Gingerbread Apple Upside Down Cake

Friday, January 22, 2010

Gingerbread Apple Upside Down Cake

Hubby and I have been hosting quite a few dinner parties since our kitchen is finished. It’s nice to not be embarrassed to have people over because of our kitchen. For one of these dinner parties, I let Hubby choose the dessert. I gave him a few to choose from and he said he was in the mood for gingerbread. Hubby even offered to help by peeling and cutting the apples for me.

I didn’t have a 10″ pan, so I used a 9″ pan. The cake didn’t overflow, but you can see that I have a nice little foot on the bottom of my cake due to using a smaller pan and not adjusting the recipe. That’s ok it was still amazing.

I must have cooked my caramel too long because it was not as gooey and flowy as the original pictures show on Smitten Kitchen. I served this at room temperature with some fresh whipped cream on top. Everyone really enjoyed it.

Gingerbread Apple Upside Down Cake

Yield: 12

Ingredients:

For the Topping
4 tablespoons butter, plus extra for greasing pan
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
Pinch of salt
4 apples (about 1 3/4 pounds), peeled, cored and cut into 1/4-inch wedges

For the Batter
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/3 cup dark molasses
1/3 cup honey
1 cup buttermilk
2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Very softly whipped cream

Directions:

Make the Topping
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease a 10-inch cake pan. Melt butter in a small saucepan. Add brown sugar and simmer over moderate heat, stirring, four minutes, then swirl in salt. Remove from heat and pour into the bottom of your cake pan. Make circles of overlapping apple slices on top of the caramel. Chop any remaining slices and place them in the gaps.

Make the Batter
Using a mixer, blend 1/2 cup butter and the sugar on medium-low speed. Increase the speed to high and cream until light and fluffy.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, molasses, honey and buttermilk. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger and cinnamon. Alternate mixing the flour and molasses mixtures into the butter mixture, adding the next once the last has been incorporated.

Pour the batter into the pan. Bake at least 45 to 50 minutes or until a wooden tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool on a rack for 10 to 15 minutes, then turn out onto a platter.

Recipe from Smitten Kitchen

Don’t forget – I’m offering a chance to win a cute tote if you donate $5 or more to my Avon Walk by the end of January. See details here.

Cakes, Dessert

6 comments »

38 Responses to “What’s your secret?”

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1

BMK — January 28, 2008 at 1:15 pm

Those are adorable! I love the idea of lemon meringue cupcakes.
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2

~Amber~ — January 28, 2008 at 1:51 pm

They are adorable!! Great job and I am glad you had success with the recipe.
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3

Shawnda — January 28, 2008 at 2:27 pm

Congrats on a successful challenge!
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4

slush — January 28, 2008 at 3:03 pm

OMG, are they cute! Like little porcupines. So glad it turned out for you. Fab job!
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5

Aparna — January 28, 2008 at 3:24 pm

I really liked your idea of making the cupcakes. No cutting up and great single sized servings. They look just great.
Makes me wonder– why didn’t I think of that?
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6

Tempered Woman — January 28, 2008 at 3:36 pm

Hey~ I made lemon maringue cuppies too! I am so sold on making pies this way in the future- very fun. Love the spikies- great job.
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7

Nikki57 — January 28, 2008 at 4:39 pm

Your LMP looks great! I love the cuppies
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8

CB — January 28, 2008 at 5:22 pm

LMP cuppys rule! ::high five:: love all the pictures of your process… great job!
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9

Marye — January 28, 2008 at 5:29 pm

I really like the little pies everyone is making..now I want to redo mine.blessings,
marye
http://bakingdelights.com
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10

michelle — January 28, 2008 at 7:15 pm

Oh so cute! I had considered trying my second attempt in a cupcake tin… until I waited until the last minute, that is! 🙂
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11

ruthEbabes — January 28, 2008 at 9:27 pm

Congrats! These look fabulously divine!
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12

Butta Buns — January 28, 2008 at 9:40 pm

Ah ha, another fellow Boston baker! Your tarts are beautiful! Love the peaks on the meringue!
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13

How To Eat A Cupcake — January 28, 2008 at 10:19 pm

Those are so perfect!

