Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake

Caramel made from coconut sugar and butter coats fresh apple slices as they bake underneath a warm cinnamon spiced cake batter. The caramel apple topping is revealed when you flip this cake over while it’s still hot for a fun presentation!

I love using coconut sugar because it has a caramel flavor and it’s an unrefined sugar than scores way lower on the glycemic index than cane sugar. As someone with insulin resistance, it is important for me to avoid spiking my blood sugar. Making simple swaps replacing higher GI ingredients with lower ones can help manage this.

Ingredients for caramel apple topping:

• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter

• 1/4 cup coconut sugar

• 2 large apples

Ingredients for the gluten-free cinnamon cake:

• 8 Tbsp unsalted butter

• 1/2 cup coconut sugar

• 1/4 cup real maple syrup

• 3 large eggs

• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 cup almond flour

• 1 cup oat flour

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 1/2 tsp pink Himalayan salt

Coconut Sugar Caramel Apples:

• Peel your apples and cut around the core.

• Slice your apple segments into thin slices.

• Melt butter with the 1/4 cup coconut sugar in a cast iron pan on very low heat. you do not want to burn the sugar.

• Once butter is melted and coconut sugar is fully dissolved into the butter to make a caramel consistency, turn off the heat.

• Arrange your apple slices onto of the caramel in a spiral pattern, or any pattern you want.

Cinnamon cake method:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.

• In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and coconut sugar.

• In a medium bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients, set aside.

• Add one egg at a time while mixer is running on low speed, waiting to add the next egg until the first one is fully incorporated.

• Add in the maple syrup and vanilla extract and mix on low until incorporated.

• Turn off the mixer, add in your dry ingredients, and turn your mixer on the lowest setting to avoid whipping dry ingredient all over your kitchen.

• Mix the ingredients until it looks like cake batter.

• Carefully spoon batter on top of the arranged apples.

• Gently spread the batter over the apples using an off-set spatula. Be careful not to move the apples underneath.

• Place cast iron pan in the oven for about 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake portion comes out clean. Be careful not to stick the toothpick into the cake too far to avoid hitting the caramel on the bottom.

• Take the cake out of the oven and place a cake stand or platter over the cake and carefully flip the pan over onto the cake stand or platter to reveal the apple display you made!

• Let the cake cool before slicing.

• Bring this cake with you for the Holidays and serve with vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream.

Enjoy!