Fruit is the essence of upside-down cakes, that’s what the flipping, after baking, reveals. So, if you are looking to bake a unique cake recipe at home, you must try these cakes, starting with the classic pineapple upside down cakes, the peach upside-down cake, and the apple upside-down cake. These cakes are relatively easy to make, and if you were searching for cake recipes for kids, all of these are perfect.
1. Pineapple Upside Down Cake
(Serves 8)
Ingredients
- 65 gm brown sugar
- 250 gm of unsalted butter, soft and divided
- 7 pineapple rings
- 200 gm of caster sugar
- 3 eggs beaten
- 200 gm of plain flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- A pinch of salt
- ½ tsp vanilla essence
- 2 tbsp milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C, take a 9-inch springform cake pan, and grease it with butter. Cut out a circle of parchment paper, and press it to the bottom of the pan.
- Take a small saucepan, add brown sugar and 50 gm of butter, and mix to combine. Once all smooth and melted, pour this into the base of the pan.
- Arrange the pineapple slices over the caramel, cutting down pieces to make them fit, if need be, and set aside.
- Take a mixing bowl, and beat using an electric whisk, the remaining butter and sugar until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
- Mix flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl, and add them into the batter, a little at a time, alternating with milk, and mix after adding each time. Finally, add the vanilla essence and mix.
- Carefully spoon the batter into the cake pan, without disturbing the pineapple slices. Smoothen with a spatula.
- Bake the cake for 35-40 minutes. Your cake will be golden and a skewer inserted into the center should also come out clean.
- Take out the cake, and let it cool in its pan for 10 minutes.
- Dismantle the springform pan, remove the sides, and carefully invert the cake on a plate, then peel off the parchment if it’s stuck.
- Slice the cake into big chunks and serve with vanilla ice cream.
2. Peach Upside Down Cake
(Serves 12)
Ingredients
- 185 gm self-rising flour
- 200 gm granulated sugar
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- 3 eggs
- 120 gm buttermilk, room temperature
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 170 gm unsalted butter, softened and divided
- 220 gm brown sugar
- 280 gm fresh peaches, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C and grease a 9-inch round cake pan, with butter then dust with flour and tap out the excess.
- Take a mixing bowl and attach the stand mixer with a paddle attachment, or use a hand mixer. Use your hand to mix flour, granulated sugar, nutmeg, and salt.
- On medium speed, beat eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla, until smooth. Add 115 gm of butter, and beat until combined, then set aside.
- Melt the remaining butter and add to the cake pan, and while it’s still hot, sprinkle brown sugar over it. Quickly arrange the sliced peaches, in a neat pattern, all in a single layer.
- Spoon the batter gingerly over peaches and smoothen the top with a spatula.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes. At the 30-minute mark, cover the top of the cake with foil, to avoid excessive browning. Bake for the remaining time until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Invert the cake onto a serving plate, and let cool a bit. Serve warm.
3. Apple Upside Down Cake
(Serves 12)
Ingredients
For the apples
- 55 gm unsalted butter, softened
- 100 gm brown sugar
- A pinch of salt
- 2 sweet apples, peeled, cored, and cut into wedges
Cake batter
- 180 gm all-purpose flour
- 200 gm sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp flaky salt
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 115 gm milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 170 gm unsalted butter, melted
Glaze
- 30 gm powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C and line a 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper.
- Take a big bowl, and mix butter, brown sugar, and salt until combined.
- Scoop this mixture and spread evenly in the lined cake pan. Arrange the apple wedges in twin concentric circles or a radial pattern.
- Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in one bowl, and in another bowl, whisk the eggs with milk and vanilla extract.
- Add the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients, then add the melted butter and whisk to get a smooth batter. Pour this batter carefully over the apples without disturbing them. Smoothen the batter to get a smooth surface.
- Bake the cake for 50-55 minutes. Pause at the 30-minute mark, to put foil over the cake and bake until the timer is done. Poke with a toothpick in the cake’s center and check for crumbs, if none, your cake is done.
- Transfer to a wire rack and cool for 30 minutes.
- Run a knife around the inside rim of the pan to dislodge the cake. Invert the cake on a serving and peel off the parchment paper. Let the cake cool down.
- To make the glaze, mix powdered sugar with the milk, until smooth and drizzle it over the cake.
- Cut the apple upside down cake into wedges and serve warm.