Mark Bittman's Apple Upside-Down Cake

Switch up Mark Bittman's Pineapple Upside-Down Cake with some apples!

Melt 1/2 stick of butter and pour into 8" pan. Sprinkle 1/2 cup brown sugar on top. Then place your apples on top. I used 3 1/2 gala apples.

Wet ingredients: Whisk together 1/2 stick melted butter, 1 cup buttermilk, 2 eggs, 1/2 c sugar.
Dry ingredients: 2 cups flour, 1 t baking soda, 1/4 t salt. Added 1 teaspoon cinnamon for the apple version.

Add the wet ingredients to the combined dry ingredients until incorporated. Spread the batter on top of the apples. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes. I baked mine for 55 minutes. After 5 minutes cooling, flip the cake out onto a serving plate.

I made this cake about a week ago and it was a yummy breakfast treat. I am really enjoying Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything. I picked it up at the library and have renewed it...I'll be getting it after my move! My new bookshelf has an empty space, you know... :)

Okay pastry people...what happened here? Big holes due to overmixing? undermixing? I know it is one of them.

Oh well, it'll be my Swiss Cheese-like Apple Upside-Down Cake!

I did enjoy this cake. It was quick and "light" (only 1 stick of butter! hee hee). However, my favorite upside-down apple cake is definitely the Barefoot Contessa's Apple Tartin Cake. That one has more butter and sour cream...and it uses a caramel layer. You should definitely try both!

Recipe:
I adapted mine from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything (10th Anniversary Edition) "Pineapple Upside-Down Cake" with Apple Upside-Down Cake, page 915

Mark Bittman's Olive Oil Cake

I can't believe it has been 8 weeks since my last blood donation. The summer is just flying by. September in a few days? What the heck? Last time I gave blood, I brought my own post-donation cookie. This time, I can't have dairy so I made an Olive Oil Cake.

I just picked up Mark Bittman's two classics from the library: How to cook everything and How to cook everything vegetarian. They are going on my wishlist of cookbooks.

This cake was really lovely. It was moist and light. The eggs provide a nice sponge, and the glaze a bit of sweetness. I think you'll like it. And it was a delicious treat after giving blood! :)

I'll try this again with either lime, lemon or grapefruit...I love me the citrus.

Whipping the egg whites separately and folding them into the batter gives this cake a nice lift.

And don't forget...if you can give blood, it is much needed. Jan, the RN, at my blood donor center told me that the percent of eligible donors is now 46% of the population. And of the 46%, only 5% actually donate. So, if you can, please think about rolling up your sleeve to help out! Contact you local hospital or the Red Cross.

Olive Oil Cake
Adapted from Mark Bittman's "How to Cook Everything"

2 c all-purpose flour
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1/2 c extra virgin olive oil
3/4 c sugar + 1/4 c sugar
4 eggs, separated
1/3 c freshly squeezed orange juice
2 t grated or finely minced orange or lemon zest

1. Preheat oven to 350 degree.
2. Grease two 8- or 9-inch layer cake pans or one 9 x 13 pan. I used 9 x 13.
3. Combine in small bowl: flour, baking powder and salt.
4. Mix together oil, 3/4 c sugar until creamy. Add 4 egg yolks and beat until thick and fluffy (5-7 minutes)
5. Mix in dry ingredients until smooth. Add the orange juice and zest, and stir until blended. The batter will be pretty thick.
6. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until foamy, then add the 1/4 cup sugar. Beat until soft peaks.
7. I stirred 1/4 of the egg white mixture into the wet ingredients to lighten the batter. Carefully fold in the remaining egg whites.
8. Pour into pan(s). Bake for 35 minutes. If you used rounds, let them cool for 15 minutes before depanning. If you used the 9 x 13 pan, let it cool in the pan. Let cool completely before glazing.

Orange Glaze
1/2 c freshly squeezed orange juice
1 T grated orange zest
1/2 t vanilla extract
3 c confectioners' sugar
Mix together. Glaze the cake.

Recipes:
How to cook everything vegetarian by Mark Bittman, page 852 (has optional glaze recipes)
How to cook everything by Mark Bittman (10th Anniversary Edition) page 914 | glazes on page 919 and 924