Apple Upside-down Cake

This recipe comes from America's Test Kitchen. It's a delicious twist from the traditional pineapple version. 

Apple Upside-down Cake

Serves 8

You will need a 9-inch nonstick cake pan with sides that are at least 2 inches high for this cake. Alternatively, use a 10-inch ovenproof stainless steel skillet (don’t use cast iron) to both cook the apples and bake the cake, with the following modifications: Cook the apples in the skillet and set them aside while mixing the batter (it’s OK if the skillet is still warm when the batter is added) and increase the baking time by 7 to 9 minutes. If you don’t have either a 2-inch high cake pan or an ovenproof skillet, use an 8-inch square pan.

Ingredients

Topping:
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter , cut into 4 pieces, plus extra for pan
4 Granny Smith apples or Golden Delicious (about 2 pounds), peeled and cored
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar (4 2/3 ounces)
2 teaspoons juice from 1 lemon

Cake:

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (5 ounces)
1 tablespoon cornmeal (optional)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar (5 1/4 ounces)
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar (1 3/4 ounces)
2 large eggs
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter , melted and cooled slightly
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. FOR THE TOPPING: Butter bottom and sides of 9-inch round, 2-inch-deep nonstick cake pan; set aside. Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Halve apples from pole to pole. Cut 2 apples into 1/4-inch-thick slices; set aside. Cut remaining 2 apples into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Heat butter in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. When foaming subsides, add 1/2-inch-thick apple slices and cook, stirring 2 or 3 times, until apples begin to caramelize, 4 to 6 minutes. (Do not fully cook apples.) Add 1/4-inch-thick apple slices, brown sugar, and lemon juice; continue cooking, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves and apples are coated, about 1 minute longer. Transfer apple mixture to prepared pan and lightly press into even layer. Set aside while preparing cake.

3. FOR THE CAKE: Whisk flour, cornmeal (if using), baking powder, and salt together in medium bowl; set aside. Whisk granulated sugar, brown sugar, and eggs together in large bowl until thick and homogeneous, about 45 seconds. Slowly whisk in butter until combined. Add sour cream and vanilla; whisk until combined. Add flour mixture and whisk until just combined. Pour batter into pan and spread evenly over fruit. Bake until cake is golden brown and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes.

4. Cool pan on wire rack 20 minutes. Run paring knife around sides of cake to loosen. Place wire rack over cake pan. Holding rack tightly, invert cake pan and wire rack together; lift off cake pan. Place wire rack over baking sheet or large plate to catch any drips. If any fruit sticks to pan bottom, remove and position it on top of cake. Let cake cool 20 minutes (or longer to cool it completely), then transfer to serving platter, cut into pieces, and serve.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

This recipe came from one of my coworkers. I'm not sure where she found it but this is such a delicious cake! I did have a little problem with the bottom of the cake staying in the loaf pan after it was cooled but I did add more than half a cup of chocolate chips (a broken cake is worth the extra chocolate!!).

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

1 cup vegetable oil

3 eggs

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

3 cups grated zucchini

2 1/3 cups flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup chopped nuts (I omited this since we don't really like nuts in our cake)

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine oil, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and zucchini in a bowl.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder. Add zucchini mixture to dry ingredients. Stir in nuts and chocolate chips. Pour into 2 greased 5x9-inch loaf pans.

Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack and remove from pans.

Coconut Cake

This really isn't much of a recipe, I was just proud of myself for finally learning how to toast coconut! I wanted to find something interesting to put between the two layers but didn't have a lot of time and couldn't find anything that seemed appetizing.

Coconut Cake

1 box white cake mix

1 can white frosting

1 cup toasted coconut (directions below)

Make cake according to the box directions. I baked mine as two 9 inch cakes. After the cakes finished cooling, I frosted them by staking one on top of the other with some frosting in between.

Once I was finished frosting the cakes, I patted the toasted coconut all over before the frosting became too dry.

To toast coconut: make an even layer of coconut on a baking pan. Bake 7-12 minutes at 350 degrees, stirring occasionally to avoid burning the coconut.

