Martha Stewart Apple-Cinnamon Upside-Down Cake

Martha Stewart Apple-Cinnamon Upside-Down Cake is a tender, buttery dessert with caramelized Gala apples, brown sugar and warm cinnamon that comes together in 2 hours. Try this easy dessert for fall gatherings or Sunday dinner, since it bakes in one 9-inch pan and flips out looking bakery-pretty.

Arrange the apple slices in two neat concentric circles on the brown sugar, because they become the top of the cake once you flip it. Toss them in disorder and you lose the pretty pattern that makes this cake special.

Martha coats the pan with butter and sprinkles on brown sugar before the apples go in, which melts into a caramel layer as the cake bakes. She also tosses the wedges in lemon juice and uses firm, sweet Empire or Gala apples that hold their shape instead of turning mushy.

Martha Stewart Apple-Cinnamon Upside-Down Cake

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Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

50

minutes

Calories

340

kcal

A soft, tender crumb bakes under a layer of caramelized apples, with cinnamon running through the batter. Once it cools in the pan and gets inverted, the apple circles sit glossy and golden on top.

Ingredients

• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  

• 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
  

• 3 apples, Empire or Gala (about 1 ½ pounds), each peeled, cored, and sliced into 8 wedges
  

• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled)
  

• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  

• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  

• 2 large eggs
  

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  

• 1/2 cup whole milk
  

Directions

• Prepare the pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F, then coat the bottom and side of a 9-inch round cake pan with 2 tablespoons butter. Sprinkle 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar over the bottom so it melts into caramel as the cake bakes.
• Arrange the apples: Toss 3 peeled, cored apples, each sliced into 8 wedges, with 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice in a medium bowl. Then arrange them in the pan in two concentric circles, and don't worry if you don't use every slice.
• Mix the dry ingredients: Whisk 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon in a medium bowl. Set it aside while you make the batter.
• Cream the butter: Beat the remaining 8 tablespoons butter with 1/2 cup granulated sugar using an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Then add the 2 large eggs and 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, and beat until everything is incorporated.
• Add flour and milk: With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in three parts and 1/2 cup whole milk in two parts. Begin and end with the flour mixture so the batter stays smooth.
• Bake the cake: Spoon the batter over the apples and smooth the top. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Cool the cake: Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes and up to 6 hours. If it has risen above the rim, simply push it back inside the rim.
• Invert and serve: Run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the cake. Then invert it onto a rimmed platter so the caramelized apples end up on top.

Tools for this recipe

• Fat Daddio's 9-inch round cake pans, set of 2, KitchenAid 5-speed hand mixer, Checkered Chef cooling racks, Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon vanilla extract, 8 oz. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Which apples work best for this upside-down cake?

Martha recommends firm but ripe, sweet apples such as Empire or Gala, since they keep their shape while baking. Soft apples like McIntosh break down into mush, so skip them here.

How long does apple upside-down cake keep?

Cover it loosely and keep it at room temperature for up to 2 days, since the moist apple layer can make the crumb soft after that. For longer storage, wrap the cake and refrigerate it for up to 4 days, then let it come to room temperature before serving.

Can I make this cake ahead of time?

Yes, the cake can cool in the pan for up to 6 hours before you invert it, so you can bake it in the morning for dinner. Flip it just before serving so the caramel stays glossy and doesn't stick.

What if I don't have an electric mixer?

A sturdy whisk or wooden spoon works if the butter is truly room temperature, though creaming it with the sugar takes about 5 minutes of steady work. You want it pale and fluffy, because that's what gives the cake its tender crumb.

Why did my apples stick to the pan when I flipped the cake?

Skipping the butter coating or letting the cake cool for more than 6 hours are the usual culprits, because the caramel hardens and glues the apples down. Run a knife around the edge first, and if some apples stick, just press them back onto the cake.