This warm and soft upside-down cake is made with sweet apples, buttery caramel, and a light cornmeal cake on top. It’s perfect for fall days or when you’re craving something cozy and homemade. Serve it warm with ice cream or enjoy it as is with a cup of tea.

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Ingredients Needed:

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups white granulated sugar, divided (1/2 cup and 3/4 cup)
1 1/2 pounds Braeburn, Jonagold, or Golden Delicious apples (about 4 medium), peeled, quartered, cored, each quarter cut into 2 wedges
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup boiling water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/3 cup whole milk

How To Make Apple Upside-Down Cake Recipe?

Preheat the Oven: heat your oven to 175°C. Butter the sides of a 9-inch cake pan and line the bottom with a 10-inch round of parchment paper. Butter the paper too.
Make the Caramel: melt 2 tablespoons butter in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Stir in 1/2 cup sugar and cook until melted and golden brown, about 6 minutes.
Cook the Apples: add apple wedges to the caramel and stir gently. Cover the pan and cook for 5 minutes until apples soften and release juices. Uncover and cook for 13 more minutes until the apples are tender and coated in thick caramel.
Fill the Cake Pan: pour the apples and caramel into the prepared cake pan. Spread them out evenly.
Mix the Dry Ingredients: in a small bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder.
Soften the Cornmeal: in a large bowl, add cornmeal and pour over the boiling water. Stir to blend.
Make the Batter: add 3/4 cup sugar and 6 tablespoons butter to the cornmeal mixture. Beat until smooth, then mix in vanilla and eggs.
Combine Wet and Dry: add the flour mixture in batches, alternating with the milk, and mix until smooth.
Bake the Cake: pour the batter over the apples and smooth the top. Bake for about 40 minutes until golden and a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
Flip and Cool: let the cake rest in the pan for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the edges to loosen it, then flip it onto a serving plate and peel off the paper. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Jamie Oliver Apple Upside Down Cake Recipe

Recipe Tips:

Use the right apples: Braeburn, Jonagold, or Golden Delicious apples work best because they hold their shape and taste sweet when cooked. Avoid using very soft apples—they can turn mushy.
Don’t skip the parchment paper: lining the cake pan with parchment helps the cake release easily after flipping. Without it, the apples might stick and break the cake.
Watch the caramel closely: once the sugar starts melting, keep stirring, and don’t walk away. It can burn quickly if left too long on the heat.
Layer the apples evenly: when placing the cooked apples in the pan, make sure they’re spread out in one even layer. This helps the cake bake evenly and look neat after flipping.
Let the cake rest before flipping: wait at least 5 minutes after baking, then gently loosen the edges. Flipping too early or too late can make the apple stick or the cake break.

How To Store Leftovers?

Refrigerate: First, let the leftover apple upside-down cake cool down completely to room temperature. Then wrap it tightly or place it in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freeze: After the cake cools, wrap each slice in plastic wrap, then in foil. Place the wrapped slices in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 2 months.

Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 320 kcal
Total Fat: 13g
Saturated Fat: 8g
Cholesterol: 75mg
Sodium: 180mg
Potassium: 140mg
Total Carbohydrate: 48g
Dietary Fiber: 2g
Sugars: 30g
Protein: 4g

Try More Jamie Oliver Recipes:

Jamie Oliver Chocolate Chip Muffins Recipe
Jamie Oliver Sweet Potato Soup Recipe

Jamie Oliver Apple Upside Down Cake Recipe

Course: DessertCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Calories

320

kcal

Ingredients

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups white granulated sugar, divided (1/2 cup and 3/4 cup)
1 1/2 pounds Braeburn, Jonagold, or Golden Delicious apples (about 4 medium), peeled, quartered, cored, each quarter cut into 2 wedges
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup boiling water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/3 cup whole milk

Directions

Preheat the Oven: heat your oven to 175°C. Butter the sides of a 9-inch cake pan and line the bottom with a 10-inch round of parchment paper. Butter the paper too.
Make the Caramel: melt 2 tablespoons butter in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Stir in 1/2 cup sugar and cook until melted and golden brown, about 6 minutes.
Cook the Apples: add apple wedges to the caramel and stir gently. Cover the pan and cook for 5 minutes until apples soften and release juices. Uncover and cook for 13 more minutes until the apples are tender and coated in thick caramel.
Fill the Cake Pan: pour the apples and caramel into the prepared cake pan. Spread them out evenly.
Mix the Dry Ingredients: in a small bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder.
Soften the Cornmeal: in a large bowl, add cornmeal and pour over the boiling water. Stir to blend.
Make the Batter: add 3/4 cup sugar and 6 tablespoons butter to the cornmeal mixture. Beat until smooth, then mix in vanilla and eggs.
Combine Wet and Dry: add the flour mixture in batches, alternating with the milk, and mix until smooth.
Bake the Cake: pour the batter over the apples and smooth the top. Bake for about 40 minutes until golden and a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
Flip and Cool: let the cake rest in the pan for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the edges to loosen it, then flip it onto a serving plate and peel off the paper. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Notes

Use the right apples: Braeburn, Jonagold, or Golden Delicious apples work best because they hold their shape and taste sweet when cooked. Avoid using very soft apples—they can turn mushy.
Don’t skip the parchment paper: lining the cake pan with parchment helps the cake release easily after flipping. Without it, the apples might stick and break the cake.
Watch the caramel closely: once the sugar starts melting, keep stirring, and don’t walk away. It can burn quickly if left too long on the heat.
Layer the apples evenly: when placing the cooked apples in the pan, make sure they’re spread out in one even layer. This helps the cake bake evenly and look neat after flipping.
Let the cake rest before flipping: wait at least 5 minutes after baking, then gently loosen the edges. Flipping too early or too late can make the apple stick or the cake break.