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Sourdough apple cider upside-down cake on a platter with apples, cinnamon, and a jar of cider

Sourdough Apple Cider Upside-Down Cake

Posted on September 28, 2022September 29, 2022 by sourdoughbrandon

This post may contain affiliate links for products and ingredients I use and recommend. For more information, see my affiliate disclosures.

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Table Of Contents
  1. Tips for Making Sourdough Apple Cider Upside-Down Cake
    • 1. Use Cake Flour
    • 2. Don't Overmix the Cake Batter
    • 3. Let the Topping Set in the Refrigerator Before Baking
    • 4. Use Neutral Oil
    • 5. Use Baking Apples
  2. What is Boiled Apple Cider?
    • How to Make Boiled Apple Cider
    • How to Use Boiled Apple Cider
  3. 🛠 Tools Needed for Sourdough Apple Cider Upside-Down Cake
  4. 🛒 Ingredients Needed for Sourdough Apple Cider Upside-Down Cake
  5. 👨‍🍳 How to Make Sourdough Apple Cider Upside-Down Cake
    • 1. Prepare Cake Pan
    • 2. Slice Apples and Make Apple Cider Caramel Topping
    • 3. Preheat Oven and Mix Dry Ingredients
    • 4. Mix Wet Ingredients
    • 5. Mix Cake Batter
    • 6. Bake
  6. How to Serve Sourdough Apple Cider Upside-Down Cake
  7. How to Store Sourdough Apple Cider Upside-Down Cake
  8. Sourdough Apple Cider Upside-Down Cake FAQs:
    • What Questions Do You Have About Sourdough Apple Cider Upside Down Cake?
  9. Sourdough Apple Cider Upside-Down Cake
  10. Other Recipes You Might Like:

Boiled apple cider caramelizes the top of this sourdough apple cider upside-down cake to create a decadent, spice cake dripping in gooey caramel apple goodness.

I love upside-down cakes because they’re so easy to make yet dramatic! Suspense builds as you turn the cake upside-down for the ultimate reveal- a geometric fruit design dripping in hot, caramelized sugar.

Boiled apple cider in the topping accentuates the brightness of apples in this sourdough apple cake. A bit of optional red miso in the topping transforms the sweet topping, making it reminiscent of salted caramel apples. The miso contributes some umami, or savoriness, to the acidic apple cider topping.

👉 Be sure to check out more of my sourdough discard recipes and a few more of my favorite fall recipes, including my Sourdough Apple Butter Muffins, Sourdough Pumpkin Waffles, and Sourdough Pretzels.

Close up of apple cider upside-down cake topping caramelized

Tips for Making Sourdough Apple Cider Upside-Down Cake

1. Use Cake Flour

  • Cake flour has a low protein content, resulting in less gluten development. Less gluten development leads to a more tender and soft cake.
  • If you don’t have cake flour, you can substitute it with an equal amount of all-purpose flour and add two tablespoons of cornstarch for each cup of flour (120 grams).

2. Don’t Overmix the Cake Batter

  • A tender cake is made by not overmixing the batter. Overmixing results in gluten development, which is suitable for bread, but not for pastries, cakes, or muffins. For another tender cake, I use the reverse-creaming method in this Sourdough Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt Cake.
  • Therefore, only mix the cake batter until the wet and dry ingredients are just incorporated.

3. Let the Topping Set in the Refrigerator Before Baking

  • Allow the boiled apple cider caramel topping and sliced apples to set in the refrigerator while you preheat the oven and make the cake batter.
  • A set topping will keep the geometric shape of your apples when you pour in your cake batter. Otherwise, the apples can shift and you will not get as nice of a design.

4. Use Neutral Oil

  • Buttermilk and sourdough discard add moisture to the cake batter, but neutral oil is the key to a soft and moist upside-down cake.
  • Upside-down cakes have a tendency to be denser than typical cakes because the hot topping weighs down the crumb structure.
  • Additionally, neutral oil like canola or vegetable oil keeps an upside-down cake moist for days and helps the cake rise higher than one made with butter.

5. Use Baking Apples

  • Red Delicious apples don’t have much flavor, can be mealy, and get mushy when baked. In contrast, use tart, hard-fleshed baking apples for the best muffins or other baked goods. They will still keep some of their texture and tartness when baked.
  • For instance, Granny Smith, Pink Lady, Braeburn, or Honeycrisp are solid options for this topping. I also like using these apples to make homemade apple butter for canning as well!

