brown sugar packed
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 large apples peeled, cored, and cut into half-inch slices

Cinnamon Cake

1⅓ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup unsalted butter softened
2 eggs
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup whole milk

Instructions

Place a rack in the center of your oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit 20 minutes before baking your cake. Line the bottom of an eight-inch square pan with parchment paper. Spray the pan with baking spray and set it aside.
In a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add dark brown sugar and heat to boiling while whisking constantly. The mixture will begin to thicken. Remove pan from heat. Add cinnamon and stir until combined. Working very quickly, pour the mixture into the square pan and spread evenly over the bottom.
Arrange apple slices in rows over the brown sugar topping. Place the apple slices closely together—it's okay if they overlap. You can even double-layer the apples if you have some extra. Place the pan in the refrigerator while preparing the cake batter.
For the cake, mix dry ingredients (flour baking powder, cinnamon, and salt) together in a medium bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, beat together granulated sugar and softened butter until fluffy and light in color. Add eggs to the mixture one at a time. Add the vanilla and mix until incorporated. Add the dry ingredients alternating with the milk. Mix well after each addition until the batter is smooth. Spread the batter over the apple slices in the pan.
Bake the cake in preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes. The cake will be slightly browned on the top and a toothpick will come out clean. Cool the cake for 15 minutes on a cooling rack. Run a knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the cake and invert the cake onto a serving platter.

Heather's Helpful Hints

To invert your cake, use one quick motion to flip the cake upside-down. Let the cake sit like this (upside-down) on the platter for 2-3 minutes. Gravity will help the cake release. Using a wooden spoon, give the pan a few taps to help the cake release. Then, carefully lift the pan off the cake. If some of the apple topping does stick to the pan, simply remove it and place it back on the cake!
This cake can also be cooked in a nine-inch square baking pan. Baking time will be reduced, so check on your cake at 40 minutes to check for doneness.
You can replace the apples with pears or peaches in this recipe. Any of these fruits will make a delicious cake!

Nutrition

This recipe was found on My Sweet Precision. Thank you for visiting!