Whenever I start thinking about favorite fall flavors, my first choice is always apple. Some people LOVE pumpkin with a capital “L”, but I’m an apple girl. This recipe from King Arthur Flour Company (also one of my faves) is awesome! How can you go wrong with a caramel apple in cake form?
For the topping:
2 medium apples (I used Galas.)
4 tbsp. unsalted butter
3/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
2 tbsp. thawed apple juice concentrate (or boiled cider if you have it)
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 cup light corn syrup
For the cake:
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
2 tbsp. thawed apple juice concentrate (or boiled cider)
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (I use King Arthur.)
1 large apple, peeled & finely chopped (I used gala.)
3/4 cup chopped pecans
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a 9 inch round cake pan at least 2 inches deep. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment or wax paper and spray that as well with non-stick spray.
Slice and peel the top with the stem off one of the apples and set it aside. Peel and slice 2 apples into 1/4 inch wedges. Place the apple top, stem side down, in the middle of the pan, and overlap the rest of the apple wedges in a ring around that piece.
Over low heat on your stovetop, melt the butter with the 3/4 cup brown sugar, 2 tbsp. apple juice concentrate, 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon and 1/2 cup light corn syrup. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Pour 1/2 cup of the syrup mixture over the apple slices and set the rest aside.
For the cake: Beat the vegetable oil, 1 cup light brown sugar, 2 tbsp. apple juice concentrate, eggs, spices and salt together for 2 minutes at medium speed.
Sift together the flour and baking soda then stir this into the batter. Add the chopped apples and nuts and mix until just blended.
The batter will be thick so scoop the batter into the pan over the apple slices then carefully spread it so it completely covers the apples. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and run a knife along the outside edge of the cake to loosen it from the pan. Let the cake cool for 5 minutes then turn it out on to a serving plate. Make sure and save any of the tasty topping that might stick to the pan.
Reheat the reserved topping and pour it over the cake. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Yield: 8-10 servings
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