What is Boiled Apple Cider?

Boiled apple cider, or apple cider syrup, is concentrated apple cider that has a thick honey or caramel consistency.

In this apple cider cake, boiled apple cider creates a caramel topping. The apple cider topping is intensely apple-y and highlights the natural sweetness and acidity in apples with no added sugar. The resulting cake tastes like a caramel apple upside-down cake!

Boiled apple cider in mason jar
Boiled apple cider

How to Make Boiled Apple Cider

You can purchase boiled apple cider, but making it couldn’t be easier.

It takes a few hours to make, so I suggest making the boiled apple cider ahead of time (it stores indefinitely).

Boiled Apple Cider Instructions

  1. Pour a half gallon of apple cider into a large pot.
  2. Boil and simmer the cider for about 3 hours or more until the cider is reduced to one cup. The cider will get darker as it reduces like caramel.
  3. Stir the cider regularly to prevent burning, especially as it nears the end.
  4. When done, pour the hot cider into a glass jar and cool. The cider will thicken as it cools.
  5. Refrigerate the boiled apple cider. It will keep indefinitely in the refrigerator.

Yield: Boil apple cider to ⅛ of the starting amount. For example, one gallon of apple cider will make about 2 cups of boiled apple cider.

Boiling apple cider in a saucepan
Boiling apple cider in a saucepan

How to Use Boiled Apple Cider

Boiled apple cider has become a new favorite pantry staple for me. It’s a simple addition that intensifies apple flavor in any dessert.

Here are a few ways to use boiled apple cider:

  • Add a couple of tablespoons of boiled apple cider to apple pie filling for extra flavor.
  • Pour the cider as a syrup onto sourdough buckwheat pancakes or sourdough pumpkin pancakes, sourdough cottage cheese protein pancakes, or these Sourdough Pumpkin Waffles.
  • Substitute simple syrup in a cocktail recipe with boiled apple cider. It’s excellent in Old Fashioned’s or other bourbon drinks.
Boiled apple cider in a measuring cup
Boiled apple cider

🛠 Tools Needed for Sourdough Apple Cider Upside-Down Cake

Click on the toggles below for more information, recommendations, and possible substitutes.

9″ Cake Pan

This sourdough apple cider upside-down cake is made for a 9″ cake pan. If making in a smaller pan, you should only fill the batter up ¾ of the way so it doesn’t overflow.

Baking Scale

I always list ingredients by weight in grams because it is the most accurate way to measure baking ingredients. Use a scale, and your baking will immediately be better!

I love my Escali baking scale and use it every day. The batteries last a long time, the scale is accurate, and it comes in many colors.

Handheld Mixer or Stand Mixer (optional)

You can use a handheld mixer or stand mixer for this cake. Otherwise, you can whisk and mix the cake by hand!

9 inch cake pan line with parchment paper
9″ cake pan lined with parchment paper

🛒 Ingredients Needed for Sourdough Apple Cider Upside-Down Cake

Click on the toggles below for more information, recommendations, and possible substitutes.

Boiled Apple Cider

For the best flavor, I highly recommend finding apple cider from a local orchard or farmer’s market. It’s unbeatable!

To clarify, this is non-alcoholic apple cider, as opposed to hard or alcoholic cider.

Follow my instructions above to make your own boiled apple cider! You can also purchase it here.

Furthermore, be sure not to accidentally use apple cider vinegar.

Red Miso (optional)

Red miso is fermented soybeans and other grains typically found in savory Japanese recipes.

The red miso here adds a bit of savoriness, or umami, to the cake and is reminiscent of salted caramel in this upside-down topping.

I really like Miso Master’s organic red miso that’s made in the U.S. and can sometimes be found in the refrigerated sections of co-ops and well-stocked grocery stores. You can also get excellent miso from Japanese markets.

Apples

Use tart, hard-fleshed baking apples in this recipe. Granny Smith, Braeburn, Pink Lady, and Honeycrisp are good easily found options.

Cake Flour

As mentioned in the tips section, cake flour keeps the cake tender and moist. Use all-purpose flour if you don’t have cake flour.

To make your own version of cake flour, add a couple of tablespoons of cornstarch per cup (120 grams) of all-purpose flour.

Sourdough Starter (unfed or discard)

For this apple upside-down cake recipe, you can use an active sourdough starter or unfed sourdough discard. The sourdough is not leavening in this recipe.

Learn How to Make a Sourdough Starter and make a stronger sourdough starter with my top sourdough starter tips. View other sourdough discard recipes here.

