Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake
Caramel Apples
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
¾ cups granulated sugar
1 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp corn syrup
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
¼ cup heavy cream
1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
¼ tsp Fleur de Sel Sea Salt
3 large Granny Smith apples
Cake
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp Chai Baking Spice Blend
¼ tsp Fleur de Sel Sea Salt
½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
¾ cup packed light or dark brown sugar
3 Tbsp Cinnamon Apple Crisp Sugar
2 large eggs
1/3 cup buttermilk
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch round cake pan with 1 Tablespoon of butter; set aside.
Prepare Caramel. To a medium saucepot add sugar, water, and corn syrup; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves and the mixture turns medium amber in color, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in butter. While whisking, slowly add cream until combined (mixture will bubble up); stir in vanilla bean paste. Pour caramel into the prepared cake pan; sprinkle with sea salt and allow to set, about 30 minutes.
Prepare Apples. Peel, core, and halve apples, then slice into ½-inch wedges. Arrange slices in the pan atop the prepared caramel, overlapping so all the caramel surface is covered; set aside.
Prepare Cake. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, spice blend, and sea salt; set aside. In a separate mixing bowl, using a hand mixer, beat together butter and sugars until thoroughly combined. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. On low speed, gradually add the flour mixture until just combined, followed by the buttermilk. Do not overmix. Pour batter over the apples and smooth top of surface to ensure even baking. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes before inverting.
Invert. Place a serving plate upside-down on top of the cake pan. Wearing an oven mitt, firmly hold the cake pan and invert it quickly onto the plate. Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing. If having difficulty inverting because the caramel has cooled, rest the pan in a shallow amount of hot water to soften the caramel, about 5 minutes.
Prepare Caramel. To a medium saucepot add sugar, water, and corn syrup; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves and the mixture turns medium amber in color, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in butter. While whisking, slowly add cream until combined (mixture will bubble up); stir in vanilla bean paste. Pour caramel into the prepared cake pan; sprinkle with sea salt and allow to set, about 30 minutes.
Prepare Apples. Peel, core, and halve apples, then slice into ½-inch wedges. Arrange slices in the pan atop the prepared caramel, overlapping so all the caramel surface is covered; set aside.
Prepare Cake. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, spice blend, and sea salt; set aside. In a separate mixing bowl, using a hand mixer, beat together butter and sugars until thoroughly combined. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. On low speed, gradually add the flour mixture until just combined, followed by the buttermilk. Do not overmix. Pour batter over the apples and smooth top of surface to ensure even baking. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes before inverting.
Invert. Place a serving plate upside-down on top of the cake pan. Wearing an oven mitt, firmly hold the cake pan and invert it quickly onto the plate. Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing. If having difficulty inverting because the caramel has cooled, rest the pan in a shallow amount of hot water to soften the caramel, about 5 minutes.