Upside-Down Pancake Cake with Apples and Speculoos (Pan-Fried)

Upside-Down Pancake Cake with Apples and Speculoos (Pan-Fried) is a medium French recipe that serves 4. 350 calories per serving. Recipe by Hervé Cuisine on YouTube.

Prep: 15 min | Cook: 20 min | Total: 45 min

Cost: $3.20 total, $0.80 per serving

Ingredients

  • 2 pcs Apples (Golden variety) (peeled and sliced)
  • 30 g White sugar (for caramel)
  • 30 g Sea-salted butter (for caramel)
  • 15 ml Heavy cream (for caramel)
  • 0.5 g Fleur de sel (a pinch)
  • 2 pcs Eggs (separate whites from yolks)
  • 120 ml Milk
  • 1 c. à café Ground cinnamon
  • 1 c. à café Baking powder
  • 100 g All-purpose flour
  • 60 g Speculoos (30 g in the batter, 30 g for decoration)
  • 2 slices Brioche bread (optional) (cut into large pieces, to be sautéed in the caramel)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the caramel

    In the small saucepan, pour the sugar and let it melt over low heat without stirring. As soon as it turns golden, add the sea-salted butter, a pinch of fleur de sel, then the heavy cream. Stir gently until you obtain a smooth sauce.

    Time: PT3M

    Temperature: low heat

  2. Caramelize the apples

    Add the apple slices (and the brioche bread if using) to the caramel. Reduce the heat slightly and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender and lightly golden.

    Time: PT5M

    Temperature: low heat

  3. Separate the eggs

    Separate the egg whites from the yolks into two different bowls.

    Time: PT3M

  4. Prepare the pancake batter (yolk portion)

    In the bowl containing the yolks, add the milk, cinnamon, baking powder, a pinch of fleur de sel and the flour. Whisk until you obtain a homogeneous batter, without lumps.

    Time: PT5M

  5. Whisk the egg whites

    Using a whisk, beat the egg whites until you obtain firm and glossy peaks.

    Time: PT5M

  6. Fold in the whites and speculoos

    Break the speculoos by hand to obtain irregular pieces. Add 30 g of speculoos to the batter, then gently fold the beaten egg whites using a spatula, lifting the mixture to avoid breaking them.

    Time: PT2M

  7. Cook first side

    Pour the batter over the caramelized apples in the pan, distribute the remaining speculoos pieces on top. Cover and cook over low heat for 10 minutes until the edges are set and the surface is firm.

    Time: PT10M

    Temperature: low heat

  8. Flip the cake

    Heat a second pan over medium heat. Carefully slide the cake (using the spatula) onto the new pan, apple side up. Cook an additional 5 minutes until the top side is golden and the cake releases easily.

    Time: PT5M

    Temperature: medium heat

  9. Garnish and serve

    Sprinkle the top with a few extra speculoos pieces for texture. Serve immediately, warm or at room temperature.

    Time: PT2M

Nutrition Facts

Calories
350
Protein
6 g
Carbohydrates
45 g
Fat
15 g
Fiber
3 g

Dietary info: vegetarian, contains gluten, contains dairy, low-calorie

Allergens: eggs, milk, gluten, butter, speculoos (contains wheat and milk)

Last updated: April 7, 2026

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Upside-Down Pancake Cake with Apples and Speculoos (Pan-Fried)

Recipe by Hervé Cuisine

An indulgent upside-down cake made in a pan without an oven. Caramelized apples in salted butter, a light pancake batter enriched with crunchy speculoos pieces, cooked in two stages for a moist and glossy result.

MediumFrenchServes 4

Shop all ingredients on Amazon in one click • Printable PDF with shopping checklist

Source Video
20m
Prep
20m
Cook
10m
Cleanup
50m
Total

Cost Breakdown

$3.20
Total cost
$0.80
Per serving

Critical Success Points

  • Achieve a smooth caramel without burning
  • Cook the apples until tender
  • Whisk the egg whites to firm peaks
  • Flip the cake without breaking it

Safety Warnings

  • The caramel is extremely hot; handle with care to avoid burns.
  • Use long handles or kitchen gloves when flipping the cake.
  • Never leave the caramel unattended.

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