Upside-Down Cakes: 15 Holiday Showstoppers Inspired by the Apple Cake That Got 1.4 Million Likes

Upside-down cakes are having a big moment on Instagram, and it is easy to see why: a glossy caramel layer, a pan full of fruit and one dramatic flip that reveals the topping all at once. The reel many bakers point to is cookbook author Jake Cohen’s apples and honey upside-down cake, which has passed 1.4 million likes, and a brown butter pear version from another home baker added almost 60,000 more. The method is wonderfully simple. Fruit and buttery brown sugar go into the bottom of the pan, a soft cake batter goes on top, and the oven turns the sugar into a sticky sauce. If you loved our pear and fig desserts, these are the holiday next step. Here are 15 upside-down cakes for Thanksgiving and Christmas tables, from pear and cranberry to plum, apricot and blood orange, plus one classic pineapple..

Apples and Honey Upside-Down Cakes, the Reel That Started It All

Jake Cohen, a cookbook author and food creator, shared his apples and honey upside-down cake in a reel that now shows 1.4 million likes, and he has called it the recipe that started it all for him. Thin apple slices sit in a honey and butter caramel, and a soft olive oil cake bakes on top. It began as a sweet new year treat and became a fall favorite. It sits happily beside other old-fashioned apple desserts on any holiday table, and the flip is pure magic..

You will need: 3 tablespoons butter, 1/3 cup honey, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 2 crisp red apples thinly sliced, 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup milk.

How to make it: 1. Melt the butter, honey and brown sugar and pour into a lined 9-inch round pan. 2. Fan the apple slices in tight overlapping circles over the caramel. 3. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt; beat in the eggs, oil and milk. 4. Pour the batter over the apples and bake at 350F for 40 to 45 minutes. 5. Cool for 10 minutes, then flip onto a plate.

Brown Butter Pear Upside-Down Cake With Maple Caramel

A brown butter pear version by a home baker passed 59,000 likes on Instagram, and one bite explains it. Browning the butter first gives the cake a toasty, nutty flavor, and a maple caramel with a little rosemary soaks into ripe pear halves as they bake. Use pears that are ripe but still firm, so they keep their shape when the cake is flipped. Serve it warm with whipped cream, or pair it with any of your favorite gooey caramel desserts for a full dessert buffet.

You will need: 1/2 cup butter browned and cooled, 1/4 cup maple syrup, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1 small sprig rosemary, 3 ripe firm pears halved and cored, 1 1/2 cups flour, 2/3 cup sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 2 eggs, 2/3 cup milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla.

How to make it: 1. Simmer 2 tablespoons brown butter with the maple syrup, brown sugar and rosemary for 2 minutes, then pour into a lined pan and remove the rosemary. 2. Arrange the pear halves cut side down in the caramel. 3. Mix the dry ingredients, then whisk in the eggs, milk, vanilla and remaining brown butter. 4. Spread over the pears and bake at 350F for 45 minutes. 5. Rest 10 minutes and flip.

Cranberry Upside-Down Cakes in Christmas Red

Cranberry upside-down cakes might be the prettiest dessert of December. The berries burst in the brown sugar and turn into a jewel-red jam that sets on top of a golden vanilla cake. A little orange zest in the batter balances the tart fruit, and fresh or frozen cranberries both work, so you can bake it any week of the season. It is a lovely make-ahead option next to the other cranberry desserts for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and it slices cleanly even the next day.

You will need: 4 tablespoons butter, 2/3 cup brown sugar, 2 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 cup soft butter, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup milk, 1 tablespoon orange zest, 1 teaspoon vanilla.

How to make it: 1. Melt 4 tablespoons butter with the brown sugar in a lined 9-inch pan and scatter the cranberries on top. 2. Cream the soft butter and sugar, then beat in the eggs, zest and vanilla. 3. Add the flour, baking powder and salt alternately with the milk. 4. Spread over the berries and bake at 350F for 40 to 45 minutes. 5. Cool 10 minutes, then flip.

