Spiced brown butter apple upside down cake

SERVES 8-10 PREP + COOK TIME 2 HOURS

3 envy™ apples

¼ cup (55g) caster sugar

80g unsalted butter, melted

190g unsalted butter, extra, chopped 1 cup (220g) caster sugar, extra 3 eggs

2 cups (300g) plain flour

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cardamom ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon 1½ teaspoon baking powder, sifted ½ teaspoon bicarbonate soda

½ cup (60g) almond meal

1 cup (250ml) buttermilk

½ cup (175g) honey, warmed to serve double cream, to serve

1 Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fanforced). Line the base and side of a 22cm round cake pan with baking paper.

2 Cut the apples crosswise very thinly into 3mm slices. Gently toss the apples in sugar and the melted butter. Arrange the slices, overlapping slightly, in the base of the prepared pan; pour over any juices.

3 For the cake, melt the extra butter in a small frying saucepan over high heat for 5 minutes, or until nut brown in colour. Pour browned butter into a heatproof bowl and freeze for 15 minutes or until cool and starting to set.

4 Beat the ‘browned’ butter and sugar with an electric mixer for 6 minutes until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

5 Meanwhile, sift the flour, spices, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda together in a large bowl; stir to combine.

6 On low speed, add the flour mixture, almond meal and buttermilk to the butter mixture, beat until just combined. Spoon the mixture over the apples and bake for 1 hour. Cover loosely with aluminium foil and bake for a further 15-20 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes.

7 Invert onto a plate and drizzle with warm honey. Serve with cream, if you like. Not suitable to freeze or microwave. Best made on day of serving.