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🍎 Torta di Mele in Padella
(Italian Upside-Down Apple Cake in a Skillet)
In Italian, Torta means cake, Mele means apples, and Padella means pan. This traditional Torta di Mele in Padella is a rustic Italian apple cake prepared right on the stovetop — no oven required. The apples caramelize beautifully in butter and brown sugar beneath a light, spiced cake batter. It’s fast, easy, and perfect for breakfast, dessert, or afternoon coffee.
I prefer using Jiffy Yellow Cake Mix for its consistency and simplicity — it measures perfectly for my Ultra-Tech II 9-inch Gourmet Skillet. You can also make it from scratch with the homemade cake mix recipe below.
🧰 EQUIPMENT
- 2 stainless steel mixing bowls
- Rotary Mandoline Food Cutter with #2 cutting cone
- Electric hand or stand mixer
- 9-inch Gourmet Skillet with glass lid
🍰 QUICK CAKE MIX METHOD
Ingredients:
- 1 (9-oz) box Jiffy Yellow Cake Mix
- 1 whole egg
- ½ cup filtered or purified water (never chlorinated tap water)
Mix according to package directions and proceed with recipe.
👩🍳 HOMEMADE CAKE MIX RECIPE
Ingredients:
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 Braeburn or Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and grated (#2 cutting cone)
Directions:
- In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs, sugar, cinnamon, and ginger together until smooth.
- While mixing on medium speed, slowly add vegetable oil, then vanilla, milk, and sour cream. Blend until well combined.
- Add flour and baking powder, continuing to mix until smooth.
- Fold in the grated apple by hand with a spatula.
🍏 APPLE FILLING
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 Braeburn or Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and sliced into 8–10 wedges
- ½ tsp cinnamon
Directions:
- Grease the 9-inch skillet with butter, then sprinkle evenly with brown sugar.
- Arrange apple slices on top of the sugar and dust with cinnamon.
🔥 COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
- Pour cake batter evenly over the apple layer.
- Cover with the glass lid and cook on low heat (200°F–225°F) for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Carefully invert onto a serving plate — the caramelized apples will now be on top.
🍨 TO SERVE
Enjoy warm, topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or homemade gelato.
Pairs beautifully with espresso or sweet dessert wine.