Apple-Topped Gingerbread With Maple Cream

Chef #573036's Note:

Perfect for fall. This is from the October "Yankee" magazine in an article about the Shaker Village in Hancock, Massachusetts, featuring a traditional Shaker menu of simplicity and goodness. This is a gingerbread of the "damp" variety, not cakey, though when you check it with the knife, it will still come out clean.

• Total Time: 55 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 10

Yield: 1.0 cake

apple topping

• 4 tablespoons butter , plus more
• butter , for pan
• ½ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 2 firm baking apples , such as Cortland, peeled, cored, quartered and sliced 1/8 inch thick

gingerbread

• 1 egg
• ½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
• ½ cup sour milk (scant 1/2 cup milk with 1 TBSP cider vinegar)
• 1⁄3; cup unsulphured molasses
• 4 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 cup unbleached white flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves

maple cream

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 4 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Butter the sides of a nine inch square or round pan.
3. Melt the butter and stir in the brown sugar to blend.
4. Spread butter and sugar on bottom of prepared pan and arrange apple slices on sugar mixture in decorative rows or circles.
5. Prepare the gingerbread batter.
6. Combine the first five ingredients in a bowl; whisk until blended.
7. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt and spices.
8. Add dry ingredients to wet; mix until well blended.
9. Pour batter over apples and bake 35 to 45 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
10. Cool ten minutes, then invert on cake plate.
11. While cake is baking, make the maple cream and serve cake with a dollop of it.
12. While cake is baking, whip heavy cream on high speed of an electric mixer until cream begins to thicken. Drizzle in the maple syrup and continue mixing until soft peaks form.