This is a beautiful time of year here in the Northeast. It is also an extremely busy time of year! To give you an idea of how busy this week was for me, the above photo was taken in Woodstock, Vermont. The photo below was taken in Rhinebeck, New York. All this week!
Connecticut looks at least as nice as this, but it's hard to snap photos as you are running to and from work. (When I wasn't off in another state I was busy with that.....)
This weekend was also the "Apple Festival" in my home town. I went there this morning with my friend, Laura. I came home and decided it's time to buckle down and work on the blog. I made the following apple upside-down cake, inspired by a recipe I spotted in my travels. I pretty much completely revamped the recipe to make a gluten free version. It was decidedly easy, and it came out moist, with no need for anything but an ever-delightful dab of whipped cream on top.
At this time, half of this cake is wrapped up and ready to send off to John at college. Enjoy, John!!!
Apple Upside-Down Cake
Preheat the oven to 350.
Peel and slice up two Cortland apples and set aside.
In a 10-inch skillet, combine 1/3 cup sugar and 3 Tbs water. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Let it bubble and thicken a bit.
Remove the skillet from the heat. (I have a gas stove, so all I need to do is turn it off.)
Stir in 2 Tbs. butter. Arrange the apple slices on this, overlapping them a little, and allowing some of them to go a little up the sides of the pan, as well. Sprinkle the apple slices with cinnamon and nutmeg to taste.
Mix up a 16.4 oz box of Cherrybrook Kitchen Gluten Free Dreams Yellow Cake Mix according to package directions. Smooth this over the apples in the pan.
Bake 30 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
Allow to cool for 20 minutes.
Run a knife around the edge. Invert a plate onto the pan, and use hot pads to *carefully* turn the whole thing over. Remove the pan.....and be amazed!
Allow the cake to cool completely before slicing.
