Ingredients:

  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, cut into cubes
  • 1 cup (200g) packed light brown sugar
  • ¼ cup (60ml) heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of sea salt
  • 4 medium apples (Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or a mix), peeled, cored, and sliced (about 4 cups sliced)
  • 2 tablespoons (30g) unsalted butter
  • ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 ½ cups (192g) all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
  • ½ cup (120ml) buttermilk
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

  1. Prepare the Caramel Base: Melt butter in a saucepan. Add brown sugar, cream, vanilla, and salt. Simmer until thickened and smooth. Pour into the prepared springform pan.
  2. Prepare the Apple Filling: Melt butter in a skillet. Add apples, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Sauté until apples are slightly softened but still hold their shape. Stir in lemon juice.
  3. Arrange Apples: Carefully arrange the sautéed apple slices evenly over the caramel base in the springform pan.
  4. Prepare the Crumble Cake: Whisk together dry ingredients. Cut in cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk, egg, and vanilla. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
  5. Assemble the Cake: Spread the crumble cake batter evenly over the apple layer.
  6. Bake: Bake in a preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the top is golden brown.
  7. Cool and Invert: Let the cake cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes. Run a knife around the edges to loosen. Carefully invert the cake onto a serving plate.
  8. Serve: Serve warm.