Best Apple Upside-Down Cake Recipe
Apples, browned butter, and honey caramel.
This Apple Cardamom Upside-Down Cake combines orange blossom honey and regular honey for a caramel with delicate floral notes. Browned butter adds a nutty flavor, while rye flour brings an earthy note that works beautifully with sweet-tart apples. Cardamom ties everything together without making the cake taste like a spice cabinet.
I leave the apple skins on for extra color and arrange the slices in overlapping circles. Once you flip the cake, the apples become the star, coated in glossy honey caramel.
Quick Look at this Recipe:
More Upside-Down Cakes you need to try
Key Ingredients, Variations and Substitutions
Pink Lady Apples – firm, sweet-tart, and reliable. Best apples for this cake. They hold their shape during baking and soften just enough without turning mushy. The skins stay tender after baking, so you get no unpleasant chewiness and one less step. If Pink Lady apples aren’t available, Honeycrisp or Braeburn are your next-best options. Both are firm enough to hold up and have enough natural tartness to balance the honey topping. Avoid very soft apple varieties here – they’ll break down too much and turn the fruit layer soupy. Slice the fresh apples into thin slices, about 5 mm thick so they soften evenly during baking.
Orange Blossom Honey – this is what makes the topping taste different from every other upside-down cake you’ve had. Orange blossom honey is light, floral, and gently sweet with a subtle citrus note. If you can’t find orange blossom honey, look for another light, floral honey like acacia or wildflower. Avoid very dark or strongly flavored honeys here – they’ll overpower the delicate topping and compete with the apples.
Flour Blend (All-Purpose + Light Rye) – this cake uses a simple two-flour blend. All-purpose flour provides structure and lift, while light rye adds subtle earthiness and more depth to the crumb. It’s a small addition – only 45 g – but you’d notice if it wasn’t there. The crumb stays tender and moist, not heavy or dense, which is exactly what you want under a sticky honey topping. If light rye flour isn’t available, you can use all all-purpose flour. The texture will be slightly softer and the flavor a little more neutral, but the cake will still bake up well. Don’t swap in dark rye or whole wheat flour – both are too heavy here and will weigh the crumb down.
Other ingredients: sour cream; coconut sugar, eggs, all-purpose flour, baking powder, ground cardamom, fine sea salt, vanilla extract, orange blossom honey, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, softened butter for the pan.
Equipment you will need
- 9-inch round cake pan, at least 2 inches deep
- Parchment paper circle (9-inch)
- Light-colored saucepan (for browning butter and making the topping)
- Heatproof bowl
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium mixing bowl
- Whisk and rubber spatula
- Sharp knife and cutting board
- Kitchen scale
- Wire cooling rack
- Rimmed serving plate, wider than the pan
- Oven mitts
Top Tips
Let the browned butter cool to lukewarm before mixing. If it’s too hot, it’ll scramble the eggs. Wait 10-15 minutes, then stir before you weigh out your 115 g.
Don’t reduce the honey topping to a thick caramel. It should stay fluid when you pour it. A thick topping can make the apples stick and the flip harder than it needs to be.
Check at 40 minutes, not 50. Every oven runs a little differently. Start your toothpick test at 40 minutes and go from there. If the top is browning fast, tent it loosely with foil and keep going.
Rest for a full 15 minutes before flipping, not less. The topping needs time to set; otherwise, it’ll pour off the cake.
Step-by-step instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) with a rack in the center.
- Lightly butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch round, 2-inch-deep metal cake pan. Line the bottom with a parchment circle, then lightly butter the parchment.
- Place 150 g of unsalted butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat.
- Cook, stirring and scraping the bottom regularly, until the butter foams, the milk solids turn golden brown, and the butter smells nutty.
- Immediately pour the butter and all the browned bits into a heatproof bowl.
- Let it cool to lukewarm, not hot. Stir to distribute the browned bits, then weigh out 115 g into a large mixing bowl. Reserve any excess for another use.
- If your yield is slightly below 115 g, add enough melted butter to reach that weight.
- Core enough Pink Lady apples to yield 450 g of prepared fruit. Leave the skins on for this test.
- Slice the apples about 5 mm thick. Toss with 1 tsp lemon juice and set aside.