Spices

I use ground cinnamon, ginger, and cloves in this spiced cake recipe.

If you don’t have one of the other spices, skip it. Moreover, apple pie spice is a suitable substitute, or you could add some cardamom or allspice.

Neutral Oil

A neutral oil like vegetable oil, grapeseed, or canola oil will keep your cake moist, tender, and rise higher.

If you’re out of oil, use an equal amount of softened unsalted butter.

  • Vanilla Extract
  • Unsalted butter
  • Baking Powder
  • Baking Soda
  • Sea Salt
  • Dark Brown Sugar
  • 2 Eggs
  • Buttermilk
Ingredients for apple cider topping including boiled apple cider, vanilla extract, apples, butter, and red miso
Ingredients needed for apple cider caramel topping
Dry ingredients needed for sourdough apple cider cake including cake flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and spices
Dry ingredients
Wet ingredients including vanilla extract, oil, eggs, sourdough discard, brown sugar, and buttermilk
Wet ingredients

👨‍🍳 How to Make Sourdough Apple Cider Upside-Down Cake

Follow this visual and detailed guide to help you make the best Sourdough Apple Cider Upside-Down Cake.

1. Prepare Cake Pan

Butter or spray a 9″x2″ cake pan with non-stick spray.

Trace and cut out a circle of parchment paper and place it in the bottom of the pan.

2. Slice Apples and Make Apple Cider Caramel Topping

Slice 2 medium apples about ¼ inch thick and arrange the slices in a geometric design in your cake pan.

It’s okay if some of the slices overlap, but I typically try to fit them all in one layer.

Snack on any extra slices!

Geometric apples in cake pan

In a small saucepan over medium heat, add the following ingredients:

  • ½ cup (150 grams) of boiled apple cider
  • 3 TBS (43 grams) of unsalted butter
  • 2 teaspoons of red miso (optional)
  • ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract.

Stir the topping until the butter melts, the red miso is dissolved, and the cider starts to bubble rapidly- about 5 minutes.

Slowly drizzle all of the hot apple cider caramel directly onto the apples in the cake pan.

Place the pan in the refrigerator while you preheat the oven and make the cake batter so the topping will set.

Apple cider caramel topping boiling in saucepan
Boiling the apple cider caramel topping
Pouring boiled apple cider topping onto apples in cake pan
Pouring the apple cider caramel topping onto apples
Pouring apple cider topping onto apples in cake pan
Pouring the apple cider caramel onto the apples

3. Preheat Oven and Mix Dry Ingredients

Preheat the oven to 350ºF (177ºC).

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, mix the following dry ingredients:

  • 1 ½ cups (180 grams) of cake flour
  • 1 teaspoon of baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon of baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon of sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon of ground ginger
  • ⅛ teaspoon of ground cloves

Set aside.

Mixing apple cake dry ingredients
Mixing the dry ingredients

4. Mix Wet Ingredients

In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, mix the following wet ingredients:

  • ¾ cup (150 grams) of sourdough starter (unfed or discard)
  • ¾ cup (150 grams) of neutral oil
  • ½ cup (113 grams) of buttermilk
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup (213 grams) of dark brown sugar
  • 1 ½ teaspoons of vanilla extract

5. Mix Cake Batter

Dump all of the dry ingredients into the wet ingredient bowl.

Mix the batter until you see no more dry spots of flour remaining. It’s okay if some lumps remain and the batter will be quite wet.

Mixed sourdough apple cider cake batter
Cake batter

6. Bake

Remove the cake pan with the set apple topping from the refrigerator.

Slowly pour the cake batter evenly on top of the apples in the pan.

If your topping is not fully set, use a measuring cup to scoop out the batter into the pan so the apples don’t move.

Pouring cake batter onto apples in cake pan
Pouring cake batter into pan
Sourdough apple cider upside down cake batter in cake pan
Cake before baking

Bake the cake at 350ºF (177ºC) for 40-45 minutes until the top is light brown and a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Note that the bottom of the toothpick will be wet from the gooey topping.

Baked sourdough apple cider upside-down cake on a wire rack
Baked Sourdough Apple Cider Upside-Down Cake before turning over

Cool the cake on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then loosen the edges of the cake with a butter knife or offset spatula.

Place a large serving plate on top of the pan. Wearing gloves or using kitchen towels, quickly turn the pan and platter upside-down.

Gently lift up the hot cake pan and remove the parchment paper if necessary to reveal your sourdough apple cider upside-down cake!

