Apple Brown Sugar Upside-Down Cake

If November flies by as quick as October did, it’ll be Thanksgiving before you know it. Since I’ll be making dinner this year, I’ve been test driving some desserts. This cake was a big hit, and the fanned apples make it pretty enough for the Thanksgiving dessert table! 

For the apples:

• 4 tablespoons butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• pinch of kosher salt
• 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced into 1/4″ wedges

For the cake:

• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 12 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cups flour

1. Preheat oven to 350º. Grease a 9″ round cake pan and line the bottom with a piece of parchment or wax paper.

2. To prepare the apples, mash the softened butter with the brown sugar and salt in a large bowl. Sprinkle evenly in the bottom of the pan. Arrange the apple slices in a circle over the brown sugar mixture.

3. For the cake, combine the eggs, brown sugar, milk, and vanilla, then whisk in the melted butter. In a medium sized bowl, stir the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Add it to the wet ingredients, whisk until well combined. Spoon batter over the apples, and spread gently with a spatula to even – being careful not to disturb the apple slices. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, test for doneness with a toothpick.

4. Remove cake from oven and set on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Run a knife around the inside of the pan to loosen the cake. Place a plate over the pan and invert the cake onto the plate. Remove the pan, and peel off the parchment/wax paper. Let cake cool completely.