Apple Cake with Caramel Glaze
Yield: 12 servings
Cook Time: 50-75 minutes
Tips: Left over Caramel Glaze should be refrigerated, but can be reheated (just until warm) in the microwave (about 20 seconds).
Suggestion: After drizzling with the caramel topping, cake may also be topped with dollops of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, both lightly sprinkled with cinnamon, if desired..
Ingredients
- Cake
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
- 3 eggs
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 5 apples (any kind), cored, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
- Caramel Glaze
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
Directions
Cake
Heat oven to 325° F. Butter and flour a 9x13-inch cake pan.
Place brown sugar, white sugar and oil in an electric mixer bowl and beat until thoroughly blended. In a separate small mixing bowl, lightly beat eggs then add to butter and sugar mixture along with vanilla extract and mix until fully blended.
In a separate mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to sugar, butter and egg mixture and mix just until blended, stopping once to scrape sides and bottom of bowl to incporporate all ingredients. Remove electric mixer bowl from mixer and manually stir in apples (and nuts if you are using). Pour mixture into baking pan.
Bake for 50-75 minutes, or until cake has puffed up and a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Allow cake to cool in the pan while preparing the Caramel Glaze.
Melt butter over low heat in a small saucepan. As soon as butter has melted, stir in white sugar, brown sugar and salt. Continue to cook over medium-low heat for 2 minutes longer, stirring frequently. Add cream and boil over medium-high heat for 2-4 minutes more, stirring constantly. Glaze will turn to a light amber color.
Poke multiple holds in the cake with a toothpick (this helps the glaze to sink into the cake). Cut cake into individual squares, then pour some Caramel Glaze over the tops of each serving. (Alternatively, if entire cake will be eaten all at once, the glaze can be poured over entire cake, then the cake can be cut into servings.) Serve warm or at room temperature, topped with whipped cream or ice cream, if desired. Cinnamon may also be lightly sprinkled over whipped cream and/or ice cream. Store cake at room temperature. Store any leftover glaze in an airtight container in the refrigerator and briefly warm in microwave when ready to use.
Place brown sugar, white sugar and oil in an electric mixer bowl and beat until thoroughly blended. In a separate small mixing bowl, lightly beat eggs then add to butter and sugar mixture along with vanilla extract and mix until fully blended.
In a separate mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to sugar, butter and egg mixture and mix just until blended, stopping once to scrape sides and bottom of bowl to incporporate all ingredients. Remove electric mixer bowl from mixer and manually stir in apples (and nuts if you are using). Pour mixture into baking pan.
Bake for 50-75 minutes, or until cake has puffed up and a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Allow cake to cool in the pan while preparing the Caramel Glaze.
Caramel Glaze
Melt butter over low heat in a small saucepan. As soon as butter has melted, stir in white sugar, brown sugar and salt. Continue to cook over medium-low heat for 2 minutes longer, stirring frequently. Add cream and boil over medium-high heat for 2-4 minutes more, stirring constantly. Glaze will turn to a light amber color.
Poke multiple holds in the cake with a toothpick (this helps the glaze to sink into the cake). Cut cake into individual squares, then pour some Caramel Glaze over the tops of each serving. (Alternatively, if entire cake will be eaten all at once, the glaze can be poured over entire cake, then the cake can be cut into servings.) Serve warm or at room temperature, topped with whipped cream or ice cream, if desired. Cinnamon may also be lightly sprinkled over whipped cream and/or ice cream. Store cake at room temperature. Store any leftover glaze in an airtight container in the refrigerator and briefly warm in microwave when ready to use.