Gooey topping on sourdough apple cider upside down cake

How to Serve Sourdough Apple Cider Upside-Down Cake

This apple upside-down cake is best served warm or at room temperature.

It’s excellent served with something creamy like whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or a dollop of mascarpone, to offset the tartness of the apples.

This cake serves 8-10 people.

Slice of sourdough apple cider upside down cake on a plate

How to Store Sourdough Apple Cider Upside-Down Cake

This apple cider cake stays moist for days! In addition, the neutral oil and sourdough discard help to preserve it longer than many cakes.

Cover the cake with a cake dome or wrapped in aluminum foil for up to 3 days at room temperature. The cake will stay moist this way, as the topping will start to soak into the cake itself.

Keeping the apple cake in the refrigerator will extend its storage time by another day or two.

Unfortunately, this upside-down cake isn’t the best cake for freezing as the apples will turn brown quickly and the cake will lose some of its texture.

Sourdough apple cider upside down cake with ice cream

Sourdough Apple Cider Upside-Down Cake FAQs:

How many slices of cake does this upside-down cake make?

This recipe makes 8-10 slices of cake depending on how big you cut each slice.

What is the best apple for apple cake?

Use tart, hard-fleshed apples in baking recipes for the best results. For example, Granny Smith, Braeburn, Pink Lady, and Honeycrisp are all solid options.

Why is my upside-down cake dense?

Upside-down cakes have a propensity to be denser than typical cakes because the heavy fruit topping affects the crumb structure of the cake.

Use cake flour and neutral oil, and don’t over-mix the cake for the best results.

Can you freeze an upside-down cake?

I don’t recommend freezing this upside-down cake because the apples can turn brown and the texture of the cake is negatively affected, especially when it is thawed.

Sourdough apple cider upside-down cake with a slice taken out

What Questions Do You Have About Sourdough Apple Cider Upside Down Cake?

Leave your questions or comments in the discussion below.


Sourdough Apple Cider Upside Down cake on a platter
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Sourdough Apple Cider Upside-Down Cake

By: Sourdough Brandon
This Sourdough Apple Cider Upside-Down Cake has a salted caramel topping made of boiled apple cider and optional red miso. The spiced cake is easy to make and stays moist for days!
Prep Time20 minutes mins
Cook Time40 minutes mins
Total Time1 hour hr
Yield or Serving: 10 slices

Equipment

  • 1 9" Cake Pan
  • 1 Mixing Bowls
  • 1 Baking Scale, optional
  • 1 Stand Mixer, optional, or use a hand mixer or mix by hand

Ingredients

Apple Cider Topping

  • 2 medium Apples, 250 grams. Use tart baking apples like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp.
  • ½ cup Boiled Apple Cider, 150 grams. See guide above for how to make your own boiled apple cider.
  • 3 TBSP Unsalted Butter, 43 grams
  • 2 tsp Red Miso, optional
  • ½ tsp Vanilla Extract

Cake

  • 1 ½ cups Cake Flour, 180 grams
  • 1 tsp Baking Powder
  • ½ tsp Baking Soda
  • ½ tsp Sea Salt
  • 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp Ground Ginger
  • ⅛ tsp Ground Cloves
  • ¾ cup Sourdough Discard, 150 grams, or active sourdough starter
  • ¾ cup Neutral Oil, 150 grams. Vegetable, canola, or grapeseed oil.
  • ½ cup Buttermilk, 113 grams
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1 cup Dark Brown Sugar, 213 grams
  • 1 ½ tsp Vanilla Extract
Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

