This pumpkin and apple upside down cake is the definition of autumn! With a soft pumpkin dough on the top and sticky cinnamon apples on the bottom, you cannot go wrong with this cheeky treat! Enjoy on a cold day with a mug of hot tea, or as a perfect end to a cute fall picnic! So, grab your pumpkin, grab your spices, and let’s get started!
First of all, I’d like to remind you of the importance of buying from local small businesses. If you haven’t already got your pumpkin this autumn, then I encourage you to go to a local pumpkin patch to pick your own or buy one from a local farmer. The same goes for your apples – go and pick your own or buy from your local farm shop! Times are hard, and it’s important that we are supporting our local farmers in every way that we can! Remain conscious and shop small, even for your pumpkins and apples.
Ingredients:
For the pumpkin dough:
- 150g unsalted vegan butter
- 100g homemade pumpkin puree
- 100g soft light brown sugar
- 2 flax eggs*
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp pumpkin spice (swap this out for 2 tsp ground cinnamon, ½ tsp ground nutmeg, and ½ tsp ground allspice)
- A pinch of fine salt
- 300g plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
For the sticky apples:
- 1 large cooking apple
- 1 tbsp soft light brown sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
*2 flax eggs = 2 tbsp milled flax seeds + 5 tbsp warm water, let sit for 10+ minutes

Method:
To make the pumpkin dough:
- Preheat your oven to 180˚C (350˚F) and line a brownie tin with recyclable parchment paper.
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter, sugar, and pumpkin puree over a medium-high heat. Stir the whole time until the butter is completely melted, the sugar has dissolved, and all the ingredients are well combined. Once everything is mixed together, remove from the heat and leave to cool for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, add the vanilla, pumpkin spices, and salt, and stir until everything is well combined.
- In a separate bowl, stir together the flour and baking powder. Gradually, add the pumpkin mixture to the flour, stirring continuously, until all the pumpkin mix is added, and everything starts to come together. The ingredients should form a thin dough, rather than a batter. If too wet, add a little flour until a dough is formed. If the dough is dry and flaky, add a little unsweetened plant milk, until the dough is soft and supple.
- Set the dough aside for later.
To make the sticky apples:
- Wash, peel, and core the apples. Cut the apples into small cubes and add them to a bowl.
- Sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon over the apples and stir everything together until the apples are completely coated and the sugar has dissolved.
- Evenly distribute the apples over the base of the brownie tin until the base is completely covered. Using washed hands, stretch the pumpkin dough over the top of the apples, pushing the dough right to the edges of the tin and onto the apples, so they are nicely embedded in the dough (be careful not to compress the dough too much).
- Place the tin in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until the cake is golden-brown on top and cooked through (a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake should come out clean). Remove the cake from the oven and leave to cool for 10 minutes, until cool enough to handle.
- Once cool enough to handle, slide a knife around the edge of the cake to loosen it from the brownie tin. Place a plate onto the top of the brownie tin, and carefully flip the tin and plate upside down. Carefully remove the tin, so that the cake is sitting on the plate. Cut into 12 pieces and serve with vegan vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!
This cake can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, simple place each piece on a plate and microwave until hot through.
I hope you found this recipe simple and that you love it as much as I do. Let me know if you make this deliciously simple pumpkin apple upside down cake– use the information given on my contact page or tag me on Instagram @amongsttheflour I love hearing from you all! I look forward to hearing from you soon!