Upside-Down Caramelized Apple Cake

The brown sugar, apple, and pecan mixture that’s cooked in the skillet and then topped with a spiced cake batter become a gooey, rich topping for the cake when it’s inverted.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup chopped pecans 
• 2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices 
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided
• 1/2 cup butter, softened and divided
• 2 teaspoons brandy
• 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
• 2 large eggs, separated 
• 3/4 cup milk 
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 cups all-purpose baking mix
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 8 to 10 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring after 5 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 375°.

2. Toss apple slices with lemon juice, 1 tsp. vanilla extract, and 1/2 tsp. cinnamon.

3. Melt 1/4 cup butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over low heat. Remove from heat; stir in brandy. Sprinkle with brown sugar.

4. Sprinkle pecans over brown sugar mixture. Arrange apples in 2 concentric circles over pecans.

5. Beat 1/2 cup granulated sugar and remaining 1/4 cup butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Add milk, sour cream, and remaining 1 tsp. vanilla, beating just until blended.

6. Whisk together baking mix, nutmeg, and remaining 1/4 tsp. cinnamon in a medium bowl. Add nutmeg mixture to butter mixture, beating just until blended.

7. Beat egg whites in a large bowl at high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar until stiff peaks form. Fold into batter. Spread batter over apples in skillet.

8. Bake at 375° for 50 to 54 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted halfway into center of cake comes out clean. Cool in skillet on a wire rack 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of cake to loosen. Invert cake onto a serving plate, replacing any topping that sticks to skillet on cake.

Note: We tested with Bisquick Original All-Purpose Baking Mix.

 
To get a true reading of doneness, insert the wooden pick only halfway through the cake when testing.

Southern Living
JANUARY 2010

Bananas Foster Upside-down Coffee Cake

This decadent coffee cake recipe is inspired by the classic New Orleans dessert and features sautéed bananas, pecans, and a splash of rum. It also has the added convenience of a baking mix (such as Bisquick) that’s enhanced with cinnamon, sugar, eggs, and sour cream.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened and divided
• 2 tablespoons rum
• 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted
• 2 medium-size ripe bananas
• 7 maraschino cherries
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
• 2 large eggs, separated
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose baking mix
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Whipped cream (optional)

Directions:

1. Melt 1/4 cup butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over low heat; stir in rum. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over butter mixture. Remove from heat.

2. Sprinkle pecans evenly over brown sugar mixture. Cut bananas in half crosswise; cut each half lengthwise into 3 slices. Arrange banana slices in a spoke pattern over pecans. Cut 6 cherries in half. Place 1 cherry half between each banana slice. Place remaining whole cherry in center of skillet.

3. Beat remaining 1/4 cup butter and 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a large bowl at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Add milk, sour cream, and vanilla, beating just until blended. Combine baking mix and cinnamon. Add cinnamon mixture to milk mixture, beating just until blended.

4. Beat egg whites in a large bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar until stiff peaks form. Fold into batter. Spread batter evenly over bananas in skillet.

5. Bake at 350° for 45 to 50 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in skillet on wire rack 10 minutes. Invert cake onto a serving plate. Serve warm with whipped cream, if desired.

Note: For testing purposes only, we used Bisquick All-Purpose Baking Mix.

Source: Louis deLaunay, Grapevine, Texas, Southern Living
SEPTEMBER 2006

Pineapple Upside-Down Carrot Cake

Upgrade a classic Pineapple Upside-Down Cake by topping the pineapple layer with a carrot cake batter instead of the traditional yellow cake batter.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup butter
• 2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 (20-oz.) can pineapple slices in juice, drained
• 7 maraschino cherries (without stems)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups grated carrots
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Melt butter in a lightly greased 10-inch cast-iron skillet or a 9-inch round cake pan (with sides that are at least 2 inches high) over low heat. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Arrange 7 pineapple slices in a single layer over brown sugar, reserving remaining pineapple slices for another use. Place 1 cherry in center of each pineapple slice.

