Description
This rustic, easy-to-make cake, with its caramelized apple topping and flavorful cake made with molasses, honey, ginger, and cinnamon, is perfect for fall!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the Topping:
- 4 tablespoons butter, plus extra for greasing pan
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- A pinch of salt
- 4 apples (about 1 3/4 pounds), peeled, cored and cut into 1/4-inch wedges
For the Batter:
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup dark molasses
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
- 2 1/4 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
For the Topping:
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Grease a 10-inch cake pan.
- Melt butter in a small saucepan. Add brown sugar and simmer over moderate heat, stirring often, for four minutes. Then swirl in the salt.
- Remove from heat and pour into the bottom of your 10-inch cake pan.
- Make circles of overlapping apple slices on top of the caramel. Chop any remaining slices and place them in the gaps. Set aside.
For the Batter:
- Using a mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment, beat the 1/2 cup butter and the sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, molasses, honey, and buttermilk.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, and cinnamon.
- Alternate mixing the flour and molasses mixtures into the butter mixture, adding the next once the last has been incorporated.
- Pour the batter into the pan. It will be thick. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until a wooden tester or tooth pick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Let cool on a wire rack until cooled to room temperature (at least 15-20 minutes) and then turn out onto a plate.
- Serve warm or cool with whipped cream or ice cream.
Notes
Make-Ahead and Storing: This cake tastes best the day it’s made. But you can make it several hours before you plan on serving and store it, covered, at room temperature. If you have any leftovers, I’d recommend putting it in an airtight container and storing it in the fridge. It should last a day or two. And since it’s not too sweet, it would also make a delicious breakfast treat.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40-45 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 433
- Sugar: 47.2 g
- Sodium: 518.5 mg
- Fat: 15.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 71.6 g
- Protein: 4.7 g
- Cholesterol: 57.9 mg