Pumpkins are everywhere - there seem to be more pumpkin flavored offerings than ever before. Coffee, doughnuts, ravioli and even beer are available spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger and maybe a bit of actual pumpkin. Adding pumpkin to baked goods is not just a seasonal fad; pumpkin increases the vitamins, fiber and moisture of the end product. Pumpkin is high in vitamin A, vitamin C, and potassium, and contains anti-oxidants.

This cake combines two fall favorites: apples and pumpkin. It can be served as a coffee cake or dessert.

Pumpkin-Apple Upside-down Cake

1 stick butter, softened

½ Cup brown sugar

2 medium apples, peeled, cored and sliced (Cortland is a good baking apple)

1 Cup sugar

1 egg

1 Cup canned pumpkin puree

½ Cup milk

1 ½ Cups flour

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (plus more for sprinkling)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a 9-inch cake pan with non-stick spray or butter. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.

Mix ½ stick of softened butter together thoroughly with brown sugar and then spread the mixture over the parchment paper on the bottom of the cake pan. Arrange apple slices in a pattern on top of the brown sugar-butter mixture, and sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice.

Cream remaining ½ stick of butter and sugar together in the bowl of a standing mixer or with a hand-held beater; once combined, add egg, pumpkin puree and milk. Mix several minutes until well-combined.  In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, whisk flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt together. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix just until combined. Spread batter over apples in cake pan and bake 45 minutes. Cool cake in pan about 15 minutes, run a knife around the edge of the pan, then invert the cake onto a serving platter. Serve warm or room temperature.