STICKY BUCKWHEAT CAKE

Sticky Buckwheat Cake image

Provided by Martha Stewart

Yield Makes 1 ten-inch cake

Number Of Ingredients 18

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups packed light-brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup buckwheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon peeled and grated fresh ginger
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup brandy
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2/3 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans (1 3/4 ounces)
1 apple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Steps:

Make topping: In a small bowl, combine raisins and brandy; let stand until raisins are plump, about 20 minutes. Drain raisins; discard liquid.
In a 10-inch seasoned cast-iron skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon, and remove from heat. Drizzle with corn syrup. Strew pecans, apple, and raisins over corn syrup; set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make cake: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter until smooth. Add sugar; beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating until combined after each addition.
Into a large bowl, sift together flours, ground ginger, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, combine milk and fresh ginger. Alternately add the flour and milk mixtures to butter mixture, beating until just combined after each addition, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
Pour batter into prepared skillet; make top even using an offset spatula. Bake until golden brown and a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let stand 5 minutes before inverting onto serving platter. Serve warm or at room temperature.