Best Ever Apple Upside Down Cake with Buttermilk and Chai Spice
This is going to become your go to snacking cake. It gets easier and easier to make each time, too. I know you probably hear their cake is the “best ever” from a lot from people when they bake a cake, but this cake is good, y’all. The chai spice adds a spicy warmth; the brown sugar butter mixture seeps into the cake, making it incredibly moist and caramely; and the buttermilk makes it extra fluffy. You will be hard pressed to find someone who doesn’t end up absolutely loving this cake; that’s a promise.
Serves8
Cooking Time45 min
Ingredients
- Topping
- 1/2 cup (114 g) unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup (113 g) dark brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon chai spice mix
- 2 apples, peeled, cored and sliced thinly (see Notes)
- Cake Batter
- 1 1/3 cup (167 g) all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon chai spice mix
- 6 tablespoon (85 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (56 g) dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup (160 ml) buttermilk
Instructions:
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Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). You will need an ungreased 9-inch (23-cm) round cake pan or pie pan for this cake.
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Make the topping: In a medium-sized saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the brown sugar and mix until well combined. Remove from the heat, add the vanilla and chai spice, then pour the mixture into the bottom of your cake pan. Arrange your apple slices in the pan in a circular pattern, starting on the outside and working your way in. Make sure they are close together so there is apple in every bite! Place the cake pan in the fridge to set the caramel apple topping while you make the cake batter.
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Make the cake batter: In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and chai spice, then set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or a large bowl, using a hand mixer, beat the butter until fluffy, about 1 minute. Add the granulated and brown sugars and beat until fluffy and light in color, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Scrape down the sides and continue to mix for another minute or so.
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Next, you are going to add one-third of your flour mixture, followed by 1⁄3 cup (80 ml) of the buttermilk. Repeat with half of the remaining flour mixture and the remaining 1⁄3 cup of buttermilk, then finish it with the remaining flour mixture, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl every so often to make sure everything is incorporated. Take the cake pan out of the fridge and pour the cake batter evenly over the topping.
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Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 40 to 45 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow it to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Then, run a knife around the edge of the cake and carefully flip it over onto another wire rack. Let cool for another 20 to 30 minutes, or until cool enough to eat.
Notes:
You can switch up the fruit you use, but I think apple is the best!