This apple cider upside down mini cake is a fall baking must! This spiced 6-inch cake is moist, tender, and bursting with apple-forward flavor from sparkling cider and applesauce. Topped with tastefully arranged apple slices coated in buttery caramel, every bite of this upside down cake is packed with delightful fall flavors!
Apple Cider Upside Down Mini cake
Moist cake, warm fall spices, apple on apple on apple flavor, and buttery caramel are all the words I use to describe this small batch fall cake. This delightful little cake merges a perfectly tender apple cider cake with the buttery goodness of an apple upside down cake. Basically, think of this dessert like 2 cakes in one!
And just because it is fall, not everything has to be pumpkin! I have several small batch apple desserts that can easily compete with one of fall’s favorite flavors! Like my caramel apple small batch banana bread, or the small batch of apple brown sugar hand pies. And for my gluten free friends, try my apple spice gluten free mini bread!
Originally published in 2019, this apple cider upside down mini cake has received a makeover! The recipe has been refined, and the post includes updated photography, step-by-step photos and baking tips, and helpful FAQs.
Why You’ll Love This Fall Cake
- The cake is moist, tender, and yet sturdy enough to hold caramelized apples.
- There is a bushel of apple flavor in the cake (see what I did there?! 😅). The cake has a beautiful caramel apple layer on top, but it is also infused with sparkling apple cider and applesauce.
- It is a delicious way to highlight the other popular fall favorite – apple.
- The small batch cake is versatile and if you need a larger cake for a crowd, double the recipe!
- Easy to make with easy ingredients. In fact, you may already have all the ingredients in your fridge and pantry!
Cake Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour – If you want to try a gluten free version, swap the pineapple layer for the apple layer in my mini gluten free pineapple upside down cake.
- Granulated Sugar – I prefer organic cane sugar because it has a deep flavor and is not as refined – which is why the sugar in my photo is darker. However, regular granulated white sugar will work.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda – There is a lot of moisture in the cake we want to ensure it will rise, which is why I use both baking powder and soda.
- Salt – Salt is a must to balance and enhance all the flavors in the cake.
- Butter – I prefer unsalted butter since we add salt. The butter should be room temperature, but not too warm.
- Cinnamon and Allspice – Cozy fall flavors for a tasty fall cake!
- Sparkling Apple Cider – The sparkling apple cider adds flavor and lift to the cake. The carbonation works with the leaveners to produce a soft and lofty cake. Plus, it makes a wonderful sparkling apple cider pudding parfait if you want another recipe to use up the bottle!
- Applesauce – I recommend unsweetened applesauce since there is already a bit of sweetness in the cake.
- Egg – The egg provides fat which yields a soft texture in the cake.
- Vanilla – For a little extra flavor!
Upside Down Topping
- Apple – Since this is a small 6-inch upside down cake, we only need 1 apple. Use a firm apple, like Honeycrisp (which is what I use), Fuji, Granny Smith, or Pink Lady. The firm apple will retain a firm texture when baked.
- Brown Sugar – Light or dark will work to make the caramel for the upside down topping.
- Maple Syrup – The maple syrup combines with the brown sugar to make the caramel. Plus, it adds a rich buttery flavor.
- Butter – The butter will make the caramel rich and smooth.
- Cinnamon – For a little more flavor in the upside down caramel apples.
How To Make Apple Cider Upside Down Cake
- Step 1. – Make the caramel sauce first. Add the brown sugar, maple syrup, butter, and cinnamon to a small saucepan and heat until thick.
- Step 2. – Pour the caramel into the cake pan and arrange the apple slices. Cut the apples between 1/4 and 1/8 inch thick so they are easy to slice when baked.
Tip! Try my homemade apple cider caramel sauce instead for an apple-strong flavor in the upside down cake topping!
Step 3. – Add the dry ingredients – along with the butter – to the mixing bowl. This is called the reverse-creaming method. Butter coats the flour which minimizes the development of gluten, which yields a soft cake. My favorite part – it is a faster and easier way to make a cake!
Step 4. – Mix the ingredients until you have a sandy texture. A few larger bits of butter are ok.
Tip! To use your stand mixer, I recommend a smaller 3-quart mixing bowl (linked in the recipe card). This will make mixing the small batch batter more effective. And, the smaller bowl works with the standard-size attachments!
- Step 5. – Mix the liquid ingredients, then add to the dry ingredients. Mix until no dry streaks remain in the batter.
- Step 6. – Pour the batter over the apple layer in the cake pan. Spread out evenly with a spatula.
Tip! One less bowl to clean! Measure out the sparking cider in a liquid measuring cup. Then add the remaining wet ingredients, and mix right there in the measuring cup!
- Step 7. – Bake the cake for about 32 minutes. Or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out mostly clean.
- Step 8. – Trim off the domed cake top. If your cake has a taller dome, you can trim off the excess with a serrated knife. This way, the cake will sit flat when it is inverted.
