Upside-Down Caramel Apple Cake
 
Makes (8-inch) cake
Ingredients
  • CAKE
  • ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened and divided
  • ¼ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
  • 5 thin round slices Gala apple (about 1 large apple), seeded
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1½ cups self-rising flour
  • ½ teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ cup whole buttermilk
  • CARAMEL SAUCE
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup water
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ cup heavy whipping cream, warmed
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°. Spray an 8-inch square cake pan with baking spray with flour; line pan with parchment paper.
  2. For cake: Place 2 tablespoons butter in prepared pan. Place pan in oven until butter is melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle brown sugar over melted butter. Arrange apple slices over brown sugar.
  3. In a large bowl, beat granulated sugar and remaining ½ cup butter with a mixer at medium speed until fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.
  4. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, five-spice powder, salt, nutmeg, and ginger. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just until combined after each addition. Pour batter over apple slices, smoothing top with an offset spatula.
  5. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Run a knife around edges of cake to loosen. Invert cake onto a serving plate.
  6. For sauce: In a small saucepan, heat sugar, ¼ cup water, and salt over high heat, gently swirling pan to combine; cook, without stirring, until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat; carefully stir in warm cream and butter. (Mixture may foam.) Transfer to a heatproof bowl, and let cool. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 days. When ready to use, place in a heatproof bowl, and microwave on high until warmed.
Recipe by Taste of the South at https://tasteofthesouthmagazine.com/upside-down-caramel-apple-cake/