You must try this apple upside down cake! It’s a fall rendition of a classic cake recipe, blending soft and spiced vanilla cake with a topping of gooey caramelized apples. Perfect for the autumn season, and I’m excited to make it again for the holidays!
This fall dessert follows the same technique as a traditional pineapple upside down cake, but with a layer of buttery caramel apples instead. If you enjoy the flavors in this recipe, also give my apple dump cake a try!

I am delighted with the outcome of this apple upside down cake. I’ve been wanting to put a seasonal twist on the classic pineapple upside down cake for a while, and now it’s here! After getting a bag of orchard apples, I decided to swap the pineapple for a buttery caramel apple layer in this retro cake recipe. I’m so pleased I did. This is one of those simple fall desserts that I’ll be making from now through the holidays, along with apple cider cookies and caramel apple pie bars!
Why You’ll Love This Apple Upside Down Cake
- Perfect for fall. I love making this cake after apple picking or whenever I can get fresh fall apples. It smells amazing while baking and is one of my favorite cozy, home-style desserts for a chilly day.
- Ooey-gooey caramel. The topping combines thinly sliced apples with homemade caramel sauce, and it pairs perfectly with the flavors in the cake layer. Each bite has the ideal balance of sweet caramel apples and soft, tender, vanilla-scented cake.
- Easy to make. Even if you’ve never made an upside down cake before, the method is super simple. Just layer in your sweet and spiced apples, pour over the batter, and bake. I also share some easy tips for removing this cake from the pan.