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Real Recipes From Real Home Cooks ®

gary’s apple upside down cake

TheOrganizedChef avatar
Recipe by
Garrison Wayne
@TheOrganizedChef
La Quinta, CA

The best dessert recipes have simple ingredients. How you put these ingredients together is where the magic comes in. Also, some of the best desserts are really not to salty, too sweet, too rich,...or too anything! This is one of those desserts that are just perfect to follow any meal. The flavor of the apple shines and the small amount of cinnamon is just the right touch. The little bit of almond adds a subtle dimension and the vanilla is used sparingly to also not overpower the cake. Make sure you make fresh whipped cream for this very deserving cake.

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yield 8 serving(s)
prep time 25 Min
cook time 1 Hr
method Bake

Ingredients For gary’s apple upside down cake

  • 1 stick
    butter, unsalted, softened
  • 1 c
    sugar
  • 1/2 tsp
    kosher salt
  • 2 lg
    eggs, extra lg is fine
  • 1 2/3 c
    pastry flour or cake flour
  • 1/2 tsp
    baking soda
  • 1 tsp
    baking powder
  • 2/3 c
    buttermilk
  • 1/4 tsp
    almond extract
  • 1/2 tsp
    vanilla extract
  • 2 md
    apples, peeled, cored, sliced thin
  • 2 Tbsp
    cinnamon sugar, for dusting bottom of pan
  • 1-2 Tbsp
    butter, unsalted, for greasing pan

How To Make gary’s apple upside down cake

  • 1
    This recipe calls for cinnamon sugar. I keep this on hand for toast. I make mine by adding a half a teaspoon of good quality cinnamon to granulated sugar. I keep it in a shake jar for convenience. These proportions will work well for this cake.
  • 2
    You will need a cake pan with a removable bottom or a springform pan. It needs to be at least 9 inches in diameter and at least 2 1/2 inches tall. To prevent leakage of the butter or batter from spilling on the bottom of oven, wrap the pan with heavy foil....and crimp down the sides to not exceed the height of the pan. Generously grease the pan with unsalted butter. For a better release, you can opt to then line the bottom of pan with parchment paper, and the grease the parchment paper with additional butter.
  • 3
    Preheat oven to 350 degrees or 325 degrees for a convection oven. I prefer the convection oven.
  • 4
    Sprinkle cinnamon sugar evenly to coat the bottom of cake pan.
  • 5
    Arrange apple slices to completely cover bottom of the pan. Make a pretty concentric pattern. The apples should cover the cinnamon sugar.
  • 6
    Measure the flour with baking soda and baking powder. Mix well and set aside. Measure the buttermilk and set aside.
  • 7
    In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, sugar, and salt until nice and light. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
  • 8
    Alternately, using a slower speed on mixer, add the flour mix and buttermilk. Stir in extracts.
  • 9
    Turn out batter from bowl into the cake pan. Be careful to not disturb the apples that you have so nicely arranged. Spread batter to be evenly distributed with the back of a spoon. Gently tap the pan on the counter to further settle the batter into the pan.
  • 10
    Bake on the center rack in oven for about 1 hour. The batter will test with a pick....and also spring back when pressed with finger.
  • 11
    Remove cake from oven and cool on rack for 20-25 minutes, then remove from pan by inverting onto a cake plate. You may need to bang the cake on the counter first to assist in the release. Remove the bottom of the pan. If you have used parchment paper, it should remain in the pan....but if not, carefully remove it from the cake.
  • 12
    Completely cool before covering. Serve room temperature with fresh whipped cream.
  • Last Step: Don't forget to share! Make all your friends drool by posting a picture of your finished recipe on your favorite social network. And don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes so we can see it too!
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