This Vegan Apple Upside Down Cake features caramel, apples, and moist gluten-free cake. Served upside down to reveal a beautiful design.
I absolutely love my pineapple upside down cake recipe, and ever since I made it, I've been dreaming about an apple version for fall.
Upside down cakes look so beautiful, yet they are incredibly easy to make. You don't need an art degree to make a stunning cake.
With gooey caramel, and crisp apples, this cake is simply a delight!
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What is apple upside down cake?
Apple upside down cake is simply a cake batter poured over apple slices. You bake the cake and then flip it upside down, so the bottom becomes the top, revealing the apple design.
This vegan apple upside down cake is the same concept. I've just made a few tweaks to make this cake completely plant-based and gluten-free.
Why I love this Vegan Apple Upside Down Cake
- Dietary needs - this cake is vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, oil-free, and refined sugar free. That's right! No vegan butter, no white flour, no sugar, AND made with whole foods.
- Normal ingredients - I've been known to put some funky ingredients in my baking (hello sweet potato brownies & chickpea red velvet cake) but this recipe has nothing weird. You probably have most of the ingredients in your pantry.
- Light & soft - this cake has a beautiful light texture - just what you want in a fruity cake
- Very sweet - it's not as sweet as a cake you might get from a bakery or make from a box, but for a plant-based cake, it's pretty sweet. Great for serving guests who aren't used to eating less sugar
- Fall in a cake - with caramel, apples, and fall spices, this cake is the epitome of fall
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Coconut Sugar: I don't use coconut sugar too often on this site, because it is still sugar. But coconut sugar is a less refined sugar option with a lower glycemic index. It is perfect for this caramel because it has a naturally caramel-like flavor and melts down into a lovely creamy texture.
- Coconut Cream: coconut sugar needs a fat like coconut cream to help it melt. And it adds a richness to the caramel.
- Vanilla
- Sea Salt: a pinch of salt helps enhance and balance the sweetness of the coconut sugar
- Nut Butter: nut butter adds fat to the caramel, which creates a deeper, more rich flavor. I used cashew butter in this version because it has a neutral flavor. You can also use peanut butter
- Granny Smith Apple: I recommend using granny smith apples - when I tested the cake with a sweeter apple, the cake was just too sweet
Cake
- Unsweetened Granny Smith Applesauce: if you can find granny smith applesauce, this is ideal - it is slightly tarter and will help balance the richness of the caramel. But any regular unsweetened applesauce will work too.
- Maple Syrup: to make this recipe fruit sweetened use date syrup instead
- Apple Cider Vinegar: the acid in the vinegar reacts with the baking soda and helps create a light & fluffy texture, so don't skip the vinegar
- Ground Flaxseed: flax replaces eggs in vegan recipes - it helps bind the cake together. If you don't have flax you can use ground chia seeds
- Vanilla
- Oat Flour: I love using oat flour because it is naturally gluten-free, very cheap, and easy to make at home. To make your own oat flour, blend rolled or quick oats in a food processor until they reach a flour consistency. Alternatively, use store-bought oat flour.
- Almond Flour: I find that using only oat flour can make vegan baked goods gluey, but adding some almond flour is a great remedy. If you're using homemade oat flour, you don't have to worry as much, and can use additional oat flour instead of the almond, but if you're using store-bought oat flour, be sure to add some almond flour as well
- Spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Salt
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Line bottom of a 9-inch springform or cake pan with parchment paper.
Step 2. Make the caramel by heating the coconut sugar, coconut cream, vanilla, and salt in a small saucepan. When melted, turn off the heat and stir in the nut butter. See this post for full instructions.
Step 3. Pour the caramel into the prepared pan.
Step 4. Arrange the apple slices on top of the caramel.
Step 5. In a large bowl, mix the apple sauce, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, ground flaxseed, and vanilla.
Step 6. Add the oat flour, almond flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk well.
Step 7. Carefully pour the mixture into the pan, on top of the apples. Bake for 40-45 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
Step 8. Remove the cake from the oven and place on a wire rack. Let the cake cool completely.
Step 9. If using a springform pan, remove the sides of the pan and flip the cake onto a plate. If using a regular cake pan, run a knife around the edges of the pan, then flip onto a plate. Serve and enjoy! Since this cake has fruit on top, store in the refrigerator.
FAQ & Expert Tips
I recommend using granny smith apples. When I tested the cake with a sweeter apple, the cake was just too sweet. Granny smiths or similar tart apples are perfect for the right balance of tart and sweet.
To make this cake nut-free, use an equivalent amount of oat flour in place of the almond flour. For the best texture when using entirely oat flour, I recommend using homemade oat flour instead of store bought.
The fruit at the bottom makes it a little tricky to tell if the cake is done.
When testing with a toothpick, insert the toothpick ¾ of the way down to avoid touching the juicy fruit. The toothpick should come out mostly clean.
The cake should also feel firm to the touch. And it will be fairly brown.
This is key. The cake will continue to cook as it cools. The cooling time also helps the cake set, so it doesn't fall apart when you flip it out of the pan.
Step 1. Run a knife around the edges of the cake.
Step 2. If you're using a springform pan, release the sides of the pan.
Step 3. Grab the plate or platter you'd like to serve the cake on. Position the plate face-down on top of the cake.
Step 4. Place your hands around the bottom of the cake pan (it should be completely cool) and the bottom side of the plate, like you're holding a sandwich.
Step 5. Flip the cake so the apple side is facing up. Remove the cake pan - it should slide right off.
Since this upside down cake has fruit on the top it is best stored in the refrigerator. It will last about a week.
Recipe Prayer
Thank you God for this sweet and fruity plant-based cake. Amen.
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📖 Recipe
Vegan Apple Upside Down Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
Topping
- ½ Cup Coconut Sugar
- 2 Tablespoons Coconut Cream
- ½ Teaspoon Vanilla
- ¼ Teaspoon Sea Salt
- 2 Tablespoons Nut Butter like cashew butter
- 2 Medium Granny Smith Apples peeled and sliced into ¼-inch slices
Cake
- ¾ Cup Unsweetened Granny Smith Applesauce or regular unsweetened applesauce
- ¾ Cup Maple Syrup
- 2 Tablespoons Ground Flaxseed
- 1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon Vanilla
- 1 ½ Cups Oat Flour
- ¾ Cup Almond Flour
- 1 ½ Teaspoons Cinnamon
- ½ Teaspoon Nutmeg
- ⅛ Teaspoon Allspice
- ⅛ Teaspoon Ginger
- 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
- ¼ Teaspoon Salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Line bottom of a 9-inch springform or cake pan with parchment paper.
- Make the caramel by heating the coconut sugar, coconut cream, vanilla, and salt in a small saucepan. When melted, turn off the heat and stir in the nut butter. See this post for full instructions.
- Pour the caramel into the prepared pan.
- Arrange the apple slices on top of the caramel. See the image in the post above for the exact arrangement.
- In a large bowl, mix the apple sauce, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, ground flaxseed, and vanilla.
- Add the oat flour, almond flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk well.
- Carefully pour the mixture into the pan, on top of the apples. Bake for 40-45 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven and place on a wire rack. Let the cake cool completely.
- If using a springform pan, remove the sides of the pan and flip the cake onto a plate. If using a regular cake pan, run a knife around the edges of the pan, then flip onto a plate. Serve and enjoy! Since this cake has fruit on top, store in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate.
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