Pain d’épices renversé aux pommes

Sticky Upside Down Apple Ginger Cake

Sticky Upside Down Apple Ginger Cake is a rich and very moist cake that needs no accompaniment. If you can’t resist serving something alongside, choose whipped cream or crème fraiche.  (Anything sweeter might be over the top.)

It is especially good served warm.

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Sticky Upside Down Apple Ginger Cake

  • Author: Crosby Molasses
  • Cook Time: 60-75 mins
  • Total Time: 90 mins

Ingredients

Scale

For the topping (which begins as the bottom):

  • 4 apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 8 wedges each
  • 1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. butter
  • 2/3 cup light brown sugar

For the cake:

  • 2 1/3 cups flour
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¾ tsp ginger
  • 1 ¼ tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp nutmeg
  • 1/8 tsp cloves
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • ¾ cup Crosby’s Fancy Molasses
  • ¾ cup melted butter
  • 1 cup boiling water

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 325 F
  2. Put the 1 Tbsp. and 1 tsp. of butter in a high-sided  9” pan and place it in the oven for a few minutes, until the butter melts. Remove it from the oven and use a pastry brush to coat the sides of the pan with the butter. Sprinkle the 2/3 cup of brown sugar over the melted butter in the bottom of the pan. Place the sliced apples on the sugar in a circular pattern.
  3. In a medium bowl whisk the flour with the baking soda, baking powder and spices.
  4. In a large bowl whisk the eggs with the ½ cup brown sugar. Whisk in the molasses and ¾ cup melted butter. Stir in the flour mixture. Add boiling water last and beat well.
  5. Pour into prepared pan.
  6. Bake at 325 F for 60-75 minutes, until the middle is set. (The variety and freshness of your apples will affect cooking time.)

Keywords: apple ginger cake, ginger cake, cake recipe

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Comments

  • October 21, 2023
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    Gail Mosher

    I would rate this recipe a 5. I have been baking molasses cake for years. A good East Coast recipe. When I saw this recipe for sticky upside down apple ginger cake I thought perfect, will try it for sure. The only modification I made was the size of the apple slices from each apple. Recipe says 8 wedges per apple, I cut them so I had 14 wedges to each apple. Normally when I am entertaining I don’t experiment with new recipes but I took a chance and it was absolutely delicious. Some of my guests went back for seconds. I think that is a compliment. Will certainly make this again.

  • October 5, 2023
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    Nancy

    Can this cake be frozen for later?

  • January 8, 2023
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    Zita D.

    I did not bake this tasty looking cake yet but wondered if it can be cooked in the micro-oven for less time?
    Thank you!
    Zita D.

  • December 19, 2022
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    Tobi

    This cake was fabulous! I sliced the apples about 1/4 inch thick & next time will overlap them in circular pattern as I want more apple in the cake. I grated ginger over the apples and next time will grate more and add to the batter as well. When we ate the first day it seemed a bit dry & we were disappointed, but in the following days it was moist …..perfectly moist! I used blackstrap, 1/2 cup with 1/4 cup honey. This cake was perfect with coffee in the morning. Others liked it with vanilla ice cream for dessert.

  • November 16, 2022
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    Denise

    This cake is ridiculously easy for how delicious it is! I loved using melted butter. It was moist with a nice, tender crumb. I’ve made it twice now. 3 apples for the top seemed to be enough. I baked it at 330 degrees for 60 minutes.

  • November 3, 2022
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    Heather

    YUMMY! I have made this twice (gluten-free flour) and it is delicious. I used a loaf pan plus 12 silicone lined muffin cups, increasing the butter/sugar base amounts and putting a bit in each muffin cup with some apple and topping both cake and muffins with a oat/crisp crumble for added texture. The muffins only take 20-25 minutes (skewer tested) and make a lovely presentation. Question: can I freeze this?

  • September 21, 2022
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    Jayanne

    My house smells like fall. I cooked the cake in a rectangular glass pan smaller then a 9 X 13 and it is lovely Albeit I completely forgot the butter until it was in the oven for 7 minutes. I scooped out the batter carefully as not to disturb the apples mixed the melted butter and poured back over the apples and it seems perfect 😳

  • September 20, 2022
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    Samia

    Hi ,I didn’t read about what you said to substitute the strap molasses with other stuff until I finished the cake with the strap one and it’s in the oven !!! Will see how is it going to turn out .. I will let you know.

  • September 17, 2022
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    Monique

    9” wide pan with 2” high sides
    Tried and was delicious!