2. Beat granulated sugar, oil, and eggs at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients; gradually add to sugar mixture, beating at low speed just until blended. Stir in carrots and pecans. Spoon batter over pineapple slices.

3. Bake at 350° for 45 to 50 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in skillet on a wire rack 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of cake to loosen. Invert cake onto a serving plate, spooning any topping in skillet over cake.

Southern Living
SEPTEMBER 2010

Pineapple-Coconut-Banana Upside-Down Cake

Upside-down cakes are classically made in a cast-iron skillet because it gives the cake a crisp edge, cooks it evenly, and keeps it moist. Instead of a pineapple-only cake, this version features coconut and banana and give the cake a more tropical flavor.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 (15 1/2-ounce) can pineapple slices in juice, undrained
• 1 cup flaked sweetened coconut
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup mashed ripe banana (about 1 banana) 
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 large egg 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Melt butter in a 9-inch cast-iron skillet; sprinkle evenly with brown sugar. Drain pineapple slices over a bowl, reserving 1/2 cup juice. Place 1 pineapple ring in center of skillet. Cut remaining pineapple rings in half; arrange around center pineapple ring. Sprinkle evenly with coconut. Set aside.
3. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup, and level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (flour through salt) in a large bowl. Combine reserved juice, banana, oil, and egg, stirring with a whisk. Add pineapple juice mixture to flour mixture, stirring until combined. Pour flour mixture over coconut. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Invert onto a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Source: Lorrie Hulston Corvin, Cooking Light
JANUARY 2004

Bananas Foster Upside-Down Cake

Turn the classic Bananas Foster dessert into an upside down cake by placing a layer of bananas, brown sugar, pecans and rum in the bottom of the skillet and topping with a rich cake batter. After baking, you invert the cake so that you have a sweet and buttery banana topping for the cake.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup butter, softened and divided
• 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons rum
• 2 ripe bananas
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose baking mix
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake pecans in a single layer 8 to 10 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring once.

2. Melt 1/4 cup butter in a lightly greased 10-inch cast-iron skillet or 9-inch round cake pan (with sides that are at least 2 inches high) over low heat. Remove from heat; stir in brown sugar and rum.

3. Cut bananas diagonally into 1/4-inch-thick slices; arrange in concentric circles over brown sugar mixture. Sprinkle pecans over bananas.

4. Beat granulated sugar and remaining 1/4 cup butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Add milk and next 2 ingredients; beat just until blended. Beat in baking mix and cinnamon until blended. (Batter will be slightly lumpy.) Pour batter over mixture in skillet. Place skillet on a foil-lined jelly-roll pan.

5. Bake at 350° for 40 to 45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in skillet on a wire rack 10 minutes. Run a knife around edge to loosen. Invert onto a serving plate, spooning any topping in skillet over cake.

Source: Inspired by Louis deLaunay of Grapevine, Texas, Southern Living
NOVEMBER 2011

Easy Skillet Apple Pie

Making an apple pie has never been so easy. Simply toss apples, cinnamon, and brown sugar, and spoon over a refrigerated pie crust in the cast-iron skillet. Top with the other crust and bake.

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds Granny Smith apples
• 2 pounds Braeburn apples
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 (14.1-oz.) package refrigerated piecrusts
• 1 egg white
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• Butter-pecan ice cream

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350º. Peel apples, and cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges. Toss apples with cinnamon and 3/4 cup granulated sugar.

2. Melt butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat; add brown sugar, and cook, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes or until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, and place 1 piecrust in skillet over brown sugar mixture. Spoon apple mixture over piecrust, and top with remaining piecrust. Whisk egg white until foamy. Brush top of piecrust with egg white; sprinkle with 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar. Cut 4 or 5 slits in top for steam to escape.

3. Bake at 350º for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly, shielding with aluminum foil during last 10 minutes to prevent excessive browning, if necessary. Cool on a wire rack 30 minutes before serving. Serve with butter-pecan ice cream.

Source: Mrs. James Wright, Chattanooga, Tennessee, Southern Living
SEPTEMBER 2011