gingerbread apple cake

More cake! This one was a bit of a gamble (why do I always gamble when feeding the masses, and not when I'm cooking an entire cake for myself at home?). I was feeling a little safer as the recipe came from Deb from Smitten Kitchen (as did the potato tart below). Deb's recipes are always fairly reliable, but in her photos the cake looked a little low and a little.... brown.

But ginger and apple cake sounds lovely so I went ahead with it anyway. And am I glad I did, this one was more popular than the vanilla chocolate cheesecake I'll be posting soon. Anything that can beat cheesecake must be good. I tried to keep this one warm, but I think it just ended up making it a little soft, as it steamed itself sitting side it's cosy in my office. But I was told the corner pieces, where the caramel base had leaked through and burnt a little, was the best bit. I recommend serving this warm and with a little pouring cream.

Gingerbread Apple Upside-Down Cake
Serves 12

Topping
60g butter, plus extra for greasing pan
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
Pinch of salt
4 apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/4-inch wedges

Cake Batter
125gm butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/3 cup dark molasses
1/3 cup honey
1 cup buttermilk
2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Very softly whipped cream

Make the topping: Preheat the oven to 160°C. Grease a 10-inch cake pan. Melt butter in a small saucepan. Add brown sugar and simmer over moderate heat, stirring, four minutes, then swirl in salt. Remove from heat and pour into the bottom of your cake pan. Make circles of overlapping apple slices on top of the caramel. Chop any remaining slices and place them in the gaps.

Make the batter: Using a mixer, blend 1/2 cup butter and the sugar on medium-low speed. Increase the speed to high and cream until light and fluffy.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, molasses, honey and buttermilk. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger and cinnamon. Alternate mixing the flour and molasses mixtures into the butter mixture, adding the next once the last has been incorporated.

Pour the batter into the pan. Bake at least 45 to 50 minutes or until a wooden tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool on a rack for 10 to 15 minutes, then turn out onto a platter.

Serve warm or cool with very softly whipped cream.