Food is Better in November

 “In November, the smell of food is different. It is an orange smell. A squash and pumpkin smell. It tastes like cinnamon and can fill up a house in the morning, can pull everyone from bed in a fog. Food is better in November than any other time of the year.” — Cynthia Rylant

I agree. Food is better in November. One of my favorites is my caramel apple upside down cake. Enjoy!

Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake

Ingredients:
½ cup butter or margarine
½ cup chopped walnuts
¼ cup packed brown sugar
2 apples, sliced thin — core removed, but I don’t peel mine
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
¼ cups agave nectar (or 1/3 cup sugar)
1 Tablespoon flaxseed meal dissolved in 3 Tablespoons hot water (or 1 egg)
1/3 cup molasses
1 ½ cup buckwheat flour
¾ teaspoon nutmeg
¾ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon aluminum free baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup warm water

Directions:

Preheat oven 350 degrees F.

Put butter or margarine in round 9 inch cake pan and place in oven while preheating.

When butter or margarine is melted, remove from oven. Sprinkle walnuts and brown sugar over bottom of pan and arrange apple slices overlapping over top.

Mix together applesauce, agave nectar, flaxseed mixture and molasses.

Add flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, baking powder and soda to wet ingredients, mixing well. Add water and continue beating to incorporate into mixture.

Spread batter over apples. You may need to use a spatula or wet, clean hands to smooth the batter.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool for 10 to 15 minutes before removing from pan. To remove from pan place serving plate over cake pan and invert.

Serve warm.

Of course you may “guild the lily” with whipped cream or ice cream if desired.

Serves 8