  • Butter or spray a 9" cake pan with non-stick spray.
    Prepare the pan with a circle of parchment paper and line the bottom of the pan.
  • Slice the apples about ¼ inch thick and arrange the slices in a geometric design in the cake pan. It's okay if some overlap.
    In a small saucepan over medium heat, add the apple cider topping ingredients. Stir in the pan until it begins to bubble rapidly, about five minutes.
    Drizzle the apple cider caramel on top of the apples and place the cake pan in the refrigerator for the topping to set.
    2 medium Apples, ½ cup Boiled Apple Cider, 3 TBSP Unsalted Butter, 2 tsp Red Miso, ½ tsp Vanilla Extract
  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF (177ºC).
    In medium-sized mixing bowl, mix the dry ingredients. Set aside.
    1 ½ cups Cake Flour, 1 tsp Baking Powder, ½ tsp Baking Soda, ½ tsp Sea Salt, 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon, ¼ tsp Ground Ginger, ⅛ tsp Ground Cloves
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl with a whisk, mix the wet ingredients until incorporated.
    ¾ cup Sourdough Discard, ¾ cup Neutral Oil, ½ cup Buttermilk, 2 Eggs, 1 cup Dark Brown Sugar, 1 ½ tsp Vanilla Extract
  • Dump all of the dry ingredients into the wet ingredient bowl.
    Mix the cake batter until you see no more dry spots in the flour remaining. It's okay if some lumps remain.
  • Remove the cake pan from the refrigerator and slowly pour the cake batter on top of the apples in the pan. If your topping is not fully set, use a measuring cup to scoop out the batter into the pan.
    Bake the cake at 350ºF (177ºC) for 40-45 minutes, or until the top is lightly brown and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Note that the bottom of the toothpick will be wet from the caramel topping.
  • Cool the cake on a wire rack for 10 minutes and loosen the edges of the cake with a butter knife or offset spatula.
    Place a large serving platter on top of the pan. Wearing gloves or using kitchen towels, quickly turn the pan and platter upside-down.
    Gently lift the hot cake pan and remove the parchment paper if necessary.
    Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

•Follow my instructions to make your own boiled apple cider! It couldn’t be easier.
•Be sure to follow my Sourdough Apple Cider Upside-Down Cake Recipe Guide in my post for more detailed instructions, tips, and photos.
•The cake will keep up to 3-4 days covered at room temperature. Keep in the refrigerator for an additional day or two.
Tried this recipe?Rate the recipe above, comment, and follow/mention @sourdoughbrandon on Instagram & Facebook

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5 thoughts on “Sourdough Apple Cider Upside-Down Cake”

  1. D. Allen says:
    October 29, 2024 at 1:07 am

    5 stars
    My friend baked this for me yesterday and wow, it was magically delicious! The miso apple cider caramel is so special, and combines perfectly with the sliced apples and spiced batter. A really complex flavor profile! Thanks for making my birthday a special one.

    Reply
  2. Ann says:
    November 14, 2023 at 7:26 pm

    5 stars
    Can I freeze the cake after baked?

    Reply
    1. sourdoughbrandon says:
      November 14, 2023 at 8:17 pm

      Hi Ann, yes. Invert it, let it cool completely, wrap it up and freeze it!

      Reply
  3. Tyler says:
    October 10, 2022 at 6:01 pm

    5 stars
    The boiled apple cider and sourdough starter really set this cake apart from other apple spice cakes. When the cake is inverted after baking the apple cider drips down making the whole cake taste like Fall. The cake batter itself resembles many other spice cakes with its use of cinnamon, ginger, and clove. However, the addition of sourdough starter gives the cake a unique complexity. The tang from the sourdough balances out the sweetness of the apples and the cider perfectly! This recipe will definitely become a Fall favorite in my house.

    Reply
    1. sourdoughbrandon says:
      October 10, 2022 at 6:26 pm

      Appreciate it, Tyler! It’s definitely a favorite in my home too.

      Reply

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Home » Recipes » Sourdough Discard » Sourdough Apple Cider Upside-Down Cake

ABOUT BRANDON

Picture of Brandon with Sourdough

I am a home baker and sourdough recipe developer and educator living in the hills of rural Massachusetts.

I hope to bring my passion for sourdough baking to you with detailed sourdough bread and sourdough discard recipes to you and your family.


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  • Stack of sourdough buttermilk pancakes on a plate with maple syrup with a large container of homemade sourdough pancake mix in the background with a flour scoop.
    Sourdough Buttermilk Pancake Mix [and Sourdough Pancakes]May 20, 2025
  • Mason jar with strawberry rhubarb jam with canned jam in the background and fresh strawberries and rhubarb.
    Strawberry Rhubarb JamMay 17, 2025
  • Bite taken out of a Sourdough banana chocolate chip cottage cheese protein muffin with other muffins surrounding it, flowers, and bananas.
    Sourdough Banana Chocolate Chip Cottage Cheese Protein MuffinsMay 9, 2025
  • Sourdough Hot Dog Buns with a hot dog with ketchup and mustard on a blue platter enamelware plate with potato chips.
    Sourdough Hot Dog BunsMay 6, 2025
  • Sourdough strawberry muffins with crumb topping on a wire rack with strawberries, oats, and flowers.
    Sourdough Strawberry Muffins with Crumb ToppingApril 29, 2025

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