Apple Upside Down Cake

Filling:
4-5 apples [tart ones are better], peeled, cored, and cut into six equal pieces
1-3/4 sticks butter
3/4 cups sugar

Cake:
1 stick butter (1/2 cup)
2/3 cup sugar
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. apple pie spice or cinnamon
1 small apple, peeled, cored and chopped finely

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a 9 or 10-inch iron skillet, melt the butter over low heat. Add the sugar to the pan and stir around, then place the apple slices, wedge side down, in the pan.

For the cake: In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the vanilla and eggs and mix well. Add the sour cream and mix well. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and apple pie spice/cinnamon. Gradually add the flour mixture to the batter until just combined. Gently stir in the chopped apple.

Remove the skillet from the heat. Spoon the batter over the top, then spread gently so the batter is evenly distributed. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes, or until cake is golden brown and bubbly. Allow the cake to sit in the skillet for 5 minutes and then turn over onto a serving plate. Serve immediately.

Serves 8.

From Penzeys Spices catalog, Thanksgiving 2010, p. 53.