Upside-Down Apple Bread

Upside-down desserts are culinary genius. When fruit cooks on the bottom of the pan instead of on the top, it steams and often caramelizes, giving it a deep, concentrated sweetness and melding its flavors into the bread or cake baking on top. We saw it first with pineapple upside-down cake, paving the way for many more upside-down desserts like this beautifully autumnal upside-down apple bread.

While an enriched, yeasted bread bakes on top, a trail of sliced apples, baking with brown sugar and vanilla extract, is steamed underneath. Inverting the bread unveils the apple pattern, which is hit with a quick cinnamon icing for a little more sweetness and a lot more autumnal coziness.

Ingredients for Upside-Down Apple Bread

• Active dry yeast: If your packet of active dry yeast has been sitting in the pantry for a while, check its expiration date. The upside-down apple bread won’t puff up if the yeast is expired!
• Sugars: Our upside-down apple bread uses both granulated sugar and brown sugar to sweeten and add a light touch of caramel flavor.
• Shortening: Shortening creates a soft texture in breads, locking in moisture so the bread stays nice and tender.
• Egg: One egg binds the bread ingredients together and creates structure.
• All-purpose flour: No need for anything fancy here. All-purpose flour creates the perfect bread dough for our recipe.
• Whole milk: Warm the whole milk to 80° to 90°F to keep the yeast active and able to proof.
• Apples: Always peel your apples first, then core and slice them into 1/4-inch slices.
• Icing: We’ll finish the bread with an autumnal cinnamon icing, made from cinnamon, confectioners’ sugar, whole milk and softened butter.

Directions

Step 1: Proof the yeast

In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast and 1 tablespoon of sugar in the warm water. Let the mixture stand until it becomes proofed and frothy, about five minutes.

Step 2: Make the dough

In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the shortening, sugar and egg. Gradually beat in 2 cups all-purpose flour, the warmed whole milk and the yeast mixture.

Add in enough of the remaining all-purpose flour to form a soft dough.

Editor’s Tip: You may not need the entire flour measurement to form the dough, so add it little by little in only 1/4 or 1/3 cup measurements.

Step 3: Knead and let rise

Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and knead it until smooth and elastic, six to eight minutes.

Editor’s Tip: The dough is kneaded enough when you press it with a finger and the indent springs back. If the indent stays, keep kneading to work the gluten.

Place the dough in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover the dough with storage wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm place until doubled, about one hour. Punch the dough down with your knuckles to expel the air.

Step 4: Make the apple “topping”

In a large bowl, toss together the apple slices, brown sugar, vanilla extract and salt. Arrange the apple slices in a single layer in a well-greased 13×9-inch baking pan, overlapping the slices slightly. Sprinkle any remaining sugar over the top.

Step 5: Add the dough and let it rise again

Press the dough over the top of the apples, pressing out any large air bubbles.

Cover the dough with a clean kitchen towel or storage wrap and let the dough rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. During the last 10 minutes of rising, preheat the oven to 375°F.

Step 6: Bake

Take the cover off the dough and slide the pan into the oven. Bake the upside-down apple bread until it’s golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Let it stand for 10 minutes, then invert the cake onto a serving platter or wire rack fitted over a baking sheet. Let the apple bread cool to room temperature.

Step 7: Ice and serve

In a small bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat together the softened butter, confectioners’ sugar, whole milk and cinnamon until smooth. Drizzle the icing over the top of the cake.

Recipe Variations

• Arrange the apples in a pretty pattern: While the apple pattern in our description is practical and ensures an apple in every bite, you can arrange the apples in another pattern, like a spiral, wave or crosshatch. You may need more apple slices to achieve this.
• Swap in pears for apples: Prefer pears? Use them in a 1:1 swap! The best types of pears for baking are Anjou, Asian Pear, Bosc and Concorde.
• Add more baking spices: Apples and fall spices go hand-in-hand. To play up the warming, cozy flavors, add a little more cinnamon plus nutmeg, ground ginger, cloves and/or cardamom to the dough when adding the flour.

How to Store Upside-Down Apple Bread

Store upside-down apple bread at room temperature for up to three days. Cover it in storage wrap or transfer it to an airtight container. You could also store it in the fridge for up to five days, but keep in mind the bread does dry out a little in the fridge.

Can you freeze upside-down apple bread?

Yes, you can freeze upside-down apple bread. Allow the bread to cool completely to room temperature, then cover it tightly with two layers of storage wrap and freeze for up to two months. Thaw it at room temperature before enjoying.

Upside-Down Apple Bread Tips

What are the best apples for upside-down apple bread?

The best apples for apple pie are the ideal ones for all baked apple desserts, like this upside-down apple bread. Use tart, firm apples like Granny Smith, Honeycrisp and Pink Lady, to name a few. Stay away from mealy, bland apples, such as Red Delicious or McIntosh.

Why didn’t my bread rise?

Your bread may not have risen if the yeast was not activated properly. This could be due to the yeast being expired or the water not being warm enough to activate and proof the yeast. If your yeast doesn’t activate in the first step, discard it and start again. The yeast should become proofed and foamy after 5 to 10 minutes. Check the yeast’s expiration date and temperature-check the water.

How should you serve upside-down apple bread?

Serve upside-down apple bread warm from the oven or at room temperature. It’s delicious with the icing, but you could omit it and try homemade salted caramel sauce and sweetened whipped cream as the finishing touches.