Southern Cast-Iron Apple Butter Upside-Down Cake

Serves 6 · 20 min prep · 35 min cook

Ingredients

• 6 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup apple butter
• 2 medium Honeycrisp or Gala apples
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil

Instructions

1. 1Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet and melt it over medium heat; swirl to coat the bottom and sides.
2. 2Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the melted butter, then dollop and gently spread the apple butter on top to create a sticky caramel-like base.
3. 3Core the apples and slice them into thin half-moons about 1/4-inch thick; arrange the slices in neat overlapping concentric circles over the apple-butter layer.
4. 4In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
5. 5In another bowl cream the remaining softened butter with the granulated sugar until light, then beat in the egg, milk, vanilla, and oil until smooth.
6. 6Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir just until a thick, lump-free batter forms; do not overmix.
7. 7Gently spoon the batter over the arranged apples and smooth the top carefully so you do not disturb the fruit layer.
8. 8Bake 32 to 38 minutes until the cake is golden, springs back when lightly pressed, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
9. 9Cool the skillet on a rack for exactly 10 minutes, then run a knife the edge and invert onto a serving plate while still warm so the glossy apple-butter topping releases cleanly.
10. 10Slice into 6 wedges and serve warm, optionally with a scoop of vanilla ice cream that melts into the sticky top.