Food with Passion: Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake

THIS is a new hot off the press recipe from my favourite Irish Chef Clodagh McKenna whom I’ve been a fan off for over a decade.

This cake is the perfect autumnal dessert.

Sweet caramelised apples adorning a light spiced moreish cake.

Served with softly whipped cream and a big mug of tea, is a sheer heavenly experience.

It’s really quick and easy cake to make, that fills the house with yummy inviting smells as it bakes.

I served this for dessert after the Sunday Roast and everybody went back for seconds that’s how good it is!

Ingredients: (serves 6-8)

• Caramelised apples
• 2 brambly cooking apples (peeled, cored and sliced into bite sized pieces)
• 60g unsalted butter
• 150g light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon good vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• Pinch of sea salt

Cake batter

• 200g castor sugar
• 100g light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 120g unsalted softened
• 180ml milk
• 220g plain flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon sea salt

Method:

 

1. Preheat the oven to 180degrees fan and lightly grease a 9 inch spring form cake tin.

 

2. Melt the butter, in a saucepan and add the sugar, vanilla extract, sea salt and cinnamon and cook until thickened on a medium heat for about 4-5 minutes.

 

3. Pour the caramel sauce into the prepared tin and arrange the apple slices on top.

 

4. Using a free standing or cake mixer add to the two sugars with the butter and beat until light and fluffy. Then beat the eggs in, one at a time, and add the vanilla extract.

 

5. Pour in the milk and mixture together then add all the dry ingredients, flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg and mix until combined.

 

6. Pour the cake batter over the apples and bake for an hour in the pre-heated oven.

 

7. One baked, allow the cake to cool in the tin for at least 15 minutes. Use a cake spatula to carefully release the cake from the sides of the tine before inverting onto your serving plate to allow to cool completely before slicing and serving.

This is my favourite time of year for cooking and baking. I love autumnal flavours, seasonal fruits, spices as for me it evokes feelings of warmth and cosiness.

This cake ticks all of these boxes for me.

It’s surprisingly light, moreish, caramelly, topped with sweet sticky soft apples and when served with a dollop of cream is my favourite kind of cakes / desserts.

This will fast become one of my go-to favourite bakes that I guarantee, if you make it, will fast become one of your favourites too! Simply heavenly and delicious!

John Paul Kennedy is a self-taught cook and an avid fan of collecting cookery books with a passion for good old-fashioned home cooking. his passion for proper family cooking stems from his Grandmothers, who were both excellent cooks, one of whom was a trained chef.

JP promises to bring us plenty of family-inspired recipes and tasty treats while showing us how to get the basics right.