This spiced apple upside down cake is the PERFECT dish to make when you want to feel fancy, but also want to put in minimal effort! Made with a healthy cake mix and just a few customizations, this recipe is way too easy to throw together but your guests (and taste buds) will definitely be impressed.
I love baking, but honestly sometimes I am all about shortcuts as well. And luckily there are some great products out there to make it easier on us when we don’t feel like baking something from scratch 😛 I love the Simple Mills mixes for this reason. They are only made with a handful of ingredients, ones I know and can pronounce, and they are ahhhhmazingly delicious! For this recipe I used the vanilla cake mix and added a few things to turn it up a notch. So don’t be intimidated because even though this cake looks super fancy, it is really easy to make!
If you are an apple lover like me in the fall time, once you have tried this you need to check out my apple pie french toast waffles, my single serve apple crisp, my stovetop apple butter, or this Irish Apple Cake.
Let’s Make a Spiced Apple Upside Down Cake!
So as I mentioned, this recipe starts with Simple Mills vanilla cake mix. So you are going to need that and the ingredients that the box requires (mentioned below). But they we are going to level this baby up to make this super fun dessert with minimal effort!
First, there is a sugary/buttery glaze you are going to make and put on the bottom of your pan. Don’t skip this step. First of all, it adds suchhhh a yummy flavor, plus it really helps with the aesthetic of the cake. I made it once without this step and the apples just did not look as pretty on top. Just trust me on this one.
Then comes your apples. You are going to core them, and then cut them into thin slices (not toooo thin). You can peel them if you want, it might help make for easier slicing, but I skipped this step (mostly because I am lazy but it is also some good fiber for you!). You can arrange these in any pattern you want but I went for a round/star type shape just by starting with one in the middle and fanning out as I went. See process shots below for a little help. I promise it is easier than it looks!
Then in the actual mix all I did was add some cinnamon and nutmeg to bring a little more fall flavor to the mix. They of course go well with the apples and makes this a great fall dessert.
Then you just bake! I used a 10 inch pie pan with a fun flowery shape but I am sure a 9 inch one would work fine too! Check it after 20-30 minutes just to see how it is going – every oven is different!
In addition to the listed ingredients, you will need:
- an apple corer (or knife) to core the apple
- a knife to slice the apple
- a pie pan
- a couple mixing bowls
- something to stir with
- oil to grease your pie pan
Enjoy!
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Spiced Apple Upside Down Cake
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: one 10 in cake 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Refined Sugar Free Option
This spiced apple upside down cake is the PERFECT dish to make when you want to feel fancy, but also want to put in minimal effort! Made with a healthy cake mix and just a few customizations, this recipe is way too easy to throw together but your guests (and taste buds) will definitely be impressed.
Ingredients
Cake:
- 1.5 – 2 small apples
- lemon juice
- 1 box Simple Mills vanilla cake mix + extra ingredients required per package:
- 1/3 cup oil
- 1/3 cup water
- 3 eggs
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
Topping:
- 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp melted vegan butter
- 3/4 cup brown sugar (or coconut sugar)
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- dash of salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Take your topping ingredients and mix in a bowl until well combined. Pour this into a greased pie pan (I used a 10in pan).
- Core and thinly slice your apples (you can peel if you want for easier cutting of the cake, but I left the skins on!). Cover the apples with a little bit of lemon juice, and then align on the pan in whatever shape you want (I did a “star like” shape, see pictures above for reference).
- Make your cake mix according to directions on box, mixing in the cinnamon and nutmeg with the dry ingredients. Pour your cake batter overtop your apples and sugar, and then bake for about 30-35 minutes until edges are golden brown and the cake is firm to the touch in the center.
Notes
If your edges start to burn before the center of your cake is solid, you can put some foil around the edges (mine kind of looked like this was happening, but I didn’t cover it and it was fine!)
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Cake
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/9 of pan
If you try this recipe please leave a comment below letting me know what you think! If you remake on Instagram don’t forget to tag me at @donutworry_behealthy so I can see your creation and share in my stories!
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