Classic Pineapple Upside-Down Cake, Grandma Style

No list of upside-down cakes is complete without the classic. Pineapple rings with a cherry in every center became a craze in the 1920s, when canned pineapple was new and recipe contests made it famous. Many grandmas baked it in a cast-iron pan, which gives the caramel deep, toasty edges. We keep it to one slide here, since our retro pineapple desserts gallery covers the fruit in many more ways, but this is still the cake people request most often at family dinners.

You will need: 1/4 cup butter, 2/3 cup brown sugar, 7 to 8 canned pineapple rings drained, 8 maraschino cherries, 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/3 cup soft butter, 1 egg, 1/2 cup pineapple juice, 1/4 cup milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla.

How to make it: 1. Melt the butter in a 10-inch skillet and sprinkle in the brown sugar. 2. Arrange the pineapple rings and place a cherry in each center. 3. Cream the soft butter and sugar, beat in the egg and vanilla, then add the dry ingredients with the juice and milk. 4. Spread over the fruit and bake at 350F for 40 minutes. 5. Wait 5 minutes and flip onto a platter.

Gingerbread Pear Upside-Down Cakes for Christmas

Gingerbread pear upside-down cakes taste like Christmas morning. The cake is dark and spiced with molasses, ginger, cinnamon and cloves, and the pears turn soft and glossy in the caramel. It is less sweet than a typical frosted cake, so it works as dessert or as a holiday brunch treat with coffee. A spoonful of lightly sweetened whipped cream is all it needs. If your family loves these flavors, try more gingerbread treats for Christmas for the rest of the cookie tray.

You will need: 4 tablespoons butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 3 pears peeled and sliced, 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon cloves, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 cup molasses, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1 egg, 1/3 cup oil, 1/2 cup hot water.

How to make it: 1. Melt the butter with 1/2 cup brown sugar in a lined pan and fan the pear slices on top. 2. Whisk the flour, soda, spices and salt. 3. Beat the molasses, 1/3 cup brown sugar, egg and oil, then stir in the dry mix and the hot water. 4. Pour over the pears and bake at 350F for 35 to 40 minutes. 5. Cool 10 minutes and flip.

Caramelized Plum Upside-Down Cake

Plums are made for upside-down cakes. Their skins turn a deep ruby color in the oven, the flesh softens into the caramel, and the tart juice keeps every slice from tasting too sweet. Late-season plums work best, and a pinch of cardamom or cinnamon in the batter makes the whole kitchen smell like the holidays. It is a natural sweet ending for anyone who has made our Nutcracker sugar plums and wants another plum treat for the season.

You will need: 4 tablespoons butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 6 to 8 plums halved and sliced, 1 1/2 cups flour, 2/3 cup sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon cardamom or cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 cup soft butter, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla.

How to make it: 1. Melt the butter and brown sugar in a lined pan and arrange the plum slices in circles. 2. Cream the butter and sugar, then beat in the eggs, sour cream and vanilla. 3. Fold in the flour, baking powder, spice and salt. 4. Spread over the plums and bake at 350F for 45 minutes. 5. Rest 10 minutes and flip.

Apricot Cornmeal Upside-Down Cakes With Almonds

Cornmeal gives upside-down cakes a pleasant crunch and a sunny yellow color. In this version, apricot halves and slivered almonds are tucked into the caramel, and the cornmeal batter bakes into a tender, slightly rustic crumb. Dried apricots soaked in warm water work well in winter, when fresh ones are hard to find. If you like the texture of a good skillet bread, our cornbread recipes show how much character a little cornmeal brings to the table.

You will need: 4 tablespoons butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 10 apricot halves (fresh or soaked dried), 1/3 cup slivered almonds, 1 cup flour, 2/3 cup fine cornmeal, 2/3 cup sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 2 eggs, 2/3 cup buttermilk, 1/3 cup melted butter.

