Description
Seasonal warmth fills kitchens with this autumn caramel apple upside down cake, a delightful dessert blending sweet caramel and tender apples. Bakers can savor rich flavors and create memorable moments with each delicious slice shared among friends and family.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 medium apples (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp), peeled and sliced
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 large eggs
Caramel Ingredients:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Leavening and Seasoning:
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Craft a luscious caramel base by melting sugar and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, continuously stirring until completely dissolved and transformed into a rich amber hue, approximately 5-7 minutes.
- Remove caramel from heat and gently incorporate heavy cream, vanilla, and a delicate salt pinch, whisking until achieving a silky, uniform consistency.
- Grease a 9-inch round cake pan and generously drizzle the golden caramel across the bottom, creating an even layer.
- Carefully position apple slices atop the caramel, slightly overlapping to create an elegant, decorative pattern that will become the cake’s stunning top when inverted.
- In a mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, ensuring a smooth, well-integrated dry mixture.
- In a separate large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then introduce eggs and vanilla, blending until thoroughly combined.
- Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, alternating with sour cream, and mix until just incorporated to maintain a tender cake texture.
- Delicately pour the prepared batter over the arranged apple slices, ensuring an even distribution across the caramel base.
- Preheat the oven to 350F (175C) and bake the cake for 35-40 minutes, monitoring until a toothpick inserted into the center emerges clean and dry.
- Allow the cake to rest in the pan for 10-15 minutes, enabling the caramel to slightly set and prevent excessive sticking.
- Confidently invert the cake onto a serving plate, revealing the glistening caramelized apple arrangement, and serve warm with optional vanilla ice cream or freshly whipped cream.
Notes
- Select firm, slightly tart apples like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp for best texture and balanced sweetness in the caramel upside-down cake.
- Watch caramel carefully during cooking to prevent burning, swirling pan gently instead of stirring to ensure even color development.
- Let cake rest exactly 10-15 minutes after baking before inverting, which helps caramel set and prevents cake from breaking during removal.
- Swap sour cream with Greek yogurt or buttermilk for lighter version, maintaining moisture and tenderness in the cake’s crumb.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 352
- Sugar: 33 g
- Sodium: 210 mg
- Fat: 17 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 47 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 62 mg