- Step 9. – Let the cake cool for a few minutes before turning it upside down. The cake should still be warm, but cool enough to handle to flip it over onto your serving platter.
Recipe FAQ
I like to cut mine 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. This way they are thick enough to keep their texture when baked, yet aren’t too thick they are hard to cut into slices.
Before baking, grease the pan after you have lined it with parchment – this provides a slick surface to release the cake. Additionally, flip the baked cake onto your serving platter while it is still warm. This way the caramel and apples won’t cool and stick to the pan.
Yes! It’s an easy 1:1 swap.
More Small Cakes For Fall
Apple Cider Upside Down Mini Cake
INGREDIENTS
Caramel Apple Layer
- 1 large apple, cored and thinly sliced (firm apple like Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, or Fugi)
- 1 tablespoon (14 g) unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons (29.57 ml) pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons (24 g) brown sugar, light or dark
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Mini Apple Cider Cake
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup, plus 1 tablespoon (93.75 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 3 tablespoons (42 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/3 cup (78.86 ml) sparkling apple cider, room temperature (or flat apple cider)
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 3 tablespoons (45 g) unsweetened applesauce
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350F degrees and adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Line a 6-inch round cake pan with a piece of parchment paper. Lightly grease the pan.
Caramel Apple Layer
- Cut the apple into thinner slices (1/8 to 1/4 inch thick). I don't peel the apple because the skin adds texture, but you can peel if you prefer.1 large apple, cored and thinly sliced
- In a small saucepan, add the butter, maple syrup, and brown sugar. Heat over medium-low heat until the sugar has melted and the mix thickens into a loose caramel. This will only take about 3 minutes. Do not overheat, or the caramel will get too hard. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cinnamon.1 tablespoon unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, light or dark, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pour the caramel into the prepared cake pan and smooth out to the edges with a spatula. Arrange the apple slices in a circle (or any pattern you prefer) on top of the caramel. Set aside.
Mini Apple Cider Cake
- In the work bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the sugar, flour, baking powder and soda, salt, cinnamon, and allspice. Mix a couple of times to combine. Note – If using a stand mixer, I recommend the 3-quart mixing bowl (link above) for the small batch batter. Otherwise, you can use a hand mixer and a medium mixing bowl.1/3 cup granulated sugar, 3/4 cup, plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- Add the butter cubes to the dry ingredients. Mix on medium-high speed until the butter is broken up and the mix resembles coarse sand.3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- In a liquid measuring cup, measure the apple cider then add the egg, applesauce, and vanilla. Whisk to combine.1/3 cup sparkling apple cider, room temperature, 1 large egg, room temperature, 3 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Turn the mixer on low speed. Slowly drizzle the wet ingredients into the dry until incorporated and no dry streaks remain. It is ok if the batter is a little lumpy.
- Pour the batter over the top of the apples in the cake pan and smooth out to the edges with a spatula.
- Bake the cake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out mostly clean.
- Cool the cake in the pan set on a wire cooling rack for about 10 minutes – we want the cake to still be warm, but easy to handle, when we invert it onto the serving platter. If the top of the cake has domed a lot, run a serrated knife around the top to flatten it out (pictured in post).
- To remove the cake from the pan, run a knife or offset spatula around the edge of the cake to release it from the pan. Carefully invert the cake onto a serving platter. If the parchment stuck to the apples, carefully remove and rearrange any apples that may have moved. The cake can be served slightly warm or at room temperature.
- The cake can be covered and kept at room temperature for 1 day. After that, cover and refrigerate, and bring to room temperature to serve.
RECIPE NOTES
- Serving Size – This is a small batch cake recipe that can be doubled. Use a 9-inch cake pan and increase the bake time by 8 to 12 minutes.
- Yield – The small 6-inch cake will yield 4 to 6 slices.
- Apple Type – Use a firm apple to retain texture when baked – like a Honeycrisp (what I use), Granny Smith, Pink Lady, or Fuji Apple.
- Apple Cider – The cider – sparkling or flat – does not need to be reduced for this recipe. If you want a punch of apple cider flavor, you can reduce 1 cup of apple cider down to 1/3 cup.
- Inverting An Upside Down Cake – The cake should still be warm so the apples and caramel release easily from the pan. Otherwise, if the cake has cooled too much, the caramel may stick the cake to the pan.
- Storage – The cake can sit covered at room temperature for 1 day. After that, cover and refrigerate it for 3 days. To freeze, cut the cake into slices and wrap individually in plastic wrap – this will keep the apple slice arrangement intact. Place the wrapped slices in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature to serve.
NUTRITION ESTIMATES
about the author ...
I'm Erin and I'm all about desserts - and a little bit of butter!
I've tested, written, and photographed hundreds of recipes on my website. Here you'll find the tastiest small batch desserts - all homemade, all simple, and all for you! Click here to learn more about me!