An easy recipe for a lazy Sunday morning or a quick and satisfying dessert.
Topping
3 T butter
½ c packed brown sugar
2-3 New England apples like Empire, Jonagold, cored and thinly sliced
Cake
½ c flour
½ c whole wheat flour
¼ c sugar
1 t baking powder
½ t baking soda
½ t salt
½ t cinnamon
5 T cold butter, cut into pieces
½ c buttermilk (or substitute ½ c milk + 1½ t lemon juice or white vinegar)
Preheat oven to 425°F.
In a cast iron or other ovenproof 10-inch skillet, heat butter over moderate heat until foam subsides. Stir in brown sugar and remove from heat. Spread mixture evenly in skillet and arrange apples, overlapping, in a single layer.
Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry knife until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add buttermilk, stirring just until mixture is moistened.
Spread batter over apples, leaving a one-inch border to allow cake to expand.
Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until cake is golden brown and firm to the touch. Cool in skillet on a rack for three minutes, then invert onto a large plate or cake platter.
Serve warm.