Gluten Free Apple Caramel Upside-Down Cake

Pineapples aren’t the only fruit that like to be upside-down, suspended in caramel. To be honest, I’m a little jealous.

Quebec has Tarte Tatin, but the traditional recipe involves making a caramel first, before baking, which is more work than needed. It can also lead to all sorts of burnt caramel disasters. I like foolproof baking techniques, which is what I use in my pineapple upside-down cake recipe and replicated here with apples. Then I swapped out a dense cake for a lighter-than-air Angel food cake, to make it more of a mile-high cake experience.

Gluten Free Apple Caramel Upside-Down Cake

2 tbsp vegan margarine (or butter or coconut oil)
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup brown sugar (or coconut sugar, or cane sugar mixed with a 1/2 tsp molasses—use you hands to rub in the molasses until all the sugar is darker)
2 cups peeled and sliced apples (2-3 apples)
1 cup gluten-free flour blend
1/2 tsp baking soda (if the blend doesn’t already contain it)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder (if the blend doesn’t already contain it)
1/2 tsp salt
6 egg whites (save the yolks for making ice cream – add a little sugar, whisk them and freeze them for later)
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 cup fine cane or white sugar

1. Chuck the vegan margarine (or butter or coconut oil) and 1/4 tsp salt into springform pan or circular baking dish that’s at least 2 inches deep. Put it in a 350˚F oven for 4-5 minutes (you can do this while the oven’s preheating), or until melted. Remove it from the oven and sprinkle the brown sugar on top.
2. Place the apple slices over top, slightly overlapping them to make it as pretty as you want.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. 
4. In a large bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar at medium speed to soft peaks. Very slowly (slower!) add the cane or white sugar and beat on high to stiff peaks.
5. Fold a third of the beaten egg whites into the flour bowl. Then fold in the rest.
6. Gently scrape the batter over the apple slices and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Cool for five minutes, then scrape around edges and remove the sides of the springform pan and place a serving plate over top. Take a deep breath, then bravely flip the cake onto the serving plate and remove the bottom of the springform pan. Eat.