Warm, nutty, and full of cozy flavor! Cosmic Crisp apples offer the ideal texture and flavor for this upside-down cake recipe. Perfect for any holiday or New Year gathering, this gorgeous cake tastes just as incredible as it looks!
Ingredients
- 10 tablespoons room temperature unsalted butter, divided
- 4 Cosmic Crisp apples, peeled, halved, then cored as shown
- 1 heaping cup toasted pecans
- 1 cup white flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup white sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F
- Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a 10-inch oven-safe skillet over low heat.
- Once melted, add halved/cored apples a couple at a time (work in batches) and cut side down in the butter/skillet. Cook apples for a few minutes each until golden brown on the cut side. Then flip onto the peeled/rounded sides and cook for a few minutes until slightly softened. Carefully transfer to a plate. Repeat with all apples, then set them aside.
- Remove the skillet from the stovetop and wipe clean. Set aside for use later.
- Next, combine pecans, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a high-powered blender or food processor. Pulse until thoroughly combined and nuts are ground. Transfer the pecan mixture to a small bowl.
- Then, in your blender/food processor, combine ¼ cup of brown sugar and white sugar and the remaining 8 tablespoons of butter. Blend/process until combined/smooth.
- Add eggs and vanilla and pulse again to combine.
- Then, add approximately half of the pecan mixture and the yogurt. Again, combine until smooth.
- Add in the remaining pecan mixture and pulse a couple of times. Set mixture aside.
Returning to your skillet, combine remaining brown sugar with one tablespoon of water and cook over medium heat. Stir with a rubber spatula until sugar is completely dissolved and caramel begins to form (it will thicken and become bubbly). - Coat the bottom of the pan with the caramel by working the caramel mixture back and forth. Let it cool slightly before moving on.
- Arrange your sautéed/caramelized apples and cut sides down.
- Transfer batter over top of the apples as evenly as possible, being sure to get batter in between the apple pieces.
- Bake the cake for approximately 35 minutes or until brown and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Once done, please remove it from the oven and cool it for 15 minutes. Then, use a butter knife to loosen the cake from the sides of the skillet, as needed. Place a large plate on top of the skillet and hold it there while flipping. Remove the skillet once the cake is released.
- Serve this cake warm with a dollop (or two!) of whipped cream as desired.
Recipe created by Lunches + Littles for Superfresh Growers.