Deceptively Delicious Yellow Cake

This might seem like an odd post since it isn't a recipe that I've made from scratch & is fairly simple. I bought Jessica Seinfeld's cookbook, "Deceptively Delicious" a while ago & have really enjoyed it. One of my husband's favorite recipes from the cookbook is the yellow cake.
Yellow Cake

1 (18 ounce) box yellow cake mix

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons oil

2 large eggs

1 large egg white

6 ounces nonfat lemon, banana, or vanilla yogurt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9 inch cake pan with cooking spray. (I usually divide mine into two 9 inch cake pans.)
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, pumpkin, water, oil, eggs, & yogurt. Beat until smooth.

Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean, about 20 minutes. (I followed the cake mix directions which was closer to the actual time.)

Happy Birthday to my husband.

Peach Upside-Down Cake

This recipe was a special request from my husband. His mother makes a twist on the old favorite, pineapple upside-down cake. If you're in a hurry, you could just use a yellow cake mix.
The recipe I used is from my cookbook, "Creative Cook's Kitchen". This book states that you could use any fruits that are in season, such as, apples, pears, or berries.

Peach Upside-Down Cake

For the topping:

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

2 small ripe peaches

2 small ripe plums (I omitted & just used more peaches)

For the cake:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

6 tablespoons butter, softened & cut into pieces

1/2 cup milk

1 large egg

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Making the Topping

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place butter in a 9-inch round cake pan (I used a 9x9 square pan); heat in oven until butter melts. Using a pot holder, swirl pan so butter coats bottom. Sprinkle with brown sugar.

2. Cut peaches into 1/2-inch slices. (I left the skins on but the recipe says to blanch them off.) Arrange peach slices in a decorative pattern in a cake pan on top of the brown sugar.

Making the Cake

1. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, and baking powder; mix well. Add butter, milk , egg, and vanilla to flour mixture. Using an electric mixer set on low speed, beat mixture until blended. Increase speed to medium and beat until batter is smooth, about 1 minute. Spoon batter over fruit, spreading to cover.

2. Bake cake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 50-55 minutes. Let cake cool in pan for 5 minutes, then run a knife around edge. Place serving platter over cake; using pot holders, invert onto platter. Remove pan; place stray fruit on cake. Serve warm.

Zucchini Chocolate Cake

I found this recipe on Taste of Home's website. To see the original recipe, click here. This moist & easy recipe got great reviews when I took it to share with our church youth group. It did take mine longer to bake than the recipe says. It was a great way to use the last of the zucchini we had in the garden.

Zucchini Chocolate Cake

18 Servings
Prep: 30 min. Bake: 30 min. + cooling

Ingredients1-3/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I used 1 cup whole wheat & 1 1/2 cup white)
1/2 cup baking cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 cups shredded zucchini
1 cup (6 ounces) miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted

DirectionsIn a large bowl, beat sugar and oil on medium speed for 1 minute. Add the eggs, applesauce and vanilla; beat 1 minute longer. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; add to sugar mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating just until blended. Stir in zucchini.
Transfer to a 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and pecans. Bake 10-15 minutes longer or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Yield: 18 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 1 piece equals 286 calories, 13 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 24 mg cholesterol, 152 mg sodium, 42 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 4 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2-1/2 starch, 2 fat.

Chocolate Decadence Cake

This is the easiest cake you could possibly make but trust me, you'll have everyone talking about it if you make it! I even had doctors tracking me down for the recipe at work.

Chocolate Decadence Cake

1 chocolate cake mix

1 small can sweetened condensed milk

1 jar hot fudge or caramel

1 container whipped topping

1 package heath bits

Follow directions to your favorite chocolate mix. While cake is still warm, poke holes all over cake with a fork. Pour the entire can of sweetened condensed milk over the warm cake. Warm hot fudge according to the directions on the jar, spread warm fudge over cake. You don't have to use the entire jar of fudge, just spread enough to liberally cover the top of the cake (see picture below).

Let the cake cool prior to frosting with whipped cream. Top cake with heath bits & fudge, if desired.

I usually use a 9x13 pan, I haven't tried making it a layered cake but it may be possible. The only thing is that the sweetened condensed milk makes the cake very moist that may make the top layer not hold up.

Mocha Bundt Cake

Mmmm....cake. This cake was made as a special request for a coworker's 50th birthday. So a milestone birthday requires a milestone cake.

Although this is an increadibly easy and simple cake, it is very moist and filling.

To view the original recipe from Joy the Baker, click here.