Warm Apple Cornmeal Upside Down Cake Food

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.

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.

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 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 UPSIDE DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• FOR THE TOPPING: Butter bottom and sides of 9-inch round, 2-inch-deep nonstick cake pan; set aside. Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Halve apples from pole to pole. Cut 2 apples into 1/4-inch-thick slices; set aside. Cut remaining 2 apples into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Heat butter in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. When foaming subsides, add 1/2-inch-thick apple slices and cook, stirring 2 or 3 times, until apples begin to caramelize, 4 to 6 minutes. (Do not fully cook apples.) Add 1/4-inch-thick apple slices, brown sugar, and lemon juice; continue cooking, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves and apples are coated, about 1 minute longer. Transfer apple mixture to prepared pan and lightly press into even layer. Set aside while preparing cake.
• FOR THE CAKE: Whisk flour, cornmeal (if using), baking powder, and salt together in medium bowl; set aside. Whisk granulated sugar, brown sugar, and eggs together in large bowl until thick and homogeneous, about 45 seconds. Slowly whisk in butter until combined. Add sour cream and vanilla; whisk until combined. Add flour mixture and whisk until just combined. Pour batter into pan and spread evenly over fruit. Bake until cake is golden brown and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes.
• Cool pan on wire rack 20 minutes. Run paring knife around sides of cake to loosen. Place wire rack over cake pan. Holding rack tightly, invert cake pan and wire rack together; lift off cake pan. Place wire rack over baking sheet or large plate to catch any drips. If any fruit sticks to pan bottom, remove and position it on top of cake. Let cake cool 20 minutes (or longer to cool it completely), then transfer to serving platter, cut into pieces, and serve.