  • July 25, 2022
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    Heidi

    This cake was simple to prepare and very delicious! My pan was slightly smaller than 9 inches round so I used less apples and sliced them thinner as I knew the cake would bake quicker. There was a little left over cake mix which I used to make a small loaf. I will definitely be making this again.

  • June 8, 2022
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    Carol

    OMG, must be having a bad day. I made this and used black strap molasses without noticing until I was done. I also forgot to put the one cup of boiling water in. Strangely the textre was okay but I didn’t like the taste, however my husband loved it and wolfed it down. Certainly will make it again but the right way this time haha.

  • May 5, 2022
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    F. R. H.

    I have made this cake several times replacing the light brown sugar with dark and Demerara brown sugar. It seems to contribute to the rich flavour. I have also made a gluten free version, replacing the regular flour with a gluten free flour – it happened to be the PC brand. Goat and lactose-free butter have also worked well. As others have written, I too have cut thinner apple slices.

  • January 19, 2022
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    Deborah Houston

    I made this in a regular 9″ round cake pan and it turned out beautifully.

  • December 18, 2021
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    Amy Thacker

    I made this in a spring form pan. I attempted to flip cake on a overturned plate and it went to pieces. Next time i will allow to cool or release spring and allow apples to be on the bottom. However, we still ate it…not pretty but hid under whip cream it was delicious . Will try again… and yes cut apples thinner.

  • December 8, 2021
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    Nicole

    We made this with plant based “butter” and oil, also used flax eggs. So plantbased dessert! Was easy and absolutely delicious ?

  • November 18, 2021
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    Cathy Mcgill

    What is high side 9″ pan?

    • December 14, 2021
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      Penny Allen

      I believe it is a Bundt cake pan, also called a pound cake pan. It has a hole in the middle of the pan. It is much taller than regular layer cake pans, but I am not sure if it is 9 inches high. I believe the 9″ pan in the recipe could possibly be a typo because I have never seen a 9″ high pan for baking cakes, unless for professional wedding cake bakers, lol!

      • February 19, 2023
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        Debbie in DC

        Usually refers to a “spring-form” pan, measuring 9 inches across the bottom and with a minimum of two-inch tall sides. A Bundt pan, which usually has fluted sides with a hole in the center, or an angel-food-cake pan would probably cook faster.

  • November 1, 2020
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    Diane Wile-Brumm

    Wow! Delicious, rich, perfect fall dessert for company, and fun to make as well. Thanks a lot. PS – first time I’ve ever commented on a recipe.?

    • April 8, 2021
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      Crosby Molasses

      Hi Diane, Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on the recipe. Much appreciated.

  • September 18, 2019
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    Julia

    Don’t slice the apples too thinly! They float away from the bottom and suddenly, instead of an upside-down cake with apple decoration, you’re left with plain gingerbread. :(

    • September 24, 2019
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      Crosby Molasses

      Thanks for the tip.

  • December 20, 2017
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    Margaret MacNeil

    I want to make this but only have Blackstar molasses. Can I use it in this recipe?

    • December 24, 2017
      reply

      Crosby Molasses

      Hi Margaret, Did you mean you have blackstrap molasses or our Goldstar brand (available in New England)? If you only have blackstrap I’d combine it with honey or maple syrup (1/4-1/3 cup of blackstrap and the rest another natural liquid sweetener). If you eant Goldstar brand, that’s fancy too so perfect for the recipe. Enjoy.

  • February 12, 2017
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    Ruth

    A very yummy cake! I used 3 large Asian pears tossed with grated fresh ginger and lime juice and baked it in a bundt pan. Thank you!

  • January 24, 2017
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    giovanna

    what is the difference between fancy and blackstrap molasses?

    • September 6, 2017
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      Lynn Purdy

      Giovanna, Basically, the difference is the taste. Blackstrap is not as sweet as fancy. There is a higher sugar content in Fancy. Cooking/baking is usually done with Fancy.

  • October 23, 2016
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    Tracey

    Waiting patiently for it to finish baking. Smells divine!

  • October 6, 2016
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    Alison Hendon

    I made this with 2 honeycrisp apples (I sliced them thinner) and it was amazingly good! Cooled in pan about 10 min., then inverted onto plate, came out beautifully.

    • October 7, 2016
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      Hi Alison, Thanks for the feedback. The original recipe called for the apples to simply be quartered. Next time I make it (possibly this weekend) I’ll try, as you did, slicing the apples thinner.

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