3 to 4cups crispy, tart apples or pears, peeled, cored and cut into wedges
Cake:
1/2cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
2/3cup sugar
1teaspoon vanilla extract
2eggs
1 1/2cups all-purpose flour
1/2cup cornmeal
1 1/2teaspoons baking powder
1teaspoon salt
1/2teaspoon cinnamon
1cup buttermilk or yogurt
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375F.
To prepare apples, melt butter in a 10- to 12-inch cast iron skillet over low heat. Add sugar and sorghum to pan and stir. Place apple slices, wedge side down, in the pan. Don’t pack them too tightly, but try not to leave large gaps. Cook over medium-low heat while you make the cake batter, about 15 minutes.
To prepare cake, beat butter and sugar using an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Mix in vanilla and eggs. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients (flour through cinnamon). Add buttermilk and flour mixture alternately to butter mixture and mix until well blended.
Remove skillet from heat. Spoon batter over the top, and spread. Place in oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until cake is golden brown and bubbly. Let cake cool in skillet 5 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate, arranging any apple slices that have fallen off the cake.