Belinda’s Upside Down Apple-Praline Cake

INGREDIENTS:  Makes 1 (9-inch) cake

 

  • ½ cup butter; melted and divided
  • 1 ½ cup firmly packed brown sugar; divided
  • 1 Fuji apple, cored and thinly sliced
  • 1 Granny Smith apple, cored and thinly sliced
  • 1 cup butter; softened
  • 2 ¼ cups sugar
  • 5 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ¼ cups whole buttermilk
  • Carmel Mouse (recipe follows)
  • Garnish: caramel ice-cream topping, glazed pecans

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray 2 (9-inch) round cake pans with nonstick baking spray with flour.

Pour ¼ cup melted butter in each pan.  Sprinkle each evenly with ¾ cup brown sugar:  Arrange apple slices in a single layer over brown sugar; set aside.

In a large bowl, beat 1 cup softened butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Beat in vanilla.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.  Gradually add to butter mixture, alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just until dry ingredients are moistened after each addition.  Pour batter evenly into prepared pans.  Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Let cool in pans for 20 minutes.  Remove from pans, and place, apple sides up, on wire racks; cool completely.

Spread half of Caramel Mouse evenly over top of 1 layer.  Place remaining cake layer over mouse.  Spread remaining cake layer over mouse.  Spread remaining Caramel Mouse over top of cake.  Drizzle with caramel topping, and sprinkle with glazed pecans before serving, if desired.  Store cake in refrigerator.

Caramel Mousse  Makes about 3 ½ cups

  • 1 package unflavored gelatin
  • ¼ cup cold water
  • 1/3 cup boiling water
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar
  • ¼ cup caramel ice-cream topping

In a small bowl, soften gelatin in cold water; let stand for 2 minutes.  Add boiling water, stirring to dissolve; set aside.  In a large bowl, beat cream at high speed with an electric mixer until foamy.  Gradually add confectioners’ sugar; beating until stiff peaks form.  Slowly add gelatin mixture, beating until combined.  (Mixture will look like it is melting, but will firm up.)  Stir in caramel.  Cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before using.

Download: Belinda’s Upside Down Apple-Praline Cake

—
Rae Jacobson
Lebanon, TN
5 November 2012