Doing a little more experimenting with “upside down” desserts, this time plain old apples, but the batter also has toasted walnuts for a bit more flavor, and made in a bundt pan. I was actually afraid that this one wouldn’t release as well, and that I might have a disaster on my hands, but it inverted and released quite nicely and it tuned out ok. The cake itself isn’t as moist as I would like though, so might have to serve with some whipped cream. Just a little Sunday afternoon snack at coffee time.
Ingredients
for the topping
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 medium apples, such as honey crisp, pink lady or granny smith
for the cake
1 cup walnuts, toasted
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup vegetable oil
You will also need a 10-cup plain bundt pan and a parchment round cut to fit
Directions
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300F. Grease the bundt pan liberally and line bottom with parchment paper. Pour melted butter over bottom of pan and swirl to evenly coat. Combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt in small bowl and sprinkle evenly over melted butter. Peel, core and cut apples to 8ths.
Pulse walnuts, flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in food processor until walnuts are finely ground, 8 to 10 pulses. Transfer walnut mixture to bowl. Process eggs and sugar in now-empty processor until very pale yellow, about 2 minutes. With processor running, add melted butter and oil in steady stream until incorporated. Add walnut mixture and pulse to combine, 4 to 5 pulses. Pour batter evenly over the apples.
Bake until center of cake is set and bounces back when gently pressed and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 42-45 minutes, rotating pan after 40 minutes. Let cake cool in pan on wire rack for 1 hour. Carefully run paring knife or offset spatula around sides of pan. Invert cake onto wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet; discard parchment. Let cake cool for about 2 hours. Transfer to serving platter, cut, and serve.
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