Crunchy Upside-Down Apple Coffee Cake

Waking Up with James T. and Crunchy Upside-Down Apple Coffee Cake

Hey there, fellow early risers! It’s 4:15 in the morning, and I’m wide awake, all thanks to my new puppy, James T. Yes, he’s got me on a brand new schedule! But fear not, I’ve got my trusty coffee by my side, and I’ve found just the perfect munchies to kick off this early morning adventure.

Picture this: a slightly chaotic masterpiece, a spiced apple coffee cake, flipped upside-down for good measure. It’s the ultimate lifesaver for those crack-of-dawn wake-ups. You start with a pan full of sliced apples, layer on some applesauce cake batter (because why not?), and then generously sprinkle on a cinnamon cocoa sugar filling. Let me tell you, that filling is the bomb—it’s what makes this cake so irresistible.

Now, fair warning: this cake can get a tad messy. But hey, who cares what it looks like when it tastes like pure magic at 4:15 in the morning, am I right? Since James T. made his grand entrance on New Year’s Day, I’ve whipped up this cake about five times, and each time, it’s been a delicious, delightful, and slightly disorderly masterpiece.

Oh, and here’s a pro tip: if the apples are looking anything less than stellar when you flip the cake out of the pan, just sprinkle on some extra cinnamon brown sugar and pop it under the broiler for a minute. Trust me, it’s absolute perfection.

So grab a mug of your favorite brew, cozy up with your furry alarm clock, and get ready to dive into this moist apple spice cake, layered with cinnamon-infused chocolate, and topped with tender apples and a crunchy streusel. It’s the homemade goodness you need for breakfast or dessert, crafted with love and suited for any time of day. And hey, feel free to make this recipe your own by adding more spice or switching out the apples with ripe pears or juicy peaches.

Let’s start this day right, with a cake that’s as charmingly disorderly as those early morning wake-up calls from James T. Cheers to chaotic deliciousness!

Robin Ward

Crunchy Upside-Down Apple Coffee Cake

Enjoy this comforting appley, gooey cake, deliciously layered with cinnamon-infused chocolate, and topped with tender apples and a crunchy streusel, all accentuated by the rich depth of walnuts. This homemade delight offers a delectable option for breakfast or dessert, crafted with love and suited for any time of day.

Print Recipe

Prep Time 40 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 Tbsp butter to grease the pan
• 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp cinnamon, divided (½ tsp for cake batter) (divided amongst the layers)
• ¾ tsp ground cloves
• ¼ tsp ground ginger (or 1½ Tbsp. fresh grated)
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 3/4 cup brown sugar (plus more for the layers)
• ½ cup cooking oil (I used vegetable oil, any neutral oil is fine)
• 2 medium apples (I used Gala)
• ½ juiced lemon (1 Tbs)

Filling

• ½ cup brown sugar
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 3 tsp cocoa powder

Topping/Crunchy Bottom

• 2 Tbsp Muscovado dark brown sugar (Used for high molasses content and is the best tasting brown sugar. You can substitute with dark brown sugar)
• ¼ tsp cinnamon
• 1 Tbsp Turbinado sugar

Equipment

• 1 9X9 square baking pan

Method

 

1. Preheat oven to 350℉. Butter and flour a 9" square baking pan. (You can try lining the pan with parchment paper for easier flipping and less mess. Let me know how it goes if you give it a shot!)
2. Peel, core, and slice apples into ¼ inch thick slices, avoiding slicing too thin to maintain distinct slices rather than applesauce.
3. Juice half a lemon and toss the sliced apples in a bowl with the lemon juice. Set aside. (Option to add 1/4 tsp. cinnamon to the apples if you want a stronger cinnamon presence in the cake)
4. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, ginger, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, cloves, walnuts, and salt, stirring until well mixed.
5. In a medium-sized bowl, mix together applesauce, brown sugar, and cooking oil. Combine the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients and stir thoroughly.
6. Prepare the filling by combining brown sugar, cinnamon, and cocoa powder in a medium bowl.
7. Arrange the apples decoratively on the bottom of the pan, covering the entire surface. Feel free to get creative with your pattern!
8. Gently spread half of the batter into the pan, smoothing it out as best as you can while being careful not to disturb the apples. This should amount to approximately one to one and a half cups of batter.
9. Evenly sprinkle the cinnamon, cocoa, and sugar filling over the top to cover the surface.
10. Spread the remaining half of the batter over the filling, smoothing it out carefully to avoid disturbing the filling too much. It's okay if some of the filling is showing; that will become very crunchy. Connect the dollops across the top and smooth them out. If the batter is too thick, you can add a teaspoon of oil to thin it out.
11. Top with a sprinkling of Muscovado dark brown sugar, cinnamon, and Turbinado sugar for added crunchiness and flavor. (Feel free to experiment with adding more Muscovado sugar throughout the recipe.)
12. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
13. Invert the cake onto a parchment-lined baking sheet so that the apples are now on top. Replace any loose apple slices. Sprinkle another tablespoon of brown sugar and a quarter teaspoon of cinnamon over the top of the cake, then place it under the broiler for 1-2 minutes, or until the brown sugar melts onto the apples.
14. Serve with coffee for breakfast. For a dessert, this cake pairs beautifully with dessert wines.

Notes

• Start your day off right by paring this cake with your favorite robust morning coffee.
• When it comes to dessert time, it pairs nicely with Riesling, Moscato, Port, or Sherry.
• For a truly unforgettable twist to a dinner occasion, consider serving with Japanese plum wine (Umeshu) or English mead, offering a delightful fruity or honeyed notes that perfectly complement the cake. 

Let me know If you enjoyed this recipe, it would mean the world to me if you shared it with a friend, liked it on YouTube, posted it to your Instagram story, or even just tapped the “Like” button at the bottom of this page. Word of mouth is what helps RobinandWillow grow, and I really appreciate each and every one of you ◡̈ I hope you have a great rest of your week!

This recipe was inspired and adapted from several recipes sources including: Challenger Breadware, Pinch Me, I’m Eating!