Pumpkin Upside Down Cake is a fun way to dress up your holiday table this year!
A holiday spin on the traditional Pineapple Upside Down Cake!
Ultra moist pumpkin cake with caramelized pumpkin in every bite, brown sugar and all the fall spices!
I baked mine into individual bundt pans because I just love the look of mini upside down cakes!
But you can make the entire recipe into one family style cake instead!
I’ve sauteed up those scraps of pumpkin with more fall spice and vegan butter for an additional burst of pumpkin!
Since my mini bundts have that hole in the center I had to fill it up with something right??
Aquafaba marshmallow is a perfect light topping that ties this whole dessert together beautifully!
If you didn’t want to try this Italian Meringue Aquafaba topping though whipped cream would be an equally delicious topping!
You will only make the meringue part with the cooked sugar and water and liquid aquafaba though, not the full buttercream recipe!
So be sure to stop at that part!
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CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL YOUTUBE VIDEO TUTORIAL FOR HOW TO MAKE PUMPKIN UPSIDE DOWN CAKE
Yield: 6
Pumpkin Upside Down Cake
Prep Time
1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time
25 minutes
Total Time
1 hour 55 minutes
Ingredients
For the Pumpkin Cake
- Plant Milk ¾ cup (188ml)
- Canned Pumpkin 1 cup (240g)
- Granulated Sugar ½ cup (100g)
- Salt ¼ teaspoon
- Melted Vegan Butter or Veg Oil 8 Tablespoons (226g)
- Vanilla Extract 2 teaspoons (10ml)
- Pumpkin Pie Spice ½ teaspoon
- All Purpose Flour 1¾ cup (218g)
- Baking Powder 3 teaspoons
For the Upside Down Layer:
- 1 medium Butternut Squash
- (my butternut squash weighed 2.5lbs before peeling & seeding)
- Vegan Butter 3 Tablespoons (42g)
- Light Brown Sugar 6 Tablespoons (75g)
Optional Pumpkin Compote:
- Squash scraps and remaining squash cut to small dice approx 1½ cups
- Vegan Butter 1 Tbs (14g)
- Pumpkin Pie Spice ¼ teaspoon
- Granulated or Light Brown Sugar 2 Tbs (28g)
- Brandy *optional 2 Tbs (30ml)
For the Aquafaba Topping: *optional
- Aquafaba ¾ cup (188ml)
- Granulated Sugar 1 cups (200g)
- Water 1/3 cup (ml)
- Cream of Tartar large pinch
Instructions
- I am using a butternut squash but you can use any variety of pumpkin you like the best
- Peel and remove the seeds from your squash and then cut slices no more than ¼” thick rounds to fit into the bottom of the mini bundt pans by using biscuit cutters to make a perfect fit & also to cut out for the center hole
- First spray your pan generously with pan grease and with the ingredients listed under “For the Upside Down Layer” melt the 3 Tbs of vegan butter
- In the bottom of each bundt pan pour ½ Tbs of the melted vegan butter and sprinkle 1 Tbs of the sugar over the butter
- Next the slice of butternut squash that has been cut to fit perfectly
- Spray an additional spray of pan grease on all the pans sides to ensure a clean release after baking
- Preheat the oven to 350°F
- Now prepare the pumpkin cake batter by placing the brown sugar, salt & spices along with the melted vegan butter and plant milk together in a large mixing bowl and whisk to a smooth batter
- Add the pumpkin and vanilla extract and whisk smooth
- Add the flour and whisk vigorously to develop the batter (about 50 strokes)
- Divide the batter equally between all the prepared 6 pans and bake immediately in the preheated oven for approximately 25minutes or when a toothpick inserted comes out with moist crumbs, not raw batter
- Cool for about 10 minutes in the pans then turn them out onto a parchment paper to catch any excess drips from the sugar glaze
- Allow to cool while you prepare the optional pumpkin compote with the remaining squash
- Dice the pumpkin/squash to small pieces while you heat a large saute pan with the vegan butter
- Once the butter is melted, add the diced squash and the sugar and cook stirring occasionally until it is starting to brown
- Add the spice and stir then add the optional brandy to deglaze the pan
- Cook to tender, serve with the upside down cake by filling each cavity with pumpkin compote
- and top with aquafaba marshmallow toasted!
- Whip the cold liquid aquafaba with the cream of tartar on medium to high speed while you cook the sugar syrup at the same time
- Combine the water and sugar together in a heavy bottom sauce pot and bring to a boil over high heat.
- Attach a candy thermometer and cook to 240°F
- It should take about 10 minutes to reach temperature which is approximately the same time it takes to get the AF to stiff peaks.
- Slowly pour the hot sugar syrup into the whipping meringue as shown in the video.
- Once all the sugar syrup is added continue whipping to cool down the meringue and you can help it cool faster by placing a bowl of ice water under the mixer bowl.
- CLICK HERE FOR A VIDEO TUTORIAL FOR HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE!
Notes
Pumpkin Upside down cakes can be kept at room temperature (without the marshmallow topping) for up to 1 day
For longer storage keep refrigerated for up to 3 days bring to room temp before serving
