Apple Upside Down Cake

We went apple picking over Columbus Day Weekend, so now we have a half-bushel to use up. We are planning on making applesauce, but we want to wait until the apples are mushy and un-usable in other things, but still fine to make applesauce with. I was searching for recipes for baked goods on the internet to help us use them up, and I came across this recipe on About. I had everything I needed to make it, so I decided to go for it. I had never made an upside down cake, so I wasn't sure how they were made. I spread the butter, sugar, and cream mixture on the bottom of the pan, arranged the apples on it (no peeling! yes!), poured the batter over it and stuck it in the oven. Thirty-five minutes later, it smelled wonderful and the caramel was bubbling around the sides of the cake. Yum!

I waited for a bit because the caramel seemed to be liquid, and after the cake cooled off almost totally (we couldn't wait until it was totally cool, it smelled so good!), the caramel had hardened a bit but was still quite soft. I flipped the cake and found that some of the caramel was still liquid and some of the apples had gotten moved around. But, other than that, it looked great. We tasted it and were amazed. Trust me, it tastes much better than it looks. It was rated A++! 

If you, like me, have apples to use up, go make this cake. You won't regret it! Enjoy!

Oh, and if you're wondering what the next thing I'm posting is, I'll just tell you its a TWD rewind. Or two. And some ice cream. Yum! Stay tuned! 

Apple Upside Down Cake (About.com)

1/2 cup butter

1 cup light brown sugar

2 tablespoons evaporated milk or cream

2 cups sliced apples (I used two medium)

1 1/2 cups sifted flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup shortening

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350F. 

Mix together butter, brown sugar, and evaporated milk or cream; spread in the bottom of a greased 8-inch square baking pan. 

Arrange apple slices on the mixture.

Sift together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. 

Cream shortening with sugar.

Beat in egg.

Add sifted ingredients alternately with milk and vanilla.

Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until cake tests as done.

Pour batter over apples.