Hosting a memorable Thanksgiving feast often means dealing with a long to-do list. However, with some smart menu planning, you can ease the pressure. While certain dishes require more effort, the dessert spread is the grand finale that wraps it all up. Those final bites should leave an impression, but that doesn’t mean they have to be complicated! A few simple yet delicious desserts can bring joy to your table. With a touch of creativity, you can create something special that everyone will love. You could bake a tarte tatin or any of the apple desserts, but an apple upside-down cake or an apple cake with cranberries are Thanksgiving dessert recipes that are totally worth their calories!
Apple Upside Down Cake
In only 20 minutes of active time, and without the fuss of a mixer, tender, brown sugar-kissed fruit transforms into a buttery, vanilla-scented upside-down apple cake. This recipe is a classic and perfect for the Thanksgiving season. For a less-sweet dessert, omit the glaze but retain the deliciousness.
Ingredients:
Apples
- 2 Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch wedges
- 55 - 60 gm unsalted butter, softened
- 100 gm light brown sugar
- Pinch of salt
Cake
- 190 gm all-purpose flour
- 200 gm sugar
- 6 gm baking powder
- 5 gm kosher salt
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 120 ml milk
- 5 ml pure vanilla extract
- 170 gm unsalted butter, melted
Glaze
- 30 gm powdered sugar
- 15 ml milk
Process
- Gather the ingredients and preheat the oven to 180°C. Line the bottom of a 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, blend the butter with the brown sugar and salt. Spread the mixture evenly in the lined cake pan and arrange the apple wedges in the pan in two concentric circles.
- In the same bowl, whisk the flour with the sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a small bowl, mix the eggs with the milk and vanilla. Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients along with the melted butter and whisk until smooth.
- Scrape the batter over the apples and spread evenly.
- Bake the cake in the lower third of the oven until golden and springy, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 55 minutes.
- Transfer the pan to a rack and let cool for 30 minutes. Run the tip of a knife around the inside rim of the pan. Center a serving plate over the cake; carefully invert the cake and plate. Remove the pan and peel off the parchment paper. Let the cake cool completely.
- Make the glaze by stirring the powdered sugar with the milk in a small bowl, then drizzle it over the cake. Cut into wedges and serve.
If you’re a fan of upside down cakes, try this pineapple upside down cake recipe,
Apple cake with cranberries
Layer apples with cranberries and brown sugar, then top them with a fantastic sour cream batter. You’ll have a wonderful dessert recipe for this thanksgiving.
Ingredients
- 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, halved, cored, and sliced 1/2 inch thick
- 125 gm fresh or frozen cranberries
- 100 gm light brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 150 gm granulated sugar
- 180 gm sour cream
- 5 ml vanilla extract
- 190 gm flour
- 115 gm unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 5 gm baking powder
- 2.5 gm salt
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment paper. Arrange the apple slices in the pan in two circles and scatter the cranberries around the edge. Sprinkle the brown sugar on top.
- In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to beat the eggs with the granulated sugar, sour cream, and vanilla until smooth. Gradually beat in the flour, melted butter, baking powder, and salt. Scrape the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the surface with a spatula.
- Bake the cake for about 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool for 15 minutes before inverting it onto a platter. Cut into wedges and serve warm.