Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake

Flip this cake out of the pan and watch the room go quiet.

Brown sugar and butter melt together on the bottom of a springform pan, forming a sticky caramel bed for overlapping apple halves dusted with cinnamon.

A tender buttermilk batter goes on top and bakes into a moist, vanilla-scented crumb that soaks up all those caramel juices from below.

The best part? You can make it a full day ahead and just warm it gently before serving.

Pro Tips

• Use a firm baking apple like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp. Softer varieties will turn to mush under the caramel.
• Wrap the outside of the springform pan in foil before baking. Caramel likes to leak, and your oven will thank you.
• Don’t skip the resting steps after baking. Five minutes in the pan, then ten more with the bottom still on. This lets the caramel set just enough to hold the apples in place when you lift.
• If the batter looks curdled after adding the buttermilk, keep going. It smooths out once the flour goes in.