Warm Apple and Sweet Potato Upside-Down Cake with Caramel Sauce
This dessert captures all the smells and tastes of fall. Similar to its cousin, pineapple upside-down cake, it is easily prepared in a cast-iron skillet, then turned out on a plate along with its syrup. Sweet potatoes serve as a binder and sweetener in this cake. Serve it with a dollop of tangy crème fraîche or a little warm caramel sauce.
Recipe information
Yield
makes one 10-inch cake; serves 10 to 12
Ingredients
Batter
Preparation
Step 1
Prepare a medium heat fire (350°F) in a wood-fired oven, or in a cooker or grill prepared for cooking with indirect heat.
Step 2
Melt the butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet. Stir in the brown sugar. Arrange the apple sections in a circular pattern, rounded side down, on top of the sugar. Use the last section of the apple to fill the center. Bake in the oven or on indirect heat in a covered grill for 15 minutes. At this point, the apples should be half-submerged in the syrup and very soft.
Step 3
While the apples are baking, prepare the batter. Beat the butter and sugars together in a stand mixer until fluffy and smooth. Beat in the vanilla, sweet potatoes, and then the eggs, one at a time, until smooth.
Step 4
Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices into a separate bowl. Add this dry mixture to the batter in thirds until it is incorporated. Pour in the buttermilk and beat the batter on medium speed for 1 minute. Pour the batter over the hot apples and their syrup. Bake in the oven or over indirect heat in a cooker or grill for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the cake is golden and springs back when you push on the center.
Step 5
Let the cake cool for 5 to 7 minutes, then unmold it onto a large flat platter or plate with a well. Let stand for 10 to 15 minutes to soak up the syrup. Cut into wedges and serve slightly warm, with a dollop of crème fraîche or a drizzle of warm caramel sauce.
