This maple apple upside-down cake features a tender, buttery cake baked over a layer of tart apples and concentrated maple syrup. When flipped after baking, it reveals a beautiful, caramelized fruit topping that soaks into the cake.
While it requires a few steps, like reducing the maple syrup for the topping, the process is straightforward. It’s a rewarding baking project that fills your kitchen with the scent of fall and gives you a wonderful dessert to share.
Why You’ll Love Maple Apple Upside-Down Cake
- Reducing the maple syrup deepens its flavor, creating a rich, caramel-like topping that is much more complex than using syrup straight from the bottle.
- Alternating the addition of dry and wet ingredients into the creamed butter and sugar is a classic technique that prevents overmixing and ensures a light, tender cake crumb.
- Flipping the cake while it’s still warm is crucial. The heat keeps the maple-apple topping fluid, allowing it to release cleanly from the pan onto the cake.
Maple Apple Upside-Down Cake Ingredients
- Apples: Firm, tart baking apples like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp are ideal because they keep their texture and balance the sweetness of the syrup.
- Maple Syrup: Use 100% pure maple syrup for this recipe. Pancake syrup or breakfast syrup will not reduce properly and will not provide the right flavor.
- Buttermilk: The acidity in buttermilk creates a very tender cake. If you don’t have any, you can make a substitute by adding 1/2 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to 1/2 cup of whole milk and letting it sit for 5 minutes.
- Butter and Eggs: Using room temperature ingredients is important for a smooth, emulsified batter. It allows the butter and sugar to incorporate more air for a lighter cake.
Exact quantities are in the recipe card below.
How to Make Maple Apple Upside-Down Cake
Step 1: Make the Maple Topping
Start by preparing the signature topping. Simmer pure maple syrup on the stove until it has reduced and thickened, which concentrates its flavor. Whisk in a little butter, then pour this rich mixture into your prepared cake pan.
Step 2: Arrange the Apples and Prepare Batter
Slice your apples and arrange them in a decorative pattern over the maple syrup in the pan. In separate bowls, whisk together your dry ingredients (flour, leaveners, salt) and your wet ingredients (eggs, buttermilk, vanilla) to get them ready for mixing.
Step 3: Mix and Assemble the Cake
Create the cake batter by creaming butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the dry and wet ingredients in alternating batches, mixing gently to avoid overworking the gluten. Spoon the finished batter over the apples and spread it evenly.
Step 4: Bake and Invert
Bake the cake until it’s golden and cooked through. Let it cool on a wire rack for about an hour, which is long enough to set but still warm enough to release. Carefully flip the pan onto a serving platter to reveal the apple topping.
Storage Tips for Maple Apple Upside-Down Cake
Store leftover cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can enjoy it cold or gently reheat individual slices in the microwave for 15-20 seconds.
Expert Tips for Maple Apple Upside-Down Cake
- Reducing the maple syrup is key to the topping’s flavor. Use a saucepan that is large enough to accommodate the syrup foaming up as it boils to prevent it from spilling over.
- Inverting the cake while it is still warm is important. This helps the caramelized apple topping release cleanly from the pan.
- Firm, tart apples like Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Braeburn hold their shape well during baking. Avoid softer apples, which can turn to mush.
- Ensure your butter, eggs, and buttermilk are at room temperature. This helps the batter mix together smoothly and creates a more tender cake.
What to Serve with Maple Apple Upside-Down Cake?
Serve slices of the warm cake on its own, or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream.
Maple Apple Upside-Down Cake Recipe FAQs
Can I use a different size cake pan?
Yes, you can use a 9-inch round pan, but the cake will be taller and may require a slightly longer baking time. Watch it closely toward the end of baking. A 9×9-inch square pan also works.
Why did my apple topping stick to the pan?
This usually happens if the cake cools for too long before you invert it. The sugar in the maple syrup solidifies as it cools, acting like glue. Flipping it while it’s still quite warm ensures the topping is fluid enough to release.
Can I make this with other fruits?
Certainly. Sliced firm pears or peaches would be a great substitute for the apples. Follow the same method of arranging them in the bottom of the pan before adding the batter.
Maple Apple Upside-Down Cake
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups pure maple syrup 360 ml
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature, divided, 255 g
- 4 medium Granny Smith apples
- 2 cups all-purpose flour 240 g
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar 265 g
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 large egg yolks at room temperature
- 1/2 cup buttermilk at room temperature, 120 ml
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for serving
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 10-inch round cake pan with butter and dust it with flour. In a medium saucepan, bring the maple syrup to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer and cook for about 40 minutes, until the syrup darkens and thickens, reducing to about 1 cup. Watch it closely to prevent it from boiling over or burning.
- Remove the syrup from the heat and whisk in 2 tablespoons of butter until melted. Carefully pour the hot syrup mixture into the prepared cake pan.
- Peel, core, and halve the apples. Cut each half into 8 thin slices. Arrange the apple slices in tight, concentric circles over the syrup in the bottom of the pan. You can create a second layer if needed.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, buttermilk, and vanilla.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer, beat the remaining 1 cup of butter and the granulated sugar on medium speed for 6-7 minutes, until pale and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
- With the mixer on low, add one-third of the flour mixture, followed by half of the egg mixture, beating just until combined after each addition. Add another third of the flour mixture, followed by the remaining egg mixture. Finally, fold in the last of the flour mixture with a spatula until just incorporated.
- Spoon the batter in dollops over the apples in the pan. Gently spread the batter into an even layer with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon.
- Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 1 hour.
- While the cake is still warm, run a knife around the edge to loosen it. Place a large serving plate over the pan and carefully invert the cake. If any apple slices stick to the pan, gently lift them out and place them back on the cake. Serve warm.
