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.
PrintSticky Upside Down Apple Ginger Cake
- 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
- Preheat the oven to 325 F
- 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.
- In a medium bowl whisk the flour with the baking soda, baking powder and spices.
- 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.
- Pour into prepared pan.
- 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
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.
★★★★★
Deborah Houston
I made this in a regular 9″ round cake pan and it turned out beautifully.
★★★★★
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.
★★★★★
Nicole
We made this with plant based “butter” and oil, also used flax eggs. So plantbased dessert! Was easy and absolutely delicious ?
Cathy Mcgill
What is high side 9″ pan?
Crosby Molasses
Hi Cathy,
The high side is about 2”
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!
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.?
Crosby Molasses
Hi Diane, Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on the recipe. Much appreciated.
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. :(
Crosby Molasses
Thanks for the tip.
Margaret MacNeil
I want to make this but only have Blackstar molasses. Can I use it in this recipe?
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.
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!
giovanna
what is the difference between fancy and blackstrap molasses?
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.
Tracey
Waiting patiently for it to finish baking. Smells divine!
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.
Crosby Molasses
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.