🍂Autumn’s Sweetest🍂🍎Rewards🍏
As the weather gets cooler, the days get shorter and we all find ourselves spending a little more time inside. That’s when its fun to bake. This dessert says autumn has arrived! From the divine caramelized apples with bourbon to the rustic way its baked, right in a cast iron pan. This Upside Down Bourbon Apple Cake with Cinnamon Whipped Cream is the bees knees! You’re going to love it! I mean, 🍏+🥃+🍰=❤️! The cake is not too sweet, it gets most of it’s sweetness from the caramelized fruit and the cornmeal gives the cake a rustic texture.
My dad’s favorite dessert was a pineapple upside down cake. I would make one for him for his birthday 🎂 every year. What’s not to love about a 🍍pineapple upside down cake? Not a thing, but this Upside Down Bourbon Apple Cake with Cinnamon Whipped Cream is next level fall-flavor “fabulousness”! I’m sure my bourbon loving dad would approve. Serve it still warm from the oven, with the creamy cinnamon whipped cream….Oh, boy! This is the kind of cake that tastes best the day its made and right out of the oven, nice and warm. But if you do have leftovers, heat them up before serving and remember, like cornbread, cornmeal cakes get dry quickly. Here’s how I made it!
Apples and Caramel and Bourbon, Oh My!
Wash, core and slice 1-2 apples 🍏 to about 1/4 inch thickness. If you find apple peels to be “unappealing”, you can peel the apples ahead of slicing them, otherwise, save a step and leave them on. Squeeze a little lemon juice on the apples to keep them from turning brown. Set aside.
Preheat your oven to 350°. Right on the cook top, place a 10 inch cast iron skillet 🍳 over medium heat. To the pan, add 1/2 cup of granulated sugar and 1/4 cup of water. Increase the heat and let the mixture come to a boil, do not stir, just allow all the sugar to melt.
Remove from the heat. Be careful that the mixture does not burn. Keep a careful watch and be sure to remove it from the heat as soon as all the sugar has melted and it has turned amber brown. It takes about 4-5 minutes on medium heat. Add 1/4 cup of unsalted butter to melt and 3 tablespoons bourbon. Remove from the heat.
Arrange sliced apples in a decorative pattern over the melted caramel. Cover the entire bottom of the pan with the apples, overlapping to cover.
The Bourbon Apple Cake with Cinnamon Whipped Cream
In a medium sized bowl, add 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, 3/4 cup coarse, yellow cornmeal, 1 tablespoon of baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger and 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves. Whisk to combine and set aside.
Into the bowl of your mixer, add 1 cup softened butter and 1 cup sugar. Mix on medium high until light and fluffy and pale yellow. Next, add 3 large eggs, one at a time, until completely incorporated. Add the zest of 1 freshly grated lemon zest, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1/4 cup bourbon.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet, adding a total of 1 cup of buttermilk and mix just until combined. Don’t over mix or the cake will become tough, then carefully pour the batter over the top the fruit in the pan.
Spread the batter evenly on top, then bake for 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Let the pan cool, then invert by placing a plate on top of the pan and carefully turning it over. This cakes comes out of the pan easily.
Cinnamon Whipped Cream
In a medium sized chilled bowl, add 1 cup whipping cream. Start the mixer on low, then slowly increase the speed. Beat on medium high or high, depending on the type of mixer you have. Mine is turbo fast, so it rarely goes above medium high. When the cream is starting to get thick, add 1 tablespoon of confectioners sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. Mix until soft folds. Remove from the bowl and serve with the warm cake…Yum! (PS, if you want to add a little bourbon to the whipped cream, I won’t tell a soul!
Upside Down Bourbon Apple Cake with Cinnamon Whipped Cream
Ingredients
For the Topping
- 1-2 granny smith apples
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons bourbon
For the Cake
- 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup coarse yellow cornmeal
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup of bourbon
- zest of 1 lemon
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup butter, softened
For the Cinnamon Whipped Cream
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon confectioners sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Wash, core and slice apples to about 1/4 inch thickness. If the apple peels bother you, you can peel the apples before slicing them. Put them into a bowl, then squeeze a little lemon juice on the apples to keep them from turning brown, toss to coat. Set aside.
- Preheat your oven to 350°. Right on the cook top, place a 12 inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. To the pan, add 1/2 cup of granulated sugar and 1/4 cup of water. Increase the heat and let the mixture come to a boil, do not stir, just allow all the sugar to melt. Remove from the heat. Be careful that the mixture does not burn. Keep a careful watch and be sure to remove it from the heat as soon as all the sugar has melted. Add 1/4 cup of butter to melt and 3 tablespoons bourbon. Stir to combine.
- Arrange sliced apples in a decorative pattern. Cover the entire bottom of the pan with the apples, overlapping to cover.
The Cake
- In a medium sized bowl, add 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, 3/4 cup coarse, yellow cornmeal, 1 tablespoon of baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger and 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves. Whisk to combine and set aside.
- Into the bowl of your mixer, add 1 cup softened butter and 1 cup sugar. Mix on medium high until light and fluffy and pale yellow. Next, add 3 large eggs, one at a time, until completely incorporated. Add zest of freshly grated lemon zest, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1/4 cup bourbon.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet along with 1 cup of buttermilk. Mix until just combined, don't over mix or the cake will become tough when baked, then add the batter to top the fruit in the pan. Spread the batter evenly on top, then bake for 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Let the pan cool, then invert by placing a plate on top of the pan and carefully turning it over.
Cinnamon Whipped Cream
- In a medium sized chilled bowl, add 1 cup whipping cream. Start the mixer on low, then slowly increase the speed. Beat on medium high or high, depending on the type of mixer you have. Mine is turbo fast, so it rarely goes above medium high. When the cream is starting to get thick, add 1 tablespoon of confectioners sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. Mix until soft folds. Remove from the bowl and serve just to the side of the sliced cake.
Karen Harris https://www.bittersaltysoursweet.com
