Mary Berry Upside-Down Apple Cake Recipe

This Mary Berry upside-down apple cake is a proper little showstopper with a glossy, caramelised apple top and a soft, buttery sponge underneath. The apples bake into a tender, lightly spiced layer that tastes like toffee apples in cake form, while the sponge stays moist and fluffy. It’s an easy, beginner-friendly bake with a lovely “ta-da” moment when you turn it out. Total time is about 1 hour 10 minutes, including a short cooling window so the topping releases cleanly.

Ingredients

For the apple caramel topping

60g unsalted butter
120g light brown soft sugar
3 medium eating apples (Braeburn, Cox, Pink Lady), peeled, cored and sliced into 5mm slices
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch of fine salt

For the sponge

175g unsalted butter, softened
175g caster sugar
3 large eggs
175g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

To serve (optional)

Warm custard
Pouring cream or crème fraîche
A light dusting of icing sugar

How to Make Mary Berry Upside-Down Apple Cake Recipe

Prepare the oven and tin

Prepare the oven: Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Place a shelf in the middle so the cake bakes evenly and the sponge rises neatly.
Prepare the tin: Grease a 20cm round cake tin and line the base with baking parchment. This makes turning out the cake much less stressful.

Make the caramel apple topping

Melt the caramel base: In a small pan, melt the 60g butter with the light brown sugar and a pinch of salt over a low heat, stirring until glossy and smooth.
Pour and arrange: Pour the caramel into the lined tin and tilt gently to coat the base. Arrange the sliced apples on top (overlapping circles look lovely).
Season the apples: Drizzle over the lemon juice and sprinkle with cinnamon. The lemon stops the apples tasting flat and balances the sweetness.

Mix the sponge batter

Cream butter and sugar: Beat the softened 175g butter and caster sugar until pale and fluffy. This takes about 2 to 3 minutes with an electric mixer.
Add the eggs: Beat in the eggs one at a time, adding a spoonful of the flour if the mixture looks like it might curdle.
Fold in dry ingredients: Fold in the self-raising flour and baking powder gently, then stir in the milk and vanilla just until the batter is smooth.

Assemble and bake

Top the apples with batter: Spoon the batter over the apples in dollops, then level carefully with the back of a spoon. Try not to drag the apples out of place.
Bake: Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the sponge is golden and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Protect the top if needed: If the sponge is browning quickly, loosely cover with foil for the final 10 minutes.

Cool, turn out, and serve

Cool briefly: Leave the cake in the tin for 10 minutes. This gives the caramel time to settle so it turns out in one beautiful piece.
Turn out: Run a knife around the edge, place a serving plate on top, then confidently flip. Lift off the tin and peel away the parchment.
Slice and enjoy: Serve warm for the softest caramel topping, or let it cool fully for cleaner slices.

How to Make Mary Berry Upside-Down Apple Cake Recipe

Tips

How do I stop the cake from sticking when I flip it?

Line the base with parchment and don’t skip the 10-minute cooling time. Turn it out while the caramel is still warm and pliable. If you leave it too long, the sugar can set and glue itself to the tin.

Which apples work best for upside-down apple cake?

Firm eating apples (Braeburn, Cox, Pink Lady) hold their shape and give a neat pattern on top. Bramley apples taste great but collapse more, which is lovely and rustic but less “picture perfect.”

Why is my sponge heavy instead of light?

Heavy sponge usually comes from overmixing once the flour goes in or from butter that was too cold to cream properly. Use softened butter and fold the flour in gently, stopping as soon as you don’t see dry streaks.

How do I stop the apples from going watery?

Slice the apples evenly, keep them fairly thick (about 5mm), and use firm apples. The pinch of salt and lemon juice also helps the topping taste caramelised rather than syrupy.

Serving Suggestions

Warm custard for a classic British pudding-style slice
Crème fraîche for a tangy contrast to the caramel
Pouring cream and an extra dusting of cinnamon
Vanilla ice cream if you’re serving it warm

Storage

Room temperature

Keep the cake in an airtight container for up to 2 days. If your kitchen is very warm, move it to the fridge after the first day to keep the topping fresh.

Refrigerator

Store airtight for up to 4 days. Bring slices to room temperature before serving, or warm gently so the caramel softens.

Freezing

Freeze individual slices wrapped well (cling film, then foil) for up to 2 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge, then warm in a low oven (150°C) for 10 to 12 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 360 kcal
Carbohydrates: 52 g
Protein: 5 g
Fat: 15 g
Saturated fat: 9 g
Sodium: 180 mg

Disclaimer: Nutrition values are estimates and will vary depending on ingredients, brands, and portion size.

FAQs

What tin size is best for upside-down apple cake?

A 20cm (8-inch) round cake tin gives the best depth so the sponge bakes through while the topping stays glossy. If you use a larger tin, the cake will be thinner and may bake faster.

Can I make this cake ahead of time?

Yes. Bake it the day before and store airtight. For the nicest topping, warm slices gently before serving so the caramel softens again.

Can I use plain flour instead of self-raising flour?

Yes. Replace the self-raising flour with 175g plain flour and increase the baking powder to 3 teaspoons total. The texture will be very similar.

Why did my caramel topping go hard?

Caramel firms up as it cools, but it can go overly hard if the cake sits too long in the tin or if the sugar was cooked too aggressively. Melt the butter and sugar gently, and turn the cake out after about 10 minutes of cooling.

Can I add raisins or nuts?

Absolutely. A handful of raisins, chopped walnuts, or pecans works beautifully. Sprinkle them over the caramel before you add the apples so they toast lightly in the topping.