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Caramelized Apple Upside-Down Cake

Source of Recipe

From "Real Cajun" by Donald Link


Recipe Introduction

"Tarte tatin, the classic French dessert of caramelized apples atop a flaky pastry, is a weakness of mine—but so is good old pineapple upside-down cake. So you can understand why I love this cake, which is somewhere between the two. This cake is a delicious way to experience the wonders of caramelized apples with a moist, down-home cake that soaks up all the sweet juices. I think Granny Smith apples offer the best flavor, but you can use other firm and tart varieties as well. The addition of star anise and cardamom add an exotic perfume. At Herbsaint we serve this with cinnamon ice cream, but you can't go wrong with a scoop of vanilla, preferably homemade."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 6 tablespoons (¾ stick) butter, at room temperature
â—¦ ¾ cup sugar plus 2 teaspoons
â—¦ 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
â—¦ ½ tablespoon baking powder
â—¦ ½ teaspoon salt
â—¦ ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
â—¦ 3 large eggs
â—¦ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
â—¦ ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
â—¦ â…” cup sour cream

For apples:
â—¦ 6 Granny Smith apples
â—¦ 2 cups sugar
â—¦ ½ cup water
â—¦ 6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces
â—¦ ½ tablespoon ground cardamom
â—¦ 1 tablespoon ground star anise


Recipe

Preheat the oven to 325° F. Generously grease a 10-inch cake pan with 1 tablespoon of the butter and then dust with 2 teaspoons of the sugar, shaking out excess.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the remaining 5 tablespoons butter and ¾ cup sugar on medium speed until light and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until incorporated, and then add the vanilla, ginger, and sour cream; mix until just combined. Stir in the dry ingredients slowly, until just combined, then refrigerate the batter for 2 hours.

Peel and core the apples and cut into 1 ½-inch chunks. Heat the sugar and water in a large, deep sauté pan over medium heat and cook the sugar-water mixture until it caramelizes to a medium brown color, 12 to 14 minutes. (You can gently shake the pan and occasionally brush down the sides of the pan with water, but try not to stir the mixture or the sugar will stick to the spoon and the sides of the pan.) Whisk in the butter.

Combine the apples, cardamom, and star anise in a medium bowl and toss to combine. Add the apples to the caramel and cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, until the apples are golden and caramelized, but still firm; remove from heat and set aside.

Evenly spread the apples with all the caramel in the bottom of the prepared cake pan. Spread the batter over the apples, making sure to go all the way to the edges of the dish. Bake until the top of the cake is golden brown and springy to the touch, about 30 minutes. Allow the cake to rest in the baking pan for 30 minutes. Run a paring knife around the rim of the cake, place a serving plate on top of the pan, and invert the cake onto the plate. Use a spatula to scrape any remaining apples and caramel onto the cake. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves 6 to 8