Best Apple Walnut Upside Down Cake Recipes

APPLE WALNUT UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE WITH CALVADOS CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Make topping:
• Peel, core, and quarter apples.
• In a well-seasoned 10 1/4 by 2-inch cast-iron skillet or a 10- by 2-inch non-stick skillet melt butter over moderately low heat just until melted (butter should not separate). Stir in sugar until combined well. Arrange apple quarters decoratively, cut sides up, in skillet and sprinkle walnuts evenly in between apples. Cook mixture, undisturbed, 25 to 35 minutes, or until apples are tender in centers and sugar is a golden caramel.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Make cake batter while topping is cooking:
• Peel apple and chop fine.
• In a bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
• In another bowl with an electric mixer beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and ginger and add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in sour cream and with mixer on low speed beat in flour mixture gradually until just combined. Fold chopped apple into batter.
• Remove skillet from heat and spoon batter evenly over topping. With a metal spatula spread batter (being careful not to disturb topping), leaving a 1/4-inch border of cooked apples uncovered. If using a non-stick skillet with a plastic handle, wrap handle in a double thickness of foil. Put skillet in a shallow baking pan and bake cake in middle of oven 25 to 35 minutes, or until a tester comes out with crumbs adhering and cake is golden brown. Cool cake in skillet on a rack 10 minutes. Run a thin knife around edge of skillet and carefully invert cake onto a plate.
• Serve cake warm or at room temperature with caramel sauce and whipped cream.
• To make Calvados caramel sauce:
• In a dry heavy saucepan (about 2 quarts) cook sugar over moderate heat, stirring with a fork, until melted and cook without stirring, swirling pan, until a golden caramel. Remove pan from heat and carefully add water and brandy down side of pan (caramel will bubble and steam). Return pan to heat and simmer, stirring, until caramel is dissolved. Stir in butter. Sauce may be made 3 days ahead and chilled, covered. Reheat sauce to warm before serving.
• Makes about 1 1/4 cups.

APPLE-WALNUT UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Place a rack in middle of oven and preheat to 350°F. Spread out walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet and toast, tossing once, until golden brown, 10-12 minutes. Let cool.
• Meanwhile, heat a 10" ovenproof skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium. Add 2 Tbsp. butter and swirl to coat; arrange apple halves cut sides down in a single layer in skillet. Cook apples, undisturbed, rotating skillet on burner as needed for even browning, until cut sides are golden brown, 5-10 minutes (the timing depends on the juiciness of the apples; juicier apples will take longer). Turn apples over and cook on rounded sides just until they start to release their juices and the tip of a knife slides through with slight resistance, about 5 minutes. Transfer apples to a plate, arrange cut sides up, and let cool.
• Add ¼ cup brown sugar and 1 Tbsp. water to skillet and set over medium heat. Stir with a wooden spoon or heatproof rubber spatula until sugar is dissolved, then cook, swirling skillet occasionally (do not stir at this point), until thick and bubbling in a thin layer, about 1 minute. Let caramel cool in skillet.
• Meanwhile, pulse toasted walnuts, flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg, and 1½ tsp. cinnamon in a food processor until combined and nuts are finely ground. Transfer walnut mixture to a medium bowl.
• Combine granulated sugar, remaining ¼ cup brown sugar, and remaining 8 Tbsp. butter in food processor (no need to wash it) and process in long pulses until mixture is light and smooth. Add eggs and vanilla and process in long pulses, scraping down sides of processor once, until mixture is smooth. Add half of walnut mixture and pulse to combine, then add yogurt and pulse just until incorporated. Add remaining walnut mixture and pulse just to combine.
• Arrange apple halves cut sides down over cooled caramel in skillet, spacing evenly. Fold batter a few times with spatula, scraping sides to make sure everything is well mixed. Scrape batter over apples and work into spaces around apples. Smooth surface (it's okay if there's only a thin layer of batter in places; it will rise in the oven).
• Bake cake until it is browned across the entire surface and the center springs back when gently pressed, 30-40 minutes. Let cake cool in skillet 10 minutes, then run an offset spatula or a small knife around the sides of the pan to loosen. Set a wire rack upside down on skillet and flip over to release cake; carefully remove skillet. If any apples or cake stick to skillet, scrape them off and press back onto the top of the cake.
• Serve cake warm or room temperature. Slice into wedges and top with dollops of whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon.
• Do Ahead: Cake can be baked 2 days ahead. Let cool completely. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature.

APPLE-WALNUT UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• For the topping, melt 1 teaspoon of the butter in a medium-size cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the apples and saute until caramelized, about 10 minutes. Combine the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter and the brown sugar in a small saucepan and stir over low heat until melted and well blended. Butter a 10-inch pan with 3-inch sides and spread the brown- sugar mixture in the bottom. Arrange the apple slices in the pan in concentric circles. Set aside.
• For the cake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and beat until light. Mix in the vanilla. In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and walnuts. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture alternately with the milk, mixing just to combine. Spread the batter evenly over the apples. Bake until the cake springs back when touched in the center, about 1 hour. Let stand for 10 minutes and invert onto a cake plate. Let cool. Serve slightly warm.

APPLE WALNUT UPSIDE DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Melt 1/2 cup butter for topping. Mix with light brown sugar until creamy. Coat on bottom of 8x8 cake pan (lightly butter or spray the sides of the pan). Sprinkle 1/2 cup chopped walnuts on mixture (more or less to your taste). Layer apples on top of mixture. The 2 cups of apples made two layers for me. Drizzle honey over apples. In mixing bowl, mix yellow cake mix, 3/4 cup melted butter, 3 eggs, and 1 1/4 cup water together until blended. Add in small applesauce packet. This made the cake very moist for me. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, and the rest of the walnuts into the batter and mix thoroughly. I like a lightly spiced flavor, nothing to overwhelm the apples. You could easily add more spice if you would like it. Bake in 350 degree oven for 35-50 minutes, or until cake is done. Let cool. Place tray on top of cake and flip cake out of pan. Slice, and eat! This tastes great with a scoop of ice cream or cool whip. Hope you enjoy!