Apple Upside Down Cornmeal Cakes Recipes

PINEAPPLE UPSIDE-DOWN CORNMEAL CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a microwave-proof dish, bring the milk to a boil. Remove the milk from the microwave and add the cornmeal. Stir and let soak at room temperature for 30 minutes. Set aside.
• Melt the butter in a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the brown sugar and stir until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and carefully place 1 slice of pineapple in the center of the pan. Place the other 5 slices around the center slice in a circle. Place the cherries in the centers of the pineapple slices and sprinkle the nuts evenly over the fruit. Drizzle pineapple juice over top.
• Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
• In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the sugar to the eggs and whisk to combine. Add the canola oil and whisk. Add the cornmeal and milk mixture to the egg mixture and whisk to combine. Add this to the flour and stir just until combined. Pour the batter over the fruit in the skillet and bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 30 minutes in the skillet. Set a platter on top of the skillet and carefully invert the cake. Serve.

WARM APPLE-CORNMEAL UPSIDE DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter 9-inch-diameter cake pan with 1 1/2-inch-high sides; line pan with 10-inch-diameter parchment paper round (parchment will come 1/2 inch up sides of pan). Butter parchment. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in 10-inch-diameter nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 1/2 cup sugar and cook until sugar dissolves and mixture turns deep golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 6 minutes. Add apple wedges and gently shake skillet to distribute caramel evenly. Cover and cook until apples release their juices, about 5 minutes. Uncover and cook until apples are tender and caramel thickens and coats apples, stirring occasionally, about 13 minutes. Transfer apples and caramel syrup to prepared cake pan, spreading evenly.
• Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in small bowl to blend. Place cornmeal in large bowl; pour 1/2 cup boiling water over and stir to blend. Add 6 tablespoons butter and 3/4 cup sugar to cornmeal mixture. Using electric mixer, beat until well blended. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Beat in flour mixture alternately with milk in 2 additions each. Pour batter over apples in pan.
• Bake cake until golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool cake in pan 5 minutes. Run small knife between cake and pan sides to loosen cake. Carefully invert cake onto ovenproof or microwavable platter and peel off parchment. Cool 15 minutes. (Cake can be made up to 6 hours ahead. Rewarm in 350°F oven about 10 minutes or microwave on medium just until slightly warm, about 2 minutes.)
• Cut cake into wedges, place on plates, and serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

APPLE UPSIDE-DOWN CORNMEAL CAKES

Steps:

• Put oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 425°F. Butter muffin cups. Peel and core apples, then cut into 1/3-inch dice.
• Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until foam subsides, then cook apples, brown sugar, and lemon juice, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced to a glaze and apples are tender, 5 to 6 minutes.
• Stir in walnuts and divide apple mixture among muffin cups.
• Pulse together flour, cornmeal, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt in a food processor until combined. Add remaining 4 tablespoons butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal with some small (roughly pea-size) butter lumps.
• Whisk together egg and milk in a large bowl. Add flour mixture and whisk until just combined.
• Divide batter among muffin cups and bake until golden and a wooden pick or skewer inserted into center of a cake comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Run a paring knife around edge of each cake to loosen. Invert rack over muffin cups, then invert cakes onto rack. Serve warm with a dollop of whipped cream.

CARAMEL APPLE UPSIDE-DOWN CORNMEAL CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F
• Melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat in a 10 inch oven-proof skillet. Add apples and stir 5 minutes until tender. Remove from skillet.
• In same skillet, combine remaining butter and brown sugar. Cook and stir over medium heat until butter melts. Bring to boiling.
• Remove from heat. Stir in milk.
• Sprinkle with pecans and cranberries. Arrange apple slices on top.
• In bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, combine cornmeal, water, and 1/4 cup melted butter. Stir in eggs and vanilla.
• Combine with flour mixture just until mixed. Pour over apples.
• Bake 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Invert, and serve warm.

APPLE CRANBERRY UPSIDE-DOWN CAKES

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook the apples, brown sugar and lemon juice in butter over medium heat until apples are tender. Stir in cranberries and pecans. Divide mixture evenly and place in 3 greased 6-1/2-in. cast-iron skillets., In a large bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. In a small bowl, whisk the buttermilk, oil and egg. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Pour over apple mixture., Bake at 400° until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 14-18 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edges of cakes to loosen. Cool for 3 minutes before inverting onto serving plates., In a small bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add sour cream and confectioners' sugar; beat until soft peaks form. Serve with warm cakes.

CARAMEL APPLE UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Spray an 8- or 9-inch round cake pan with nonstick spray.
• Combine butter and brown sugar for topping in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until butter has melted and mixture begins to simmer gently, 3 to 4 minutes. Don't let the caramel mixture come to a boil; just allow it to bubble gently for a couple of minutes so it can thicken slightly.
• Pour into the prepared cake pan, then arrange apple slices all around the pan as desired. Place in the refrigerator so the topping can set while you prepare the cake.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Whisk flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl.
• Beat butter, sugar, and brown sugar in a separate bowl with an electric mixer until light in color and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes, scraping down the bottom and sides as needed. Blend in eggs, incorporating slowly and scraping down the sides again, as needed. Mix in vanilla. Add in dry ingredients on low speed, blending just until combined; batter will be thick.
• Remove the cake pan from the refrigerator. Gently spread the thick batter over the topping, trying not to disturb the apples too much.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and set on a cooling rack for 15 minutes.
• Place a plate over the top of the pan, then carefully invert it, allowing the cake to release from the pan onto the plate. Let cake cool completely to room temperature, 45 minutes to an hour; the top can be fairly soft and may not cut cleanly while it is still warm.