If you love fall apple dessert recipes, then you’re gonna love this cake! This caramel apple cake is gluten free and can easily be made dairy free, too. You’re gonna fall in love with this upside down apple cake from the very first bite.

Tell Me More About This Cake!

I don’t drink coffee, so I love drinking tea. The inspiration for this caramel chai upside down cake comes from the warm, spiced flavors that come from a cup of fresh chai. The key ingredients for chai are cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and cardamom, and we use those very same spices for this tasty apple cake. You can also use pumpkin spice, or just plain cinnamon if you prefer!

If you’re like me and you worry that you’re gonna ruin your upside down cake when you turn it over only to reveal some soggy mess inside…you don’t have to worry about that with this easy recipe.

All you have to do is let the cake cool to room temp for about 15 minutes. When you flip it, you’ll get the most perfect apple upside down cake! And be sure to drizzle some extra caramel on top. Trust me!

How To Make This Upside Down Apple Cake

This upside down cake is super easy to make! All you have to do is slice the apples, and place them along the bottom of a baking pan. Then, pour the cooked caramel on top of the apples, just enough to cover the pan.

Spread the cake batter over the apples and bake for about 30 minutes, until the center of the cake feels firm to the touch. Allow the cake to cool for a few minutes before flipping it over (this is where the upside down part comes from)!

Drizzle more caramel on top of the cake, and serve warm or cold. It tastes great both ways! It tastes ESPECIALLY good with a side of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Caramel Ingredients

• butter (sub: vegan butter)
• honey
• maple syrup

Cake Ingredients

• almond flour
• chai spice
• coconut oil
• eggs
• honey
• maple syrup
• vanilla

How Long Does This Cake Take To Make?

There are three steps to making this gluten free apple cake:

• Making the caramel, which takes about 10 minutes
• Slicing the apples, which takes about 10 minutes
• Making the cake batter, which takes about 10 minutes

The final step is to assemble the upside down cake and bake for about 30 minutes. In total, this apple upside down cake will take about an hour to make.

Do I Have To Use Both Maple Syrup And Honey?

You do not have to use both honey and maple syrup for this recipe. You can choose to use just one for the entirety of this recipe.

I really like the combination of honey and maple syrup, though. The richness of the honey and the caramel flavor of the maple syrup is such a perfect balance. However, if you only have one on hand or don’t want to go through the trouble of using an extra ingredient, you can certainly use whichever you prefer.

Which Apples Should I Use?

Choose a firm apple type, like Fuji, Honey Crisp, or Pink Lady.

How Do You Store This Apple Cake?

Cover the cake loosely with plastic wrap or with a domed glass lid. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.

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If you love this recipe be sure to leave a review! And feel free to reach out to me with any questions or comments via my Contact page. You’ll hear back from me soon!

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Gluten Free Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 servings

Equipment

• Mandoline Slicer

Ingredients

Caramel

• 4 tbsp butter or vegan butter
• 1/4 c honey
• 1/4 c maple syrup

Cake

• 2 1/2 c almond flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp chai spice cinnamon or pumpkin spice
• Pinch of salt
• 1/4 c coconut oil melted
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 c honey
• 1/4 c maple syrup
• 2 tsp vanilla

Apples

• 1 large apple, peeled, cored and sliced thinly use a mandoline for ease!

Instructions

Caramel

• Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
• Whisk in the honey and the maple syrup. Allow it to come to a simmer and continue mixing as it bubbles, about 3-4 minutes. This will thicken the caramel.
• Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

Cake

• Preheat oven to 350 F. Line the bottom of an 8″ or 9″ round baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, baking soda, spice, and salt.
• In a separate medium bowl, mix together the coconut oil, eggs, honey, maple syrup, and vanilla.
• Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, stirring it together until it forms a batter. The batter will be thick. Set aside.
• Arrange the sliced apples in a circle along the bottom of the baking pan, overlapping them slightly.
• Pour the caramel over the apples.
• Spread the cake batter on top of the apples, covering them completely. The batter will be thick and sticky.
• Bake for about 30-35 minutes, until the cake is browned on top and the center is firm to the touch.
• Remove the cake from the oven and cool on a wrack for about 15 minutes.ire
• Invert the cake onto a serving plate, and carefully remove the baking pan. Drizzle with the remaining caramel and serve. Enjoy with ice cream!

Notes

• Choose a firm apple type for this recipe, like Fuji, Honey Crisp, or Cosmic Crisp.