How to make it: 1. Melt the butter and brown sugar in a lined pan; add the apricots cut side down and scatter the almonds around them. 2. Whisk the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt. 3. Stir in the eggs, buttermilk and melted butter. 4. Pour over the fruit and bake at 350F for 35 to 40 minutes. 5. Cool 10 minutes and flip.

Spiced Apple Cider Upside-Down Cake in a Skillet

Reducing apple cider into a syrup is the trick that makes this skillet cake taste like a crisp autumn day. The cider caramel coats thin apple slices fanned in a spiral, and the batter gets a little more cider plus cinnamon and nutmeg. Baking it right in the pan saves a dish and gives the edges a lovely deep color. It is one of those cast-iron skillet recipes that goes straight from the oven to the table, flipped onto a wooden board.

You will need: 1 cup apple cider reduced to 1/3 cup, 4 tablespoons butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 3 apples thinly sliced, 1 1/2 cups flour, 2/3 cup sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup apple cider, 1/3 cup oil.

How to make it: 1. Melt the butter and brown sugar in a 10-inch skillet and stir in the reduced cider. 2. Fan the apple slices in a spiral over the syrup. 3. Whisk the dry ingredients, then stir in the eggs, cider and oil. 4. Pour over the apples and bake at 350F for 35 to 40 minutes. 5. Rest 5 minutes and flip.

Blood Orange Upside-Down Cakes for Winter

Blood oranges arrive just as the holidays begin, perfect timing for upside-down cakes, and their deep red slices look like stained glass on top of a cake. Slice them thin with the peel on, and they soften into sweet, slightly bitter rounds that balance the buttery almond batter. A mix of blood oranges and regular oranges looks even more striking. It is a bright, fresh dessert after a heavy holiday meal, and fans of our old-fashioned orange slice cake will love the citrus flavor.

You will need: 4 tablespoons butter, 1/2 cup sugar, 3 blood oranges thinly sliced, 1 cup flour, 1/2 cup almond flour, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 cup soft butter, 2 eggs, 1 tablespoon orange zest, 1/2 cup plain yogurt.

How to make it: 1. Melt the butter with 1/2 cup sugar in a lined pan and arrange the orange slices in overlapping circles. 2. Cream the soft butter, sugar and zest, then beat in the eggs and yogurt. 3. Fold in the flours, baking powder and salt. 4. Spread over the oranges and bake at 350F for 40 to 45 minutes. 5. Cool 10 minutes and flip.

Pantry Peach Upside-Down Cake With Canned Peaches

This is the pantry shortcut for upside-down cakes in busy weeks. Canned peach halves are already soft and sweet, so they melt into the brown sugar caramel without any slicing or peeling. Drain them well and pat them dry, or the topping can turn runny. A splash of the peach syrup in the batter adds flavor, and a pinch of nutmeg makes it taste homemade in every way. It is as easy as the best dump cake recipes and looks far fancier.

You will need: 1/4 cup butter, 2/3 cup brown sugar, 1 can (about 15 oz) peach halves drained, 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/3 cup soft butter, 1 egg, 1/4 cup peach syrup, 1/2 cup milk.

How to make it: 1. Melt the butter and brown sugar in a lined pan and set the peach halves on top, rounded side down. 2. Cream the butter and sugar, then beat in the egg. 3. Add the dry ingredients with the peach syrup and milk. 4. Spread over the peaches and bake at 350F for 40 minutes. 5. Cool 10 minutes and flip.

Cherry Almond Upside-Down Cake

Cherries and almond are a classic pair for upside-down cakes, and a little almond extract makes this cake taste like a bakery treat. Frozen pitted cherries are perfect here because they are available all winter and hold their shape in the oven. As the cake bakes, some of the cherries sink into the crumb, so every slice has fruit through the middle as well as on top. Anyone who loves juicy cherry desserts will want a second piece.

You will need: 4 tablespoons butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 cups pitted cherries (fresh or frozen), 1 cup flour, 1/2 cup almond flour, 2/3 cup sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 cup soft butter, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 teaspoon almond extract.

