Maple-Apple Upside-Down Skillet Cake

October 6, 2015

Maple-Apple Upside-Down Skillet Cake | Sarcastic Cooking

Last time we spoke, I kind of left things up in the air about the whole apple-picking outing. Well, I am here to say that we went! You guys are smart though, and probably figured that out for yourselves based on the title of this recipe. Mike begrudgingly went apple picking! He, as usual, would like it known for the record, that he still hates fall.

Oh my gosh, and let me tell you, it went swimmingly. The sun was shining, yet it was still a nice crisp fall day. The breeze was just enough to rattle the leaves in the apple trees. Andy listened to me and Mike and even picked some apples from the trees. He posed for pictures in the orchard while munching on an apple. It was the perfect day.

HA!

Um, what is it they say about the best laid plans? The day went nothing like that above magical fairytale of a paragraph. It was a balmy 50 degree day with 40mph winds. The sun was not out and as we were leaving it started raining. Andy did not listen at all unless he was shoving an apple cider doughnut in his face. He just wanted to run and play in the rocky paths along the outskirts of the orchard. The trees were already kind of bare so we picked from pre-picked crates at the end of each row of trees in the orchard.

Maple-Apple Upside-Down Skillet Cake | Sarcastic Cooking

I didn’t even get to sneak in any good snaps for Snapchat! Gahhh! (ps sarcasticcook if you aren’t already following me).

In fact, the orchard wasn’t even charging people the normal entrance fee because it was so miserable outside. We did not take that as a warning and still did our apple thing. I got maybe one or two good pictures of Andy. We all lasted not even an hour and then packed up quickly and got the heck out of the cold.

You know, you look at all these family apple orchard pictures on social media and begin to form this preconceived idea of what your day is going to look like. Stupid, stupid, stupid. The day went not at all as planned, but it was still worth it.

So, if you are planning an outdoor fall activity and are nervous it will not be as picturesque or if you had the same thing happen to you this past weekend with your little ones, just know you’re not alone. But still go. Make the memory. Get your dang apples because in the end you end up with a beautiful mapley cake to show for it.

Oh and maybe a little bit of a cold to boot! Hahaha!

Maple-Apple Upside-Down Skillet Cake

A deceptively easy apple cake topped with a maple caramel sauce that encompasses all the flavors of fall.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 1 , 9-inch cake

Ingredients

  • For the apples:
  • 2 Medium Fuji or Granny Smith Apples peeled, cored and thinly sliced
  • ½ Cup Pure Maple Syrup
  • 4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
  • ½ Cup Firmly Packed Light Brown Sugar
  • ¼ Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
  • ¼ Teaspoon Freshly Grated Nutmeg
  • For the Cake:
  • 1 ½ Cups All Purpose Flour
  • 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
  • ½ Teaspoon Freshly Grated Nutmeg
  • ½ Teaspoon Ground Ginger
  • ½ Teaspoon Salt
  • ¾ Cup Unsalted Butter melted and cooled
  • 2 Large Eggs
  • ¼ Cup Pure Maple Syrup
  • ¾ Cup Packed Light Brown Sugar
  • 1 Fuji or Granny Smith Apple peeled, cored, and grated

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a cast iron skillet or a 9 x 2-inch round baking dish with butter.
  2. Arrange the apple slices in a fanlike circle pattern all over the bottom of the skillet.
  3. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the maple syrup, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix to combine and bring to a simmer. Simmer the sauce while stirring occasionally for four minutes. Remove from heat. Pour half of the mixture over the apples and reserve the remainder for topping the cake at the end.
  4. For the cake, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
  5. In a smaller separate mixing bowl, whisk together the butter, eggs, maple, syrup, brown sugar, and grated apple.
  6. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold together using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until no more flour is visible.
  7. Pour the batter over the apples and use the back of the spoon to gently spread the batter over the apples until they are all covered.
  8. Bake the cake for 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the skillet for five minutes. Run a butter knife along the edges to gently loosen the cake. Invert on to a serving dish. Top with remaining sauce and let cool slightly before slicing and serving.
  9. Recipe from Homemade Decadence

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  • Ashleigh @Dash of Evans
    October 8, 2015 at 9:33 pm

    Oh.My.Gosh. How did I miss this? I’m going to the store (NOT orchard) to get some apples for this. The thought of taking all 3 girls picking kinda makes me twitch. #assholeparent