Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake

Ingredients:

Cake:

• 1 1/2 Granny Smith apples (or other tart baking apples), peeled, cored, and sliced
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) + 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons + 6 tablespoons buttermilk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In an 8″ or 10″ cast iron skillet over medium heat, melt 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter. Cook until the foam begins to subside.
3. Turn the heat to low, and then add the brown sugar and give it a little stir.
4. Keeping the heat on low, let the brown sugar and butter sit without stirring for 3 minutes.
5. Lay the apples in the pan in a circular pattern.
6. Continue cooking on low for 2 more minutes, then remove from heat.
7. In a small bowl, whisk together the 2 eggs, 2 tablespoons of the buttermilk, and the vanilla.
8. In a large bowl or in the bowl of your stand mixer, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
9. Add 6 tablespoons butter (softened or room temp) and 6 tablespoons of the buttermilk.
10. Beat on low speed until the ingredients are incorporated, then switch to medium speed (high speed if using a hand mixer) and beat for 1 1/2 minutes.
11. Add 1/3 of the egg mixture, and beat for 20 seconds. Scrape the bowl down, and add another 1/3 of the egg mixture, beating for another 20 seconds. Scrape, add the last of the egg, and beat for 20 seconds.
12. Pour the batter over the apples in the pan, and spread gently to cover the apples evenly.
13. Bake for about 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
14. Let cool for 5 minutes, then gently use a butter knife to go around the sides of the cake. You’re about to flip it over, and you want to help it along as much as possible!
15. Okay, here’s the flip. Place your cake plate upside down over the cake in the skillet, then smoothly and quickly turn the cake over. Gently lift up the skillet – the cake should come out fairly easily. 
16. Slice cake into wedges