A slice of warm delicious down home caramel apple upside down cake is sure to bring a smile to your face. Add a scoop of ice cream to this spiced cake for an extra special fall treat.
This upside-down apple skillet cake has a caramel apple bottom that becomes the top when you flip it out. We love baking it in a cast iron skillet, but don’t worry if you don’t have one as that isn’t absolutely necessary. The tips for making it in a cake pan are listed below.
When fall and apple season roll around, it is time to break out the warmer flavors of caramel and cinnamon. While the fresh flavors of summer are great, it is always fun to return to these cozy flavors.
This caramel apple upside down skillet cake is the perfect way to highlight those autumnal flavors and feelings together in one delicious dessert. It is part spice cake and part sticky caramel apple.
It is great on its own, but of course a scoop of ice cream and drizzle of caramel make it even more decadent. It is sure to become a family favorite recipe that is requested every autumn.
Making the Cake
Imagine the smells of warm brown sugar, apples and cinnamon baking in your cast iron skillet. In fact, don’t imagine it…
Get yourself moving towards your kitchen so you can make this happen asap! The apple orchards are starting to bring in the new harvest and there is no time like the present to celebrate.
Not only will you have the joy of making something super delicious, but your house will smell amazing. Everyone who enters your kitchen will know something good is about to happen!
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Luckily this cake is easy enough to whip up. There is a simple caramel apple layer that incorporates some of our favorite baking spices to make it extra aromatic and flavorful.
The cake itself comes together quickly and you can have the skillet in the oven in no time at all. Which is good, because you are going to want to dive in as soon as possible.
Start by making a simple brown sugar caramel sauce. Then it is time for the apples.
We like using slices and arranging them nicely. However, you can dice them and throw them in if you prefer.
The cake is easier to eat if you peel the apples, but again this is a personal preference and it will still taste good if you don’t want to remove the skins.
After the cake is baked, you will want to let it cool for about 10 minutes, then invert it onto your serving platter. Letting it cool completely will almost certainly make the cake stick to the pan as the brown sugar mixture solidifies.
Make sure to serve this warm with your favorite vanilla ice cream. People will remember this cake for a long-long time.
Can You Use Something Besides A Cast Ion Skillet?
Of course you can! Just make the butter and brown sugar mixture in a saucepan and pour it into a 9″ cake pan. After that, just follow the instructions in the recipe.
Possible variations to try:
- Use dark brown sugar for an even deeper caramel-y molasses flavor
- Toss some chopped pecans or walnuts in with the apple and buttery brown sugar mixture
- For a milder spice flavor omit the cloves and add just a dash of nutmeg
Upside Down Caramel Apple Skillet Cake
Ingredients
Caramel Apple Layer
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ⅔ cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 medium apples peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
Cake
- ½ cup butter softened
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 large eggs
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup milk
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
Instructions
Caramel Layer
- In a 9 inch cast-iron skillet, melt a stick of butter on medium low heat. When it begins to bubble stir in the brown sugar.½ cup unsalted butter, ⅔ cup light brown sugar
- Continue stirring until smooth and bubbling, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and vanilla. Allow to cool while you make the cake layer.1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon grated nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Cream butter and brown sugar with your hand mixer until smooth and fluffy.½ cup butter, 1 cup light brown sugar
- Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add milk and mix until combined.2 large eggs, ¼ cup milk
- Stir in the cinnamon, flour and baking powder by hand. Stir just until combined.½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder
- Arrange the apples over the caramel mixture. Spoon the cake batter over the apples and bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of cake comes out clean.3 medium apples
- Allow to cool for 10 minutes before inverting onto a serving dish.
- Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce if desired.
Video
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Carlee, this looks amazing! I can imagine the whole house smells like heaven. I love baked apples, but baked apples on top, or bottom, of a cake! Yummy! I bet they were really happy that they were home!
Caramel and apples were just meant to be together, so this is a slam dunk in my book. Adding cake just takes it to the next level. Thanks as always, Nikki!
Yum!! I have got to try this!! My family would love it.
I hope you do, it is really good! Thanks!
This looks so decadent! My family would love this 🙂
Blessings,
Edye | http://gracefulcoffee.wordpress.com
It is perfect with a nice scoop of ice cream! Thank you!
This is one of those recipes that I couldn't pass by. I love things that are made in cast iron skillets. I really need to make this as soon as the weather cools off a bit.
I love using my cast iron skillets for a little of everything too. I hope you love this!
Yes, please! This an upside down cake that sounds right up my alley!
Isn't it a fun one? Thanks and have a great weekend!
I live 100 km from a valley famous for great apples. I have marked this to try when the apples are ready there. Thanks for the post!
How cool! I hope you love this when the time comes!
I love my cast iron skillets! This looks delicious. Definitely pinning for later.
I love mine too, they are so versatile! Thank you!
Just a little butter here! Sounds yummy! I can see the cast iron skillet full of apples now.
Thanks for sharing.
Wishes for tasty dishes,
Linda
Ha, you are right, but butter makes things better! Thanks, Linda!
Now that is what I call a sweet treat. I love cooking in my cast iron skillet although I don't do enough of it. Now I have a great recipe to use in my cast iron skillet. Thanks Carlee 🙂
I love it too! I definitely go through phases where I use them for everything and then get out the habit for a while. I am in a cast iron phase now 😉 Thanks, Sam!
Yep, I'll be trying this alright!! Two of my favorite things..caramel flavor and apples..cannot go wrong!! I can literally last it now.. it sounds and looks so yummy!!
Aren't caramel apple desserts the best! MiMi made this and sent me the post and the pictures, but no cake. Can you even believe it?! I guess I'll have to make one for myself!