I put this low carb apple upside down cake on instagram a few days ago. It was such a visual hit that people began begging me for the recipe.
This Low Carb Upside Down Apple Cake is Kitchen Tested, Sugar Free, Gluten Free
I had to bake a few to make sure expectations were met. I had a few validations along the way.
- A friend was thrilled when I served her this apple upside down cake at lunch. She couldn’t believe it was low-carb.
- Retro Rose gave a piece to her friend and she asked me to bake him a cake because he loved it so much. He is not on a low carb diet or any diet. That is always the best test of an alternative flour cake.
- I probably ate a little too much of this one, because it was just that good.
In developing this recipe, I referred back to my pumpkin cake post. I loved the texture of that cake which had a cup of pumpkin. I had to find something to replace the pumpkin for moisture and sour cream was my answer.
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Low Carb Apple Upside Down Cake Tested Three Times
If you know me, you know that I will test and retest alternative flour recipes, especially those I believe to be timeless. This incredible mediterranean olive oil orange cake (made with real oranges) took six tries until I was happy.
I did three test bakes on this low carb apple cake to get the texture right.
Every step I take in the kitchen has my readers in mind. I put myself in your shoes, and I want to make sure you can duplicate this at home. This is also why I focus on basic recipes rather than super fancy cakes.
Once you get the basics, you can create anything! If you are successful with this yellow cake recipe, you will be able to make many variations. You could use pears in this recipe, or use the basic batter for a blueberry cake.
I have come to the point that I love baking with almond flour more than any other flour because thirty cakes later, I think I’ve gained a little expertise. However, I’ll keep learning more tricks and sharing with you.
The Baking Process for Low Carb Apple Upside Down Cake
This cake is made with almond four and sweetened with swerve. If you’re unfamiliar with Swerve, it’s a powdered erythritol, that has a net 0 carb count. You can use it with a one to one ratio. I also add a very small amount of Stevia glycerite, which balances out the sweetness.
I used two large envy apples, peeling and slicing them thin. I used Swerve’s brown sugar mixed with butter to get the sauce that goes into the cake pan first, followed by the apples, followed by the batter.
The cake itself does not contain apples within the batter. The apples are placed in the bottom and will serve as the topping once you turn the cake over. I prefer this. The flavor of the cake is boosted by the ground cardamom. If you don’t have that, you can use a teaspoon of vanilla and dash of freshly ground nutmeg.
The tricky part is making the brown sugar glaze that goes in first. This mixture can stick to your sauce pan, so as soon as it’s ready, pour into your prepared cake pan and immediately put in your sliced apples.
How to Store Low Carb Apple Upside Down Cake
Cake is good at room temperature, loosely covered, or in refrigerator.
Cake can be frozen, defrosted at room temperature or microwaved. I like to freeze individual slices.
I enjoy a low carb life style, but am in now way completely giving up fruit. This delicious apple cake is still very low in carbs and in calories.
Nutrition Value: 1 of 12 slices is 7 net carbs, 202 calories.
More Low Carb Grain Free Cakes from Spinach Tiger
Pumpkin Cheesecake Low Carb with Almond Flour Crust
Grain Free Orange Olive Oil Cake
Apple Upside Down Cake, Grain Free, Keto Friendly
Ingredients
- 2 large apples
- juice of one lemon
- 1/2 cup Swerve Brown Sugar Order Here
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon
- dash salt
- 280 grams of almond flour Order Here
- 2 tablespoons coconut flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground teaspoon cardamom or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
- 1 cup granulated swerve
- 5 eggs
- 1/2 cup sour cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. (180 C., Gas 4)
- Peel and slice apples thinly.
- Line cake pan with parchment pan and spray with baking spray
- Place in bowl with lemon juice and teaspoon cinnamon, tablespoon swerve.
- Heat butter and brown sugar until melted.
- Add in heavy cream. Stir.
- Pour into prepared cake pan.
- Add apples, placing in concentric circle.
- Beat oil with Swerve. Add Eggs, one at time each for 30 seconds.
- In separate bowl, mix almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, salt, cardamom, nutmeg.
- Add sour cream. Mix. Add dry ingredients. Mix just until mixed.
- Add cake batter to cake pan. Smooth out top.
- Bake in lower rack of the oven for one hour. Put tin foil over cake at 30 minutes, as almond flour burns easily. Check at at 40 minutes, and again at 50 minutes to check for doneness. Cake will be able to bounce when touched. Toothpick will come out clean.
- Allow to cool completely before removing cake.
- Using a flat plate, turn over so that apples are the top of the cake.
- Cool completely before serving.
- Cake can be kept in refrigerator up to one week, can be frozen.
Notes
Nutrition
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What size pan did you use? I donât see where it says anywhere. It looks in the picture like it is a cast iron skillet. If so, do you still line with parchment paper? Eager to try this!
You can use any kind of layer cake pan that is 9 inches or a cast iron pan close enough to that size.
Easy to make. I heated the brown sugar and butter in the microwave and then added the cream and it was fine and didn’t stick to the bowl. Next time I will add more apple and cut the sweetener back to half as it was a bit too sweet for us. Thanks for the recipe.
Where does the 1tbsp of sweetener fit in? “3/4 cup plus 1tbsp”
I just added in an extra tablespoon. It’s part of the quantity.
I would like to know the amount of carbs this has because I know that apples are high carb. Thanks.
It says 7carbs per slice 12 slices per cake
Good morning,
I am getting ready to make this delicious looking cake and I am just wondering…..Does this cake REALLY bake for an hour and 20 minutes??? Seems like a really long time.
Hi No It’s 50 to 60 minutes. You put foil over it at 30 minutes. Then bake another 20 to 30 minutes.
The recipe says baking soda twice. Is it 2 tsp soda or 1 tsp soda, or 1 tsp soda and 1 tsp baking powder?
Thank you! Delicious! It fit a 12″ cast iron pan. Very flavorful. Husband loved it!
Yay, Susan, I love to hear this.