PS: I have those red measuring bowls. I love them! 😀
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14

I(dot)J — January 28, 2008 at 11:49 pm

so SMART to have all of your ingredients out FIRST. I really should know this by now.
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15

Dolores — January 29, 2008 at 1:52 am

Ooooh, I love your cupcake-pies. How’d you make the meringue spikey?

And what did the husband think of the final product?
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16

breadchick — January 29, 2008 at 2:00 am

your little ones are adorable. Great job on your challenge!!
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17

MrsPresley — January 29, 2008 at 2:35 am

your lemon meringue cupcakes are so cute! job well done! 🙂
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18

Beth G. — January 29, 2008 at 2:36 am

They’re so cute!! Great job!! :O)
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19

kate — January 29, 2008 at 2:54 am

i had that crust shrinkage problem too. it’s a bummer.

———-
kate
http://www.thecleanplateclub.net
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20

Jen — January 29, 2008 at 2:58 am

Dolores – I just spread the meringue around and then using a spatula, pressed it into the meringue and pulled it out and voila! Spikes!
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21

Andrea — January 29, 2008 at 3:06 am

Your little cupcakes are adorable! That was a great idea!
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22

Princess of the kitchen — January 29, 2008 at 7:32 am

Your little tarts lok just lovely. well done!
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23

Big Boys Oven — January 29, 2008 at 8:31 am

a challenge executed incrediblely well!
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24

Deborah — January 29, 2008 at 3:54 pm

They look just perfect!!
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25

Candace — January 29, 2008 at 4:10 pm

Nice job!
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26

Megan — January 29, 2008 at 7:34 pm

Too cute! Love the cupcakes. I want one!
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27

Carrie — January 30, 2008 at 12:02 am

My crust did the same thing! Your cupcakes look great though!
~Carrie from bakersbakery.wordpress.com
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28

Lane — January 30, 2008 at 6:35 am

Your “pie-cups” look perfect. Great job!

Jane of VeganBits.com
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29

Lunch Buckets — January 30, 2008 at 6:48 am

Very cute! Did you turn away and silently mock your husband “my mom makes a great…”, no of course you wouldn’t have, I must be projecting 🙂
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30

Sheltie Girl — January 30, 2008 at 3:19 pm

You did a wonderful job on your lemon meringue tarts!

Natalie @ Gluten A Go Go

~ We’re lactose intolerant at our house too.
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31

Quellia — January 30, 2008 at 5:27 pm

Nice cupcakes! And if it makes you feel any better, I’ve been a DB’er for a year and friends and family, all non-bloggers, always know what I’m making. They kinda have to since I always tape the recipe up on the kitchen cupboards!
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32

creampuff — January 30, 2008 at 8:52 pm

Yayy! I love reading success posts like this! They look great and that’s a good idea to bake them in muffin tins. Well done!
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33

BrineS — January 31, 2008 at 7:22 am

I love your little lemon meringues!
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34

Jen Yu — January 31, 2008 at 5:53 pm

Awesome! I love how differently everyone’s turned out, but these little cuties are so adorable 🙂 Great job!!
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35

Claire — February 1, 2008 at 1:34 am

So cute! I’m sure everyone enjoyed you addition to the spread!
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36

Jigginjessica — February 2, 2008 at 4:31 pm

I love cupcake idea. One big pie seems so messy, these seem neat and tidy. Congrats on another successful challenge!
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37

Jelli Bean — August 20, 2009 at 3:09 pm

The shrinking crust always affects my mini cupcake pies too. The trick is to make them overhang the cups enough so that they shrink down to just the right size. Your little pies are darling!
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38

kijiji in edmonton canada — September 14, 2013 at 11:12 pm

It’s awesome for me to have a website, which is helpful in
favor of my know-how. thanks admin

Gingerbread Apple Upside Down Cake