- In a small saucepan, combine: 60 g unsalted butter, 60 g orange blossom honey, 40 g mild honey.
- Heat over medium-low heat, stirring until the butter melts and the mixture combines.
- Once it begins to bubble gently, cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring frequently. Do not reduce it to a thick caramel.
- Remove from the heat and carefully stir in: ¼ tsp ground cardamom, ½ tsp vanilla extract, a pinch of fine sea salt.
- Stir well immediately before pouring. The topping should remain fluid.
- Pour the warm honey topping into the prepared pan and spread it across the bottom.
- Arrange the fresh apple slices in snug, overlapping in a circular pattern on the bottom of the pan, starting at the outer edge and working toward the center.
- Use all 450 g of apples, distributing any remaining slices evenly rather than building a thick mound in the center. Set the pan aside while you prepare the cake batter.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together: 145 g all-purpose flour, 45 g light rye flour, 2 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp ground cardamom, and ½ tsp fine sea salt.
- Whisk thoroughly to evenly distribute the baking powder and spices.
- In the large bowl with 115 g lukewarm browned butter, add 110 g coconut sugar. Whisk until fully combined; the sugar doesn’t need to dissolve completely.
- Add 2 room-temperature eggs, one at a time, whisking well after each addition.
- Whisk in 1 tsp vanilla extract and 130 g room-temperature sour cream. Mix until uniform.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients.
- Fold gently with a spatula, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl, just until no dry flour remains.
- Spoon the batter in small dollops over the apples. Gently spread it into an even layer without disturbing the arrangement underneath.
- Tap the pan lightly on the counter once or twice to settle the batter.
- Place the cake in a preheated oven. Bake on the center rack for approximately 45–50 minutes, starting checks at 40 minutes.
- The cake is ready when the center is set and springs back lightly when touched, and when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter.
- Do not push the toothpick all the way into the apple-and-honey layer, which will remain moist.
- If the top browns before the center is done, loosely cover it with foil and keep baking.
- Place the pan on a wire rack and let the cake rest for 10 minutes.
- Run a thin knife around the edges to loosen the cake.
- Place a rimmed serving plate, wider than the pan, upside down over the cake. Wearing oven mitts, hold the plate and pan together securely, then carefully invert.
- Slowly lift the pan, then gently peel away the parchment. Reposition any displaced apple slices while the topping is still warm.
- Allow the cake to cool on the serving plate for at least 20–30 minutes before slicing.
- For your test notes, record the exact bake time, whether the topping pools or clings to the apples, and the texture of the crumb directly beneath the fruit. These observations will help determine whether this version needs further adjustment.
Best way to enjoy
Slightly warm with a spoonful of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream
With coffee or tea in the afternoon
Apple desserts you need to try:
Storage instructions, reheating
Room temperature: store loosely covered for up to 1 day. Best enjoyed the day it’s made when the topping is still glossy, and the crumb is at its best texture.
Refrigerator: cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Bring slices to room temperature before serving, or gently warm them. The crumb can firm up a little in the fridge, so a brief warm-up in the microwave brings it right back.
Freezing: The cake freezes well. Wrap individual slices tightly and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature. Warm before serving.
Best Apple Upside-Down Cake Recipe
Equipment
- 9-inch round metal cake pan, at least 2 inches deep
- Parchment paper circle (9-inch)
- Light-colored saucepan (for browning butter and making the topping
- Heatproof bowl
- large mixing bowl
- Medium mixing bowl
- Whisk and spatula
- sharp knife and cutting board
- kitchen scale
- wire cooling rack
- Rimmed serving plate, wider than the pan
- oven mitts
Ingredients
Buckwheat honey topping
- 60 grams unsalted butter
- 60 grams orange blossom honey
- 40 grams mild honey such as clover
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of fine sea salt
Apple layer
- 450 grams Pink Lady apples weighed after coring, before slicing
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Cake batter
- 150 grams unsalted butter for browning; use 115 g finished browned butter in the batter
- 145 grams all-purpose flour
- 45 grams light rye flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder approximately 8 g
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 110 grams coconut sugar
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 130 grams full-fat sour cream approximately 18% fat, at room temperature
For preparing the pan
- softened butter
- A 9-inch parchment paper circle
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C), with a rack in the center.
