Name: High Altitude Sticky Toffee Apple Upside Down Cake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup brown sugar (packed); 4 TB salted butter; 2 medium apples (a firm variety such as Honeycrisp, Gala, or Fuji), cored and sliced 1/4″ thick (no need to peel); 1/2 cup (8 TB, 1 stick) unsalted butter; 1 1/4 cup + 2 TB all-purpose flour; 1/4 cup brown sugar (packed); 1/4 tsp baking soda; 1/2 tsp baking powder; 3/4 tsp kosher salt; 2 tsp ground cinnamon; 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg; 3/4 cup buttermilk*; 3 large eggs; 1 tsp vanilla extract (not imitation)

Description

This easy High Altitude Sticky Toffee Apple Upside Down cake features a delightful fluffy, spicy yellow cake with a gooey brown sugar-apple topping.

Ingredients

Scale

TOPPING

1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)
4 TB salted butter
2 medium apples (a firm variety such as Honeycrisp, Gala, or Fuji), cored and sliced 1/4″ thick (no need to peel)

CAKE

1/2 cup (8 TB, 1 stick) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cup + 2 TB all-purpose flour
1/4 cup brown sugar (packed)
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
3/4 cup buttermilk*
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract (not imitation)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter a round cake pan or deep-dish pie plate.
Make the brown sugar topping: in a medium skillet, melt the 4 TB butter; add the brown sugar. Stir until combined (the sugar does not need to dissolve completely; you just want the two well-combined). Pour this syrupy mixture into the bottom of the buttered pan and arrange the apple slices evenly over it (this can be done in a decorative pattern or just a jumble – just make sure you cover the bottom of the pan evenly).
Brown the butter for the cake batter. Wipe out the same skillet you used for the topping and melt the stick of butter over medium heat, watching it carefully as it foams and then begins to turn a fragrant, nutty brown. Keep a very close eye on this process, as it takes mere seconds to go from browned to burned! As soon as you see brown solids begin to form on the bottom of the pan, remove it from the heat to let the residual heat finish the browning. Set aside to cool slightly (if the butter is very brown, pour it into a separate bowl to stop the cooking).
In a medium-large bowl, whisk the flour, 1/4 cup brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices until combined.
In a separate bowl, add the buttermilk and beat in the eggs until combined. The mixture may look a little curdled, but don’t be alarmed – it will come together in the next step. Stir in the melted brown butter along with the vanilla and beat until well-incorporated.
Add the buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined – overbeating can lead to a tougher texture. Pour the batter into the pan on top of the apples and smooth to even the surface.
Bake the cake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes, until the top is golden and the edges are beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan. Be careful not to overbake to avoid dryness.
Remove cake from the oven, let it sit for about a minute, and then place a large plate or platter on top of the pan and, using hot pads or oven mitts to protect your hands, carefully flip the pan over. Slip the pan off the cake and admire your handiwork.
The cake is delicious served warm, and is also fabulous at room temperature, with a dollop of whipped cream.
Store leftovers in an airtight container or wrap securely in plastic wrap to avoid drying out.

Notes

… if you don’t have any buttermilk on hand, you can add a tablespoon of lemon juice to 3/4 cup of regular milk. Powdered buttermilk is also a great shelf-stable option.