Upside Down Apple Cake

Apples are one of my favorite fruits and they are terrific for baking. An apple remains juicy, tender and maintains their shape even after baking. Farm fresh apples are best for baking as they are firm to touch and give out a nice light aroma. Choosing the right apple is very important. It is not necessary that apples have to be shiny and big in size. They should be cold when you touch and free from any skin breaks or bruises. Handle the apples very tenderly and store them properly. End of September and early October apples are the best for baking according to me as they are firm and has a mellow flavor.

Motivation has to come from within. It was a stressful and tiring weekend for me. Some days it’s just hard to put my feet on the floor and my knees cracking. I was all frazzled up in my new kitchen after shifting to a new house realizing it to be a very important transition to get back into the game of cooking. I had slowly started cooking an afternoon quick meal when my daughter came up with a sad look and enquired. “We don’t have any desserts, today?” I quickly looked up and found apples and thought of cakes that can be quickly whipped up as the oven does rest of the hard work. I didn’t want to let down my happy family telling them that there were no desserts. I felt this would be the right time to use the apples and everybody likes the gooey rich apple topping once it’s inverted to serve.

Upside-down apple cake is equally well known like the regular pineapple upside down cake. I usually chop up big chunks of apple for this cake and this time I sliced it up into wedges to make it more exquisite. This is the recipe that I had been following since two three years from the Food and Wine magazine by Chef Grace Parisi.

It is one of the best apple upside down cake recipe that is easy and perfect. It is absolutely delicious, moist and full of flavor. I have made small changes to the original recipe using oil in place of butter and demerara or natural brown sugar. The recipe calls for a drizzle glaze to serve but these cakes go very well with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream or have it as it is. This elegant cake can be used for brunch or just desserts. It can be made ahead and stored refrigerated in an airtight container for two to three days. It can be served slightly warm or at room temperature.

Ingredients:-

For the cake

1. All-purpose flour – 1 and half cups.
2. Castor sugar – 1 cup.
3. Baking powder – 1 teaspoon.
4. Eggs – 2 nos (large).
5. Milk – half cup.
6. Oil – Half cup.
7. Vanilla essence- 2 teaspoons.

For the apple base

1. Salted Butter (regular) – 4 tablespoons.
2. Demerara sugar (powdered) – half cup. (Natural brown sugar).
3. Apple (peeled, cored and medium sliced) – 1 no.

Method:-

• Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Centigrade. Double line your baking tin with parchment or butter paper.
• Blend butter and brown sugar together for the apple base. Spread the mixture evenly onto to the lined tin. Arrange the apples on top of the mixture covering the base of the pan and keep aside.
• Mix flour and sugar with baking powder. In a separate bowl whisk milk, eggs and vanilla essence.
• Add the milk-egg mix to the flour-sugar mix along with oil. Whisk till the batter turns smooth. Gently pour this prepared cake batter onto the baking pan lined with apples spreading evenly.
• Bake for almost an hour or till golden on top and when a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let the cake cool for 15-20 minutes.
• Carefully invert the cake onto the center of the serving plate. Remove the pan and gently peel off the paper lining. Allow the cake to cool for another ten minutes and cut to serve. (Can be stored at room temperature for almost 24 hours in an airtight container).

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