- Lightly butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch round, 2-inch-deep metal cake pan. Line the bottom with a parchment circle, then lightly butter the parchment.
- Place 150 grams unsalted butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat.
- Cook, stirring and scraping the bottom regularly, until the butter foams, the milk solids turn golden brown, and the butter smells nutty.
- Immediately pour the butter and all the browned bits into a heatproof bowl.
- Let it cool until lukewarm, not hot. Stir to distribute the browned bits, then weigh 115 g into a large mixing bowl. Reserve any excess for another use.
- If your yield is slightly below 115 g, add enough melted butter to reach that weight
- Core enough apples to yield 450 grams Pink Lady apples. Leave the skins on for this test.
- Slice the apples approximately 5 mm thick. Toss with 1 teaspoon lemon juice and set aside.
- In a small saucepan, combine: 60 grams unsalted butter, 60 grams orange blossom honey, 40 grams mild honey.
- Heat over medium-low, stirring until the butter melts and the mixture combines.
- Once it begins bubbling gently, cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring frequently. Do not reduce it to a thick caramel.
- Remove from the heat and carefully stir in: ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract and Pinch of fine sea salt.
- Stir well immediately before pouring. The topping should remain fluid.
- Pour the warm honey topping into the prepared pan and spread it across the bottom.
- Arrange the apple slices in snug, overlapping circles, starting at the outside edge and working toward the center.
- Use all 450 g apples, distributing any remaining slices evenly rather than building a thick mound in the center. Set the pan aside while you mix the batter.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together: 145 grams all-purpose flour, 45 grams light rye flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon ground cardamom, ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Whisk thoroughly so the baking powder and spices are evenly distributed.
- To the large bowl containing 115 g lukewarm browned butter, add 110 grams coconut sugar. Whisk until thoroughly combined; the sugar does not need to dissolve completely.
- Add 2 large eggs, one at a time, whisking well after each addition.
- Whisk in: 11 teaspoon vanilla extract, 130 grams full-fat sour cream .
- Mix until reasonably uniform.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
- Fold gently with a spatula, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl, just until no dry flour remains.
- Spoon the batter in small dollops over the apples. Gently spread it into an even layer without disturbing the arrangement underneath.
- Tap the pan lightly on the counter once or twice to settle the batter.
- Bake on the center rack for approximately 45–50 minutes, beginning your checks at 40 minutes.
- The cake is ready when the center is set and springs back lightly when touched, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter.
- Do not push the toothpick all the way into the apple-and-honey layer, which will remain moist.
- If the top is browning before the center is done, loosely cover it with foil and continue baking.
- Place the pan on a wire rack and let the cake rest for 15 minutes.
- Run a thin knife around the sides to loosen the cake.
- Place a rimmed serving plate, wider than the pan, upside down over it. Wearing oven mitts, hold the plate and pan securely together and carefully invert.
- Lift the pan slowly, then gently peel away the parchment. Reposition any displaced apple slices while the topping is still warm.
- Allow the cake to cool on the serving plate for at least 15 minutes before slicing.
Notes
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
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Conclusion
There’s something really satisfying about an upside-down cake. I know, I baked 1o of them so far. You do the work, you wait, you flip, and suddenly there it is, glossy, golden, and needing no decoration. Serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a spoonful of crème fraîche.
FAQ
Do the apple skins really stay tender after baking?
Yes, with Pink Lady apples, they do. The skins soften during the 45-50 minute bake, and you won’t notice any toughness. I tested this intentionally, and the result is worth skipping the peeling step.
Can I use a springform pan?
Don’t. The honey topping is fluid, and it will leak through the bottom of a springform. You need a solid 9-inch round metal pan, at least 2 inches deep.
Why is the topping still fluid when I pour it?
It’s supposed to be. You’re not making a thick caramel here. A fluid topping spreads evenly, surrounds the apples during baking, and sets into a glossy, honey-glazed layer once the cake cools. If you cook it too long and it thickens, it’ll be harder to pour and harder to flip.
Why did my topping stick to the pan?
Two likely reasons: you didn’t butter the parchment, or the cake rested too long before flipping. I flip at exactly 15 minutes. Also, run a knife around the edges to loosen the sides before you flip.
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