Decadent Apple and Maple upsidedown cake

Buckwheat and maple do magical things together.  Buckwheat is one of those slightly difficult flavours -- like that person at your party that is hard to get a long with. But pair it with maple, and suddenly everyone will want to be its friend. This apple cake is toothsome and delicious, and so pretty. I know apple usually wants cinnamon -- but with buckwheat, I highly recommend against it. Cinnamon and buckwheat just don't get a long very well.

a)
1 cup hot water
1/2 cup unrefined coconut oil

b)
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 cup maple syrup -- I like to use the darkest I can find for this recipe for more maple flavour
1 tsp vanilla extract

(for a sweeter cake add 1/4 to 1/2 cup coconut sugar/ cane sugar)



c)
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp tonka bean powder (or ground vanilla bean) *** leave out if unavailable
1/2 cup tapioca starch

1 tsp ground ginger

2  cups buckwheat four

1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cream of tartar (or instead of baking soda and cream of tartar, use 2 tsp baking powder)


2 apples -- one sliced into thin lovely slices, the other diced (Galas, pink ladies, or your favourite cooking apple) (you're welcome to peel them if you prefer)

1. generously coat a deep round pan with coconut oil
2. lay a round of parchment in the bottom,

3. generously layer the bottom with coconut sugar or brown sugar and lay lovely slices of apple around in a pretty pattern. (don't skimp on the sugar here)

preheat the oven to 345

1. combine the hot water and coconut oil (a)
2. when the coconut oil has melted, add in the other wet ingredients (b)
3. combining  the dry ingredients  together (c)
4. using a whisk, combine the ingredients from c with the wet ingredients
5. stir in the apple chunks
5. pour the batter over the apples slices

bake at 345 for 40 minutes or until the cake is springy and bounces back when lightly pressed


when the cake has  cooled, run a knife or spatula around the sides, put a plate over the pan, and turn over. Remove the parchment.