The UPSIDE-DOWN APPLE CAKE is a dessert that wins you over first with its looks and then with the intense aroma it gives off as soon as it’s baked. Thin slices of Annurca Campania apple, carefully arranged on the caramelized base, become the absolute protagonists: glossy, amber and slightly crisp at the edges, they enclose their natural tart note that perfectly balances the sweetness of the batter.
Typical of Campania, Annurca apples have a firm, not very watery flesh, qualities that make them ideal for oven baking. In this upside-down version they hold their shape, do not release excess liquid and give a more intense flavor than traditional varieties.
The most exciting moment is always the flip: the cake is turned out while still warm and reveals a shiny, theatrical caramelized surface, perfect to bring to the table without the need for elaborate decoration.
It’s a simple yet elegant dessert, perfect for breakfast, a wholesome snack or as a finish to a meal accompanied by a cloud of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
A recipe that smells of home, tradition and changing seasons.
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Rest time: 10 Minutes
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 8 Servings
- Cooking methods: Stovetop, Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
Ingredients
- 7 tbsp (about 90 g / 3.2 oz) tbsp granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp (about 40 g / 1.4 oz) tbsp butter
- 2 Annurca apples
- 3 eggs (medium, at room temperature)
- 3/4 cup (about 150 g / 5.3 oz) cup granulated sugar
- pinch salt
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) cup milk
- 7 tbsp (about 100 ml) tbsp sunflower oil
- lemon zest
- 1/2 tsp (about 2 g) tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 cups (about 250 g) cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp + 1 tsp (about 16 g) tbsp + tsp baking powder
What you’ll need for the upside-down apple cake
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Saucepan
- Electric whisk
- 1 Sieve
- 1 Pan 9 in
Preparation of the upside-down apple cake
Melt the sugar and butter, stirring from time to time, until you obtain an amber caramel. The butter will tend to separate, don’t worry, it should be like that.
Butter and flour a 9 in pan and place a round of parchment paper on the base. Pour the hot caramel onto the bottom and arrange the Annurca apple slices cut thinly in a rosette on top.In a bowl, whisk the eggs with the sugar and a pinch of salt until you obtain a pale and fluffy mixture.
Add the oil, the milk, the lemon zest, the cinnamon and mix thoroughly.
Fold in the sifted flour and baking powder and mix until the batter is smooth and homogeneous.
Pour the batter over the apples.Bake the upside-down apple cake in a preheated static oven at 356°F for 40–45 minutes.
Check for doneness using the classic toothpick test.Let rest for 10 minutes, then invert while still warm and remove the parchment paper.
