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Apple Upside-Down Cornmeal Cakes

Image may contain Creme Cream Food Dessert Whipped Cream Confectionery and Sweets
Apple Upside-Down Cornmeal CakesRomulo Yanes

You may want to double this recipe—the apple-walnut topping and whipped cream make these cakes disappear fast.

Recipe information

  • Total Time

    45 min

  • Yield

    Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

3

/4 stick (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon pieces, plus additional for greasing

3

Gala apples

1

/3 cup packed light brown sugar

1

teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1

/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (1 3/4 oz)

3

/4 cup all-purpose flour

1

/2 cup yellow cornmeal

1

/3 cup granulated sugar

2

teaspoons baking powder

1

/4 teaspoon salt

1

large egg

3

/4 cup whole milk

Accompaniment: lightly sweetened whipped cream

Special Equipment

a muffin pan with 6 (1-cup) muffin cups

Need to make a substitution?

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Put oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 425°F. Butter muffin cups. Peel and core apples, then cut into 1/3-inch dice.

    Step 2

    Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until foam subsides, then cook apples, brown sugar, and lemon juice, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced to a glaze and apples are tender, 5 to 6 minutes.

    Step 3

    Stir in walnuts and divide apple mixture among muffin cups.

    Step 4

    Pulse together flour, cornmeal, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt in a food processor until combined. Add remaining 4 tablespoons butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal with some small (roughly pea-size) butter lumps.

    Step 5

    Whisk together egg and milk in a large bowl. Add flour mixture and whisk until just combined.

    Step 6

    Divide batter among muffin cups and bake until golden and a wooden pick or skewer inserted into center of a cake comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes.

    Step 7

    Run a paring knife around edge of each cake to loosen. Invert rack over muffin cups, then invert cakes onto rack. Serve warm with a dollop of whipped cream.