Description

An upside-down cake knows how to make an entrance.

Turn it out of the pan and there they are: tender slices of caramelized apple, glossy with butter and brown sugar, sitting on top of a soft, buttery cake that has soaked up all those juices while it baked. No frosting. No piping bag. No carrying on. The cake made its own decoration.

Ingredients

Topping

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup packed brown sugar, firmly packed

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 Apples (Honeycrisp, Braeburn or Granny Smith) sliced thin

Cake

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ginger

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs, room temperature

1/3 cup apple butter

1/2 cup half and half

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. You need a 10-inch cast-iron skillet or 9-inch cake or pie pan. If using a cake or pie pan, butter and line the bottom of the pan with a round of parchment paper.

In a small pot or cast iron skillet (if using), melt 5 tablespoons butter, sugar and cinnamon. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Spread into pan or skillet. Arrange apples over the brown sugar mixture.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt. In a large bowl and using a hand mixer, cream the butter on medium speed, about 2 minutes. Add both sugars and continue to mix until butter and sugars are light and fluffy. Add eggs one until just combined. Add vanilla, apple butter, and mix until combined.

Alternate folding in half dry ingredients and half and half. End with dry ingredients. Do not over mix. It will only take a few turns to combine.
Spoon the batter over the apples. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool about 10 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate. Serve warm or at room temperature.