Apple Upside Down Cake

Ingredients:

1/3 cup butter, cut up
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
6 small red cooking apples,
(1 1/4 to 1 1/2 lb) halved, stems removed and cored.
1 1/3 cups flour
2/3 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2/3 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
Vanilla ice cream (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Place 1/3 cup butter in a 9 by 9 by 2 inch baking pan. Place in oven 5 minutes or until butter melts. Sprinkle brown sugar over butter and stir. Arrange 9 apple halves in mixture cut sides down. Bake in oven 10 to 15 minutes or until bubbly.

2. Meanwhile peel remaining apples. Coarsely shred and set aside. In a bowl combine flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, ginger and cinnamon. Add shredded apple, milk, 1/4 cup butter, egg and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on low until combined. Beat on medium 1 minute. Spoon over apples; spread evenly (apple may be exposed; some butter may come to surface).

3. Bake 35 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack 5 minutes. Loosen edges and invert onto platter. Spoon any topping in pan over top. Cool 20 minutes; serve with ice cream (optional).

Makes 9 servings.