Upside-Down Apple Ginger Cake

 

This is a sponsored post. While I was compensated monetarily, all opinions are my own.

It’s been a cold, cold week here in Saskatoon. The temperature has barely crept over -30C, so yeah, that’s very, very cold. I’ve largely been hunkering down inside my little house, and the oven has been working overtime. There have been roasts with herbaceous veg snuggled up beside them; cookies with puddles of chocolate; muffins burst with bananas. But, my favourite thing to come out of my gas range has been this Upside-Down Apple Ginger Cake, made with beautiful JAZZ apples. I am super thrilled to be included with a group of talented creatives across Canada this year with JAZZ Apples to create recipes incorporating their delicious  apples. This year, we made a recipe based on a “mystery ingredient” chosen for us by another group member. Mine was ginger, selected by the incredibly talented photographer/stylist/blogger Debi Traub from @simplybeautifuleating from Toronto, Ontario. 

I adore apples, and this beautiful JAZZ variety is known for its refreshing flavour as well as its distinctive crunch. They’re delicious as a healthy snack on their own as well as when used to jazz up cooking, baking, salads or drinks. They’re perfect for using in both sweet and savoury recipes. Ginger is a great partner for apples in baked goods, so I created this super simple and mega delicious Upside-Down Apple Ginger Cake. 

There are so many good things happening here: browned butter, a little bit of whiskey, creamy buttermilk, and three types of ginger. The JAZZ™ apples were a joy to bake with as they are fragrant and tangy-sweet. They held their shape well as they simmered in an aromatic sauce which then got put in the bottom of a cake pan with the batter on top. Once baked, the pan is inverted onto a platter and it’s such a treat to see the warm golden glow of the apples showing off. The apples are baked in terrific toffee goodness, and the ginger did an excellent job of amplifying their fragrant sweetness. When you get a bite of toffee apple and candied ginger, it’s a very good thing. The browned butter and buttermilk ensure a tender crumb, and this pretty snacking cake is fancy enough to serve after dinner, but if you’re a coffee and cake lover like me, I’m happy to report that a slice of this makes a darn fine second breakfast. 

JAZZ™ apples are available from many retailers including Walmart, Sobeys, Loblaws, Costco. Learn more at jazzapple.com @jazzappleus #jazzapple 

Upside-Down Apple Ginger Cake 

Apples: 

2 JAZZ apples, cored and cut into 1/2-inch slices (peeling optional)

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

3 Tbsp whiskey or apple juice

2 Tbsp salted butter

10 small slices of candied ginger

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/8 tsp salt

CAKE

1/2 cup salted butter, plus more for greasing the pan

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground cardamom

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1/3 cup buttermilk, at room temperature

2 tsp grated fresh ginger

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the rack in the centre of the oven. Butter an 8-inch square baking dish.

2. Stir together the apple slices, brown sugar, whiskey, butter, ginger, vanilla, and salt in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the juices thicken. Cook for 5 minutes, then remove 9 of the slices and place them into the prepared pan (3 rows of 3). Remove the other slices and save them for another snack for another time (they’re great on yogurt). Place the pan back on medium heat and cook the syrup for 1 more minute. Pour the thickened syrup over the apples in the prepared baking dish.

3. To make the cake, heat the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. The butter will froth and bubble and then turn golden. (It’s okay to give it a bit of a stir.) When it starts to brown and smell nutty, remove it from the heat and let it cool to room temperature.

4. Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, cardamon and salt in another bowl and set aside.

5. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together the brown butter, brown sugar and vanilla on high speed for 1 minute. Add 1 egg at a time, mixing on high speed and scraping the bowl between additions. On low speed, alternate adding the dry ingredients with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Continue on low speed, mixing the batter until it’s smooth and add the grated fresh ginger. Pour the batter on top of the apple mixture, smoothing the top with a spatula.

6. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the cake is golden and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and let it rest in the pan for 5 minutes on a wire rack. Carefully, using oven mitts, place a large platter on top of the skillet and quickly invert the cake onto it. Leave it for a minute or two. If any apples stick to the dish, pick them off and place them on the cake.

7. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. This can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Serves 6.