Ingredients

Spiced Walnuts

1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp cloves

Brown Sugar Apple Upside Down Cake

2 Honeycrisp apples, quartered, cored, and very thinly sliced (about 1/8″ thick)

5 oz butter

1 1/3 cup dark brown sugar

2 eggs

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup whole milk

1/4 cup heavy cream

2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

Preparation

For Spiced Walnuts:

  1. Heat a small saute pan over medium heat. Add the walnuts, and toast, tossing occasionally, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  2. Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, and continue to cook, tossing to coat. Let cool completely before using them to garnish the finished cake. For Cake:
    1. Fan the apples into the base of the prepared cake pan (with caramel in the base) into a circle, with the points of the apples going to the center. Set aside.
    2. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, scraping well after each addition. Add the vanilla, mix to combine.
    3. Alternately add the milk/heavy cream and the dry ingredients, mixing just to combine.
    4. Scoop the prepared batter the pan atop the apples. Bake at 350 until baked through, about 15-25 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean.
    5. Scoop the prepared batter the pan atop the apples. Bake at 350 until baked through, about 15-25 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Serve the cake warm, topped with reserved apple cider caramel and the spiced walnuts.