Apple Upside-Down Gingerbread

• 2 1/4 cups sifted, unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground dried ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon Dutch-processed cocoa
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, then cooled to room temperature
• 3/4 cup light unsulphured molasses
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 large egg
• 3 tart baking apples (Granny Smith or Jonathan)

1. Adjust oven rack to center position and heat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice, and cocoa in medium bowl.

3. Beat butter, molasses, sugar, buttermilk, milk, and egg in large bowl of an electric mixer on low speed.

4. Add dry ingredients to liquid; beat on medium speed until batter is smooth and thick, about 1 minute, scraping down sides of bowl with rubber spatula as needed. Do not overmix. (If using the fresh ginger, batter will be lumpy.)

5. For the apple topping: Grease sides of 11-by-7-by-1 1/2-inch metal pan. Pour 4 tablespoons melted unsalted butter into pan; spread 3/4 cup light brown sugar evenly over pan bottom. Peel, halve, core, and slice thin three tart baking apples (Granny Smith or Jonathan). Arrange slices, overlapping slightly upon brown sugar mixture.

6. Working quickly, pour batter over apples.

7. Bake until top springs back when lightly touched, and edges have pulled away from the pan sides, about 50 to 60 minutes.

7. Set pan on wire cake rack and let cool 5 minutes. Invert onto serving plate, cut into squares, and serve. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature. (Gingerbread can be wrapped in plastic wrap, then foil, and refrigerated up to 5 days.)

For stronger ginger flavor, replace the dried ginger with three tablespoons grated peeled fresh ginger root and three tablespoons minced crystallized ginger.

8 servings