Almond Pecan Apple Upside Down Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup pecans
- 10 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided into 2 Tbsp and 8 Tbsp
- 4 small baking apples, peeled, halved, and cored
- ½ cup light brown sugar, divided in half (¼ cup and ¼ cup)
- 1 (7 oz) box Odense Almond Paste, grated on large-holed side of box grater
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup plain, whole-milk Greek yogurt at room temperature
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- 1½ tsp cinnamon
- Whipped cream for serving
A bit more effort, but worth it—nutty, with warm spices, caramel, deliciously tender cake, and topped with cloud-like whipped cream.
Time
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Bake Time: 40 minutes
Cool Time: 10 minutes
Bake Time: 40 minutes
Cool Time: 10 minutes
Yield
8 servings
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Place pecans on a sheet pan and toast until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Then cool for 10 minutes.
- While pecans are toasting, heat a 10-inch ovenproof skillet on medium. Melt 2 Tbsp butter and place apples in a single layer, cut side down. Let apples brown evenly, undisturbed about 5 minutes. Turn the apples over and cook on the rounded side for another 5 minutes. Put apples on a plate and let cool.
- Add 1 Tbsp water and ¼ cup brown sugar to the skillet and stir with a wooden spoon or heat-proof spatula over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Continue to cook undisturbed until thick and bubbling, about 1 minute. Swirl caramel into an even layer, take the skillet off heat, and set aside.
- Place pecans in a resealable plastic bag and smash with a rolling pin until they become powder-like with some bigger pieces. Whisk the nut meal with the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg, and cinnamon in a medium bowl.
- Place ¼ cup brown sugar and grated Almond Paste in a food processor. Pulse until mixture is the texture of damp sand.
- Cream remaining 8 Tbsp of butter with the Almond Paste and sugar mixture in a stand mixer or large bowl with a hand beater.
- Whisk the eggs, vanilla, and Greek yogurt in a small bowl and then beat into the creamed butter and Almond Paste mixture until combined.
- Pour all the dry ingredients over top and mix until just combined.
- Evenly space the apple halves cut side down in the caramel skillet. Pour cake batter over the apple halves and spread evenly with a spatula.
- Bake the cake until evenly browned and the center springs back when pressed, 40-50 minutes.
- Let the cake cool in the skillet for 10 minutes. Then run a spatula around the side of the cake to loosen it from the pan. Place a wire rack over top of the skillet and flip over to release the cake from the pan. If any apples stick inside the pan, scrape off and press back into the cake.
- Serve warm with lightly whipped cream.