Apple Upside Down Bundt Cake

Video

What you need to make Apple Upside Down Bundt Cake

Cake batter:

• All-purpose flour. No cake flour needed for this cake. It's basis is more like a pound cake so AP flour does just fine.
• Baking soda & baking powder. Both leavening agents help this dense batter to rise throughout the baking period. Baking soda starts the rise, then baking powder continues the rise through the long baking period.
• Cinnamon.
• Eggs. Room temperature eggs incorporate into batter more easily.
• Light brown sugar.
• Granulated sugar.
• Buttermilk. Adds a tang that accentuates the apple cinnamon flavors.
• Vanilla extract.
• Salted butter. Soften the butter by bringing it to room temperature before using.
• Vegetable oil.

Apples & topping:

• Gala apples. Look for ripe apples with no bruises. The quantity you need will depend on the size of the apples and the size of your pan. For a more tart flavor, you can use Granny Smith apples.
• Melted butter.
• Dark brown sugar. If you don't want to purchase dark brown sugar, you can substitute light brown sugar by adding a little molasses (2 tablespoons or so) to light brown sugar and mixing it well.

Miscellaneous:

• Prepared caramel sauce.
• Non-stick spray.

These feel‑good ingredients transform autumn apples into a moist, caramel‑topped celebration. Tip: It's even better with vanilla ice cream!

See recipe card for quantities.

How to make Apple Upside Down Bundt Cake

In a medium bowl, sift all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon (1). Set these dry ingredients aside.

Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, cream together softened salted butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large bowl until smooth (2).

Mix in vanilla extract and vegetable oil until combined (3). Add eggs one at a time to the sugar mixture, blending between each addition (4).

Add half of the flour mixture and slowly mix (5). Add buttermilk and mix (6).

Add the other half of the flour mixture and mix until smooth (7). Set aside.
Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Lightly spray all interior surfaces of a bundt pan with non-stick spray, making sure all surfaces are coated is crucial to a successful release.

Add melted butter and dark brown sugar to the prepared bundt pan (8 & 9). Mix gently and distribute evenly.

Peel, core, and thinly slice 2 to 3 Gala apples, or enough to fully cover the bottom of the bundt pan. Place the apple slices on their outside end side by side in the pan as shown (10 & 11).

Carefully pour the cake mixture onto the apples in the pan, making sure all apples are covered (12).

Bake for 25 minutes at 350ºF then cover with foil and bake for an additional 20 minutes or until done.

The cake is ready when a toothpick inserted into the center of the thickest part of the cake comes out clean (13).

Let the cake cool in the pan for 5 minutes then carefully invert while still warm onto a cake plate or serving platter. (I do not recommend cooling on this particular cake on a wire rack. Inverting it directly onto a platter helps it keep its form.) Drizzle with ½ cup caramel sauce of choice before serving.

Equipment

A quality bundt pan is essential for this gorgeous upside down cake. Because the apple slices need to be upright and side by side, I don't recommend using a bundt pan with diagonal patterns. A standard pattern like this Nordic Ware 12 cup Bundt Pan is ideal.

Storage and freezing

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

To freeze, store in an airtight freezer container for up to 4 months.