Apple-Honey Upside-Down Cake
Yield: Serves 8 to 10
Ingredients:
Vegetable-oil cooking spray
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt (we use Diamond Crystal)
1 1/3 cups sugar
1/3 cup honey
2 large eggs
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted, plus 4 tablespoons, room temperature
1/4 cup whole milk
3 firm tart apples, such as Mutsu, Winesap, or Granny Smith, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges
Directions:
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9-inch round cake pan with oil. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In another medium bowl, whisk together 2/3 cup sugar, honey, eggs, melted butter, and milk. Whisk egg mixture into flour mixture until just combined.
Step 2
In a small, heavy saucepan over high heat, combine the remaining 2/3 cup sugar and 3 tablespoons water. Cook, swirling pan occasionally (do not stir) until mixture is deep amber, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in room-temperature butter. Immediately pour into the prepared pan.
Step 3
Decoratively arrange layers of apples over caramel filling. Spread batter evenly over apples. Bake until the top springs back when lightly touched, 45 to 55 minutes. Loosen edges with a knife. Let stand for 5 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Cook’s Notes:
Apples you eat whole or cook into applesauce are not the same ones you want for this dessert. Choose firm varieties—so they’ll maintain their shape when baked and inverted onto a serving plate that has enough tartness to counter the buttery-sweet caramel.
Recipe courtesy of Martha Stewart.