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    Home » Baking & Desserts

    Upside Down Apple Molasses Cake

    Published: Sep 16, 2021 · Modified: Sep 21, 2024 by Tammy Circeo · This post may contain affiliate links · 4 Comments

    Yum
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    If you could put a season into a cake, this Upside Down Apple Molasses Cake would epitomize Autumn! There's apples, of course, flavored with molasses, fresh ginger, cinnamon ... doesn't that make you want to put on a cozy sweater and go on a hay ride?

    Upside Down Apple Molasses Cake on a vintage plate

    A one-bowl cake

    The liquid ingredients are milk, sour cream, egg, and molasses. You could use a lighter colored molasses for a lighter cake, but I like to use organic unsulfured molasses. It's so delicious! Use a large bowl to whisk the liquid ingredients together along with the sugar.

    Wet ingredients plus the sugar

    The cake itself is easily made by hand in one bowl. Measure out the dry ingredients, then add them to the liquid by hand. That Danish dough whisk comes in quite handy for this task!

    Dry ingredients for Upside Down Apple Molasses Cake
    Mix the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients

    What apples should be used for Upside Down Apple Molasses Cake?

    I like to use a a sturdy, crisp apple that is still sweet ... like a Pink Lady Apple or a Braeburn. They hold their shape really well and are absolutely tasty.

    Cutting the apples to make them fit in the bottom of the cake

    How to prepare the apples

    Peel the apples, cut them into quarters, and remove the core. Melt some butter in the skillet, then add ¼ cup of the sugar to it. Cook it until the sugar begins to caramelize, then add the apples, turning them to coat them in the butter and sugar. Cook for about 3 minutes on each side. Be careful of the heat because the sugar can burn quickly!

    Cooked apples in a cast iron skillet

    Pour the batter over the apples, and bake the cake for 30-40 minutes. Your house will smell amazing!

    Final baked cake in the skillet

    How to serve Upside Down Apple Molasses Cake

    This type of cake just begs for ice cream or whipped cream! The richness of the molasses and ginger tastes so good with some cream.

    Upside Down Apple Molasses Cake with Whipped Cream

    Recipe

    Upside Down Apple Molasses Cake on a vintage plate

    Upside Down Apple Molasses Cake

    Tammy Circeo
    If you could put a season into a cake, this Upside Down Apple Molasses Cake would epitomize Autumn! There's apples, of course, flavored with molasses, fresh ginger, cinnamon ... doesn't that make you want to put on a cozy sweater and go on a hay ride?
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time 40 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 8 slices

    Ingredients
      

    • 5 Tablespoons butter
    • 1¾ cups all-purpose flour you can use a gluten-free 1:1 flour blend
    • 1½ teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • ¾ teaspoon baking soda
    • ½ teaspoon baking powder
    • ¾ cup organic, unsulphured molasses
    • 1 large egg
    • 2 teaspoons grated and peeled ginger
    • ½ cup sugar divided
    • ⅓ cup sour cream
    • ¼ cup whole milk
    • 3-4 crisp apples, peeled, cored, and cut in quarters I like Pink Lady or Braeburn
    • Ice cream or whipped cream for serving

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 350°F.
    • Melt butter in a 10-inch cast-iron or other oven-proof skillet; set aside.
    • Whisk flour, salt, cinnamon, baking soda, and baking powder in a medium bowl.
    • Whisk molasses, egg, ginger, and ¼ cup sugar in a large bowl, whisk in sour cream, then milk. Gradually whisk in dry ingredients, then 3 Tablespoons of melted butter from the skillet. Set aside.
    • Add the remaining ¼ cup of sugar to the butter that's left in the skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until the sugar begins to caramelize, 2-3 minutes. Do not stir, but swirl the butter and sugar around in the pan to get it to melt and start turning color. Add the apples and turn to coat them with the sugar and butter. Cook on the rounded side for about 3 minutes adjusting the heat as needed to keep the sugar from getting too brown. Turn the apples over and cook the sides until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes longer. Space the apples evenly in the skillet and pour the cake batter over.
    • Put the skillet in the oven. Bake until a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs on it, 30-40 minutes.
    • Cool the cake in the skillet for 10 minutes, then carefully invert onto a plate. Serve the cake warm or at room temperature.
    • Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.
    Keyword apple cake, upside down apple molasses cake, upside down cake
    Yum

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    About Tammy Circeo

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Judy Hinkelman

      September 21, 2024 at 9:50 am

      Your recipe looks delicious.
      I don't see how much butter to use in the written recipe.

      Reply
      • Tammy Circeo

        September 21, 2024 at 3:03 pm

        Oh my ... thank you for bringing that to my attention! It's 5 Tablespoons and I've edited the recipe card. Sorry about that!

        Reply
    2. susan

      September 22, 2022 at 5:12 am

      Looks DELISHOUS!

      Reply
      • Tammy Circeo

        September 29, 2022 at 1:37 pm

        Thank you so much!

        Reply

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    I have always loved nurturing and feeding people. My cooking style is influenced by my Southern parents, time living in Europe, and the foods available in the Pacific Northwest, where I lived for over 20 years. I cook from scratch and strongly support local farms and producers, believing that food plays a pivotal role in our quality of life.

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