Apple Upside-Down Cake

[Have you ever heard of Americas Test Kitchen?  If you haven't heard of them, you should definitely check out their website or their cookbooks.  Americas Test Kitchen is a show on PBS (or you local broadcast station) that test recipes to find just the right balance of ingredients for each recipe. They also do reviews of products and brands to find the best value cooking products on the market.

This Apple-Upside Down Cake recipe came from America's Test Kitchen website.  You have to register in order to use the website, but think it will be worth your time to register. Every recipe I have tried from them has turned out great. 

As far as the Apple-Upside Down Cake goes?  It was delicious.  I added cinnamon to the recipe, which the recipe did not originally call for,  and I thought it added a nice flavor to the cake.  I particularly like my cake when it was warm, and topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of fresh whipping cream. ] 

Apple Upside-Down Cake

Topping:

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces

4 Granny Smith apples or Golden Delicious (about 2 pounds), peeled and cored

2/3 cup packed light brown sugar

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Cake:

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

1/2 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Butter bottom and sides of 9-inch round*, 2-inch-deep nonstick cake pan; set aside. Adjust oven rack to lowest position* and heat oven to 350 degrees.

Halve apples from pole to pole. Cut 2 apples into 1/4-inch-thick slices; set aside. Cut remaining 2 apples into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Heat butter in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. When foaming subsides, add 1/2-inch-thick apple slices and cook, stirring 2 or 3 times, until apples begin to caramelize, 4 to 6 minutes. (Do not fully cook apples.). Add 1/4-inch-thick apple slices, brown sugar, and lemon juice; continue cooking, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves and apples are coated, about 1 minute longer. Transfer apple mixture to prepared pan and lightly press into even layer. Set aside while preparing cake.

Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon together in medium bowl; set aside. Whisk granulated sugar, brown sugar, and eggs together in large bowl until thick and homogeneous, about 45 seconds. Slowly whisk in butter until combined. Add sour cream and vanilla; whisk until combined. Add flour mixture and whisk until just combined. Pour batter into pan and spread evenly over fruit. Bake until cake is golden brown and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes.

Cool pan on wire rack 20 minutes. Run paring knife around sides of cake to loosen. Place wire rack over cake pan. Holding rack tightly, invert cake pan and wire rack together; lift off cake pan. Place wire rack over baking sheet or large plate to catch any drips. If any fruit sticks to pan bottom, remove and position it on top of cake. Let cake cool 20 minutes (or longer to cool it completely), then transfer to serving platter, cut into pieces, and serve.

*I used an 8-inch glass pan and I baked mine on the middle rack of the oven with no problems.

Adapted from Americas Test Kitchen