Apple Upside-Down Cake

A year ago, I went on a long riverside stroll (for those unfamiliar with Durham city, I’m referring to the River Wear); it wasn’t meant to be anything more than a chance for me to take a break from writing my thesis and enjoy the wonderful fall weather, and yet, I found myself incredibly inspired by my surroundings. That day, on the way home, I stopped by the market and bought a butternut squash and a bag of apples. I was determined to bake an apple crumble, and a pumpkin pie, and maybe even some ginger snaps. And I did. And I documented it all on the first few entries of this blog.

Since then, this blog has evolved in ways that I never thought it would: I bought more baking tools, I learned how to take better pictures, I extended the mission of the blog to include traditional Greek recipes, I gained thousands of followers on Instagram…

I won’t go on about this anymore than I have already, but that fact remains that, although I began to bake as a way to de-stress from the demands of the PhD, I now bake because I really do enjoy the art of baking. I hope this blog continues to develop and I hope a year from now, I’ll be able to look back again, and be satisfied with how far it has come.

On that note, today’s recipe features the apple upside-down cake, which in my eyes is far superior than the classic apple pie. I hope you enjoy!

Apple Upside-Down Cake

Recipe by bettycrocker

Ingredients

Topping

¼ cup Butter

2/3 cup Brown Sugar, packed

½ tsp ground Cinnamon

2 medium Apples, peeled & cut into 1/2-inch wedges 

Cake

1 1/3 cups Flour 

1 tsp Baking Powder

½ tsp Cinnamon

¼ tsp salt

1 cup Sugar

½ cup Butter, softened

2 Eggs, room temp

½ tsp Vanilla

¼ cup Milk 

Method

1. Pre-heat oven to 165C/325F. Spray bottom and sides of a cast iron pan, or any pan, with cooking spray.

2. In a saucepan, melt 1/4 cup butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Stir in brown sugar. Heat to boiling; remove from heat. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Pour into pan; spread evenly. Arrange apple wedges over brown sugar mixture, overlapping tightly and making 2 layers if necessary.

3. In a bowl, mix and sift flour, baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and the salt; set aside. In large bowl, beat 1 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup butter with electric mixer on medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally, until fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until smooth. Add vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture alternately with milk, beating after each addition until smooth. Spread batter over apple wedges in brown sugar mixture.

4. Bake 55 to 65 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on cooling rack 15 minutes.

5. Run knife around sides of pan to loosen cake. Place heatproof serving plate upside down over pan; turn plate and pan over. Remove pan. Serve warm. Enjoy!