Mini Upside-Down Apple Cake
Here’s the next recipe in my ongoing collection cake recipes for a six-inch pan.
This might be my favorite six-inch cake recipe yet! But then again, for me, the best six-inch cake recipe is always the most recent one I’ve made!
Still – this Six-Inch Upside-Down Apple-Honey Cake is truly outstanding. It’s got the brown-sugary gooeyness of a great pineapple upside down cake, but with fresh apples and the added flavor and pleasantly moist angle of honey. I am just astounded by how good this is.
This six-inch cake recipe is so moist and gooey, you really don’t need whipped cream….but I’ll probably add a dollop.
Yes. It’s OK for me to brag, because really, the only credit I can really take for this is my math skills. This hails straight the newest (that is, the 17th) edition of the Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book. Their recipe serves nine; mine serves four to six. And because the original recipe called for two eggs, cutting the recipe in half was simple (as opposed to those pesky cake recipes that call for an odd number of eggs!).
When I whittled this easy six-inch cake recipe down to serve six, it baked up beautifully in my Fat Daddio Six-Inch Cake Pan.
By the way: Have I told you that I served as a writer/editor for three editions of the iconic Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book? Working on these books made me a much more confident recipe developer and food writer.
A classic — and the most recent edition is better than ever.
I did not, however, work on this most recent edition – so it almost hurts my pride to say that this one the best ever. It is just so up to date. While the 17th edition doesn’t have those fabulous tabs and the ring binder, what it lacks in those hallmark nuts-and-bolts, the book makes up for in up-to-date creativity and inspiration. I love the way every recipe is beautifully photographed, and how tips and tricks and how-to’s and customizations and substitutions are called out in little nuggets and photos on page after page.
While you can find the classics that you’d expect from BH&G, there are plenty of recipes that are more global and creative – but always accessible to everyone. And having experienced their testing processes first hand, I trust these recipes.
This is a gem of a cookbook, and great for anyone – novice and experienced cook alike. Even if you have an earlier edition of this book, you might consider updating your collection. I bought one for myself, and I’ve bought a few to give away. Think “Christmas Presents.”
Anyway: On to the recipe. It’s SO easy.
If you’re looking for easy six-inch cake recipes, you can’t go wrong with an upside-down cake. They’re the easiest ever (no frosting needed).
Upside-Down Apple-Honey Cake
Adapted from the Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book, 17th Edition
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
1/4 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup butter, softened (divided use)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar (divided use)
1 medium baking apple, cored and cut into 1/2-inch slices
1/4 cup chopped pecan pieces
1 egg, at room temperature
Sweetened whipped cream, optional
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt. An another small bowl, combine the milk, honey, and vanilla.
2. Place 2 tablespoons of the butter in a 6-inch round baking pan. Place the pan in the oven until the butter melts. Stir in 1/4 cup of the brown sugar; spread this mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan.
3. Arrange the apple slices in a circle in the pan, overlapping as needed (you might not need all the apple slices). Sprinkle the pecans over the apples slices.
4. In a medium mixing bowl, beat the remaining 2 tablespoons butter with an electric mixture for 30 seconds. Beat in the remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg. Beat 1 minute (mixture may appear curdled; that’s OK). Alternatively add flour and milk mixtures, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Spread batter over apples in the pan.
5. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the cake to loosen it from the pan. Invert onto a plate. Cool 30 minutes. Serve warm with sweetened whipped cream, if you like. Serves 4 to 6.
Leftovers?: Cover and refrigerate for 2 days or freeze for two weeks. Thaw in the refrigerator. Reheat gently in the microwave before serving.
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