Apple Upside-Down Biscuit Cake

I found this recipe on epicurious.com while looking for a yummy way to use up some granny smith apples I had in the kitchen. I took some of the advice from some of the reviews and changed it up a bit. I was quite pleased with the result, and it is half gone already!

If you don't have an ovenproof pan, feel free to use a pie plate, and pour the caramel sauce into it.


For topping:
3 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 lb granny smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into thin wedges
1 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon


For biscuit cake:
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp raw sugar, found in the baking aisle by the powdered sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1 tsp allspice
5 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2/3 cup buttermilk or 2/3 cup milk with 1 tbsp lemon juice added
1 large egg

Preheat oven to 425.
Make topping:
Heat butter in an ovenproof 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until foam subsides. Do not substitute margarine because it doesn't foam and the caramel won't turn out quite the same. Stir in brown sugar and remove from heat. Spread mixture evenly in skillet. Toss apples in the spices, arrange, overlapping, in 1 layer.

Make cake:
Blend flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices in a small bowl. Add butter and cut in until mixture resembles coarse meal. In a separate bowl whisk buttermilk and egg together. Pour into flour mixture, stir until moistened.

Drop batter on top of apples and gently spread, leaving 1 inch border around edge of skillet. (cake needs room to expand) Bake until golden brown and firm to the touch, 25-30 minutes.

Cool cake in pan on a rack for 3 minutes, then invert onto a platter. Replace any apples that stick to skillet on cake. Serve warm.

If you do not have an oven proof skillet, cook butter and add sugar. Put mixture in glass pie plate, spread evenly. Follow the rest of the directions.

You can serve this with creme fraiche (no idea what it is, some sort of tangy creamy thing?) or sour cream (which is how I figure it is tangy and creamy). I used cool whip myself, because the kids like it. The caramel makes the edge of the cake kind of crunchy, like the edges of monkey bread. This would also be brilliant with ice cream!