These Mini Pumpkin Praline Upside Down Cakes are the perfect little dessert for the fall season this year! They’re a delightful combination of pumpkin and praline flavors!
This season, I’m all about pumpkin folks! I can’t get enough.
Truth be told, I sneak in a little pumpkin even before the season starts.
Today’s mini upside down cakes are a delicious combination of pumpkin and praline flavors that would be perfect for any fall dinner party or for your Thanksgiving feast.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
I love individual mini desserts. No sharing involved.
I think you’ll really enjoy the moist pumpkin cake in this recipe. And the topping is a combo of just 5 ingredients. It’s buttery and crunchy and the perfect complement to the pumpkin cake.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- unsalted butter
- light brown sugar
- maple syrup
- pecan halves
- vanilla extract
- cake flour
- baking powder
- ground cinnamon
- baking soda
- salt
- ground ginger
- ground cloves
- canola oil
- granulated sugar
- large eggs
- pure pumpkin purée
Step-By-Step Instructions
The first step is to make your praline topping. You’ll melt the butter, and then dd the brown sugar and the maple syrup. Once the mixture begins to boil, cook for 45 seconds, stirring continuously. Remove from the heat and stir in the pecans and the vanilla. Pour evenly into your prepared ramekins and set aside.
The second step is to make your pumpkin cake batter. You’ll whisk together your cake flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, ginger and cloves.
Next up, you’ll beat the canola oil, and sugars until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl as needed, then add the maple syrup and the pumpkin purée, followed by the flour mixture until just combined. Make sure not to overmix.
The last step is to spoon the batter evenly into the ramekins smoothly with a spatula. Bake for 35 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center of cake (not down to the topping) comes out clean. You will transfer the cakes to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Invert the cakes onto serving plates, scraping any remainder of topping onto top of cakes.
These mini cakes have a topping that’s to die for. A combo of maple syrup, butter, brown sugar, pecans and vanilla atop an incredibly moist pumpkin cake flavored with warm cinnamon and pure pumpkin make for a delicious cake that autumn dreams are made of!
I love to serve mine warm with some fresh whipped cream on the side or on top. Soooooo good!
Please let me know if you give the recipe a try. And if you have any questions about the recipe, just drop a comment below. Enjoy!
A Few Cook’s Notes for Mini Pumpkin Praline Upside Down Cakes
The ramekins I used for the recipes are one cup in size.
Before adding the topping mixture to your ramekins, spray the ramekins with nonstick cooking spray.
Evenly divide the topping mixture among the ramekins and then add 1/2 cup of the pumpkin cake batter to each ramekin.
Cool your cakes for only 5 minutes before turning upside down onto your plates. If any of the topping remains in the ramekin, just scoop out with a spoon onto the top of the cake.
Mini Pumpkin Praline Upside Down Cakes
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
Topping
- 1/2 cup (one stick) unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 cup pecan halves, roughly chopped
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Pumpkin Cake
- 1 1/2 cups cake flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 Tbsp. maple syrup
- 1 cup pure pumpkin puree
- fresh whipped cream, if desired
Instructions
Topping (approximately 2 cups)
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray six one cup ramekins with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the brown sugar and the maple syrup. Decrease the heat to medium and stir until the mixture begins to boil. Once the mixture begins to boil, cook for 45 seconds, stirring continuously. Remove from the heat and stir in the pecans and the vanilla. Pour evenly into the prepared ramekins. Set aside.
Pumpkin Cake (approximately 3 cups batter)
- In a medium bowl, whisk together cake flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, ginger and cloves.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the canola oil, and sugars until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl as needed. Add the maple syrup and the pumpkin puree.
- Add the flour mixture until just combined. Do not over mix. Spoon the batter evenly into the ramekins smoothly with a spatula. Bake for 35 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center of cake (not down to the topping) comes out clean.
- Transfer the cakes to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Invert the cakes onto serving plates, scraping any remainder of topping onto top of cakes. Serve warm with fresh whipped cream if desired.
Leanne | Crumb Top Baking
That marinade sounds fantastic! I need to check around here to see if any of our grocery stores carry it. Sounds like an easy glaze for ham, and I love that it does double duty in this dessert. Ad this dessert, by the way, looks awesome. Love the photos Mary Ann! Happy almost weekend!
Mary Ann
It’s totally delicious Leanne! I hope you can grab a bottle or two! You’d love it for your ham or for your dessert!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
That’s some marinade, my friend! Though Thanksgiving is over for the year here in Canada, these delicious cakes would be perfect for any occasion, even a random Thursday night ;) That with some coffee and it’s a match made in heaven! Pinned :)
Mary Ann
It is Dawn! Loving it for dinner and dessert!
Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen
If these aren’t the cutest desserts ever I don’t know what are! And anything with “praline” in the title is a win for me. Great idea to use the marinade; I’d rather have it in dessert than ham anyway :)
Mary Ann
It’s fabulous in both Kelsie! I hope you can grab a bottle or two and give it a try! Thanks so much!
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary
I didn’t use to be all about pumpkin, but I have been making up for lost time the past couple years by eating ALL the pumpkin. ;) These little upside down cakes look just divine, Mare!! Praline anything makes me swoon, so these are right up my ally! And, using Tony’s marinade in these desserts is absolutely brilliant! SO creative! Pinned! Cheers!
Mary Ann
I was trying to channel my inner Chey when it came to creativity! It worked, because these mini cakes are da bomb! So perfect with Tony’s marinade! Hope you have a chance to give them a try Chey!
Colleen
Well darn! I was excited to make this recipe until I got to the part about having to use this marinade. They don’t sell this product in Canada, so what could one substitute?
Mary Ann
Tony’s is available online too Colleen!
Karen @ Seasonal Cravings
OMG what a great idea girl. I have never seen this marinade but will have to look for it. Perfect treat for a cool night with hot tea!
Mary Ann
Perfect with hot tea Karen! These disappeared quickly here!
Matt Robinson
These are so great, love the sound of that marinade!
Mary Ann
Perfect for dinner or dessert Matt!
Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy
I mean. Could these BE any cuter or more delicious?!?!?!
Mary Ann
Thanks Jennifer! They were a hit with our friends!
2pots2cook
These beauties make me order marinade on line to enjoy during favourite season ! Thank you for the idea !
Mary Ann
Woohoo! Hope you enjoy them!
Leigh Ann
Who knew they made this injectable? Love how you turned it into a dessert! These look so tasty!
Mary Ann
It’s so good Leigh Ann!
Natasha @ Salt & Lavender
I love Tony’s products too!! These are just so cute and creative!
Mary Ann
Aren’t they the best Natasha?! Thanks so much!
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers
These look so delicious and how creative to use the marinade for it! Perfect seasonal treat :)
Mary Ann
Thanks Jennifer!
Marissa
What a versatile marinade! And these little desserts would be welcome at any Thanksgiving table (especially mine!)
Mary Ann
It really is Marissa! Hope you give them a try!
Kevin
Whoever said marinades are just for meat, never thought to use them with baking! Definitely like the creativity with this dessert! Good work!
Mary Ann
Thanks so much Kevin! Tony’s marinade worked perfectly with these!
Traci | Vanilla And Bean
A spicy kick for these sweet little cakes! What a great idea… and so creative. Well done on such a challenge!
Mary Ann
Thanks so much Traci!
Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop
What a creative use for a marinade! These cakes look delicious. I love mini sized desserts. It keeps me from eating too large of a portion….uh…unless I eat more than one! :)
Mary Ann
You might eat more than one Kathy…just sayin’!
Kelly | Foodtasia
You had me at praline :) These look so delicious! So clever to use the praline marinade in the sauce!
Mary Ann
They’re so incredibly delish Kelly!
Laura | Tutti Dolci
How adorable are these cakes, they look so delicious!
Mary Ann
I was dying to take a little bite when I was photographing! Hence the photo of the cut into cake Laura! I couldn’t help myself! Tony’s Injectable marinade worked perfectly!
Cindy Rodriguez
These look decadent! And I love how you’re multi-purposing the marinade. It sounds amazing and I’m going to have to get some of that now. Yum!
Mary Ann
They really are delicious Cindy! I hope you give them a go! That marinade worked perfectly!
Sara
If I don’t have ramekins, what pan size would you recommend to make one cake instead of individual ones? 8×8 perhaps?
Thanks! These look delicious!
Mary Ann
Hi Sara. I’ve only used the ramekins for this recipe, but you could probably use an 8×8. Perhaps try to bake 30 minutes and then check by inserting a toothpick in the center of the cake. Continue to bake until toothpick comes out clean. Enjoy!
Cecile
Hi, I will have a big grip for Thanksgiving dinner. Can l make this in a removable bottom cake mold. I plan on making 2 9” cakes.
Thanks
Mary Ann
Hi Cecile. I have only tested this in the small ramekins. If you use a 9-inch round cake pan just make sure you only add batter on top of the pecan topping until the pan is 1/2 to 2/3 full. You don’t want it to overflow.