Upside Down Apple Gingerbread

This upside-down apple gingerbread combines two classic desserts into one: a caramelized apple base with a dark, spiced molasses cake baked on top, then flipped to reveal the fruit. The apples sit in melted margarine and brown sugar on the bottom of the pan, and the warm gingerbread batter goes right over them.

Hot tea is the unexpected liquid in the gingerbread batter. It adds moisture without the heaviness of milk and helps dissolve the molasses and sugar into a smooth, pourable batter. The warmth of the tea also activates the baking soda for a better rise.

The spice blend of ginger, cinnamon, and cloves gives the cake that deep, warming gingerbread flavor that pairs naturally with the caramelized apples underneath.

Kitchen Tips

• Use firm apples that hold their shape during baking. Soft apples turn to applesauce under the weight of the batter.
• Invert the cake after only 4 to 5 minutes of cooling. Wait too long and the brown sugar hardens, sticking the cake to the pan.
• The batter is very liquid due to the tea and molasses. This is normal. It bakes into a moist, dense cake.
• Serve warm. The contrast between the sticky, caramelized apples and the soft gingerbread is best straight from the pan.

Variations

• Use pears instead of apples for a different fruit base.
• Add a handful of dried cranberries over the apple layer before pouring in the batter.
• Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream on top.