Apple Upside-Down Cake

Ingredients

• Caramel

  • 1/2 cup (105 g) sugar
  • 3 tbsp (45 ml) water

• Apples

  • 1/4 cup (55 g) sugar
  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) water
  • 2 star anise
  • 1 cinnamon stick, about 4 inches (10 cm) long
  • 1 piece fresh ginger, about 1 inch (2.5 cm) long, washed and sliced
  • 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped or 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla
  • 8 to 10 Royal Gala apples, peeled, cored and cut into thin slices about 1/16 inch (2 mm) thick on a mandoline (see note)

• Cake

  • 1 cup (150 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup (105 g) brown sugar
  • 3 tbsp (45 ml) vegetable oil
  • 1/3 cup (75 ml) milk