How to make it: 1. Melt the butter and brown sugar in a lined pan and spread the cherries over it. 2. Cream the soft butter and sugar, then beat in the eggs and almond extract. 3. Fold in the flours, baking powder and salt with the milk. 4. Spread over the cherries and bake at 350F for 40 to 45 minutes. 5. Cool 10 minutes and flip.

Mini Upside-Down Cakes Baked in a Muffin Tin

Mini upside-down cakes are perfect for a dessert table, because there is no slicing and everyone gets their own perfect caramel top. A regular muffin tin does the job: a spoon of brown sugar butter goes into each cup, then a few cranberries or a slice of pear, then the batter. They bake in about 20 minutes and pop out easily if the tin is well greased. Kids love helping, and our muffin tin recipes have more ideas for that hardworking pan.

You will need: 4 tablespoons butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 pear thinly sliced or 1 cup cranberries, 1 1/4 cups flour, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 egg, 1/2 cup milk, 1/3 cup melted butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla.

How to make it: 1. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin well and add a teaspoon each of melted butter and brown sugar to every cup. 2. Add a pear slice or a few cranberries to each cup. 3. Mix the batter and fill the cups two-thirds full. 4. Bake at 350F for 18 to 22 minutes. 5. Rest 5 minutes, then flip the tin onto a tray.

Apple Rose Upside-Down Cakes

For showstopper upside-down cakes, roll thin apple slices into roses and pack them tightly into the caramel. Soften the slices for a minute in the microwave so they bend without breaking, then curl them into spirals. Once the cake is flipped, the top looks like a bouquet of glossy petals, and it tastes like a cozy apple cake. It takes a little patience but no special skill, and it pairs nicely with the flavors of our candy shop caramel apples for a fall party.

You will need: 4 tablespoons butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 3 red apples sliced paper thin, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 1/2 cups flour, 2/3 cup sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup milk, 1/3 cup oil.

How to make it: 1. Toss the apple slices with lemon juice and microwave for 1 minute until bendy. 2. Melt the butter and brown sugar in a lined pan. 3. Roll overlapping slices into small roses and pack them tightly into the pan. 4. Pour the batter over and bake at 350F for 40 to 45 minutes. 5. Cool 10 minutes and flip.

French Tarte Tatin, the Upside-Down Cousin

The French have their own upside-down legend: tarte Tatin. As the story goes, it was made famous by the Tatin sisters at their hotel in the Loire Valley, and food writers have long linked it to a happy kitchen accident. Apples cook slowly in butter and sugar until deep amber, pastry is laid on top, and the whole thing is flipped after baking. It belongs to the same long family of flipped bakes as upside-down cakes, and store-bought dough makes it easy, just like our easy puff pastry desserts.

You will need: 6 tablespoons butter, 3/4 cup sugar, 6 firm apples peeled and quartered, 1 sheet puff pastry or pie dough, a pinch of salt.

How to make it: 1. Melt the butter and sugar in an oven-safe skillet and cook until light amber. 2. Pack the apple quarters in tightly, rounded side down, and cook for 15 minutes. 3. Lay the pastry over the apples and tuck in the edges. 4. Bake at 400F for 25 to 30 minutes until golden. 5. Rest 5 minutes, then carefully flip onto a plate.

How to Flip Upside-Down Cakes Cleanly

The flip is the moment everyone waits for, and a few simple rules make it work every time. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, so the caramel is still loose but no longer bubbling. Run a thin knife around the edge, set a large plate on top, and turn it over in one confident motion. If a piece of fruit sticks, just lift it out and press it back into place. The same trick works for turning out bundt pans too.

You will need: a cooled cake in its pan (about 10 minutes out of the oven), a thin knife, a flat plate or cake stand larger than the pan, oven mitts.

How to make it: 1. Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes. 2. Run a thin knife around the edge to loosen it. 3. Place the plate upside down on top of the pan. 4. Hold both together with oven mitts and flip in one quick motion. 5. Lift the pan slowly and press any stuck fruit back into place.