A spice cake with diced apples, topped with a caramel buttercream and a caramel drizzle, is the perfect way to usher in apple season.
Know what my favorite thing ever is? Doing things twice. Even better if I have to redo them because I made a mistake the first time, which is what happened with this Caramel Apple Cake.
The cake layers had to be baked twice because they completely collapsed and deflated when I took them out of the oven even though they weren’t even close to being done. UGH.
I detest wasting time, materials (also known as money), food, and other things. In order to even out the trimmed cake layers, I placed them in the freezer to be used for an unknown future project.
I have trouble throwing things away, so I wait until the fridge/freezer situation becomes critical before I go in there to do a thorough cleaning and get rid of anything I think is past its prime. I don’t like to get to that point though.
With the exception of overbaking them out of fear of underbaking (lol), my second attempt at the cake layers went much better.
However, an overbaked cake is preferable — a dry cake can always be saved with some simple syrup, but you can’t serve people raw cake!
I’ve actually had a lot of issues lately with cakes being removed too soon, so I’ve made the decision to stop using skewers or cake testers to determine when the cake layers are done. Frequently, when I stick a skewer in there too soon, the cake layer will slightly collapse. It’s soul crushing.
Now, my first test will be to gently press the tops of the cake layers with my finger. Sometimes the skewer will come out clean, but they aren’t actually done! If they spring back, they’re done. If it leaves a bit of an indent, they’re not.
Here is 3 recipe(s):
Caramel Apple Cake
This cake is one of my favorite desserts to bring when I go to potlucks, family gatherings, or on hunting and fishing trips with my husband and son. It doesn’t last very long, but the moist, flavorful cake does! — Marilyn Paradis, Woodburn, Oregon
Prep: 30min
Total: 02
Yield: 16 servings.
Nutritional Information: 528 calories, 29g of fat (5g saturated), 50mg of cholesterol, 211mg of sodium, 63g of carbohydrate (42g sugars), 2g of fiber, and 6g of protein.
Ingredients:
- 1-1/2 cups canola oil
- 1-1/2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 3 eggs
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3-1/2 cups diced peeled apples
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- CARAMEL ICING:
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/3 cup half-and-half cream
- 1/4 cup butter, cubed
- Dash salt
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- Chopped walnuts, optional
Instruction:
Combine the oil, sugars, and eggs in a large bowl until thoroughly combined. Until the mixture is well-combined, gradually add the flour mixture made up of cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg. Fold in the apples, walnuts and vanilla. , Pour into a greased and floured 10-in. fluted tube pan. For 1-1/2 hours or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, bake at 325°. 10 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling Brown sugar, cream, butter, and salt should be cooked and stirred over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Transfer to a small bowl; cool to room temperature. Beat in confectioners’ sugar until smooth; drizzle over cake. Sprinkle with walnuts if desired.
Caramel-Apple Upside-Down Cake
The gooey fruit topping is the best part of the traditional pineapple upside-down cake, and this new version of the classic dessert is no different. Fresh apple slices, which have a tart flavor that is the ideal counterbalance to a sticky-sweet caramel sauce, were used in place of canned pineapple. We don’t like to take sides, but this topping combined with the tender vanilla scratch cake makes for a simple modern treat that might even surpass the original.
Prep: 25min
Total: 1h45min
Yield: 8
Serving Size: 1 Serving
Nutritional information per serving: 550 calories, 68 grams of carbohydrate, 135 mg of cholesterol, 5 1/2 grams of fat, 1 gram of fiber, 5 grams of protein, 17 grams of saturated fat, 50 grams of sugar, and 1 gram of trans fat.
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup butter or margarine
- 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 medium apples, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch wedges
- 1 1/3 cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Instruction:
- Heat oven to 325°F. Spray cooking spray on the bottom and sides of an 8- or 9-inch square pan.
- Melt 1/4 cup butter in a 1-quart saucepan over medium heat while stirring occasionally. Stir in brown sugar. Heat to boiling; remove from heat. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Pour into pan; spread evenly. Place apple wedges on top of the brown sugar mixture, tightly overlapping them and, if necessary, forming two layers.
- Mix the salt, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon in a medium bowl. Beat 1 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until smooth. Add vanilla. Beat milk alternately into the flour mixture gradually, beating well after each addition. Spread batter over apple wedges in brown sugar mixture.
- 55 to 65 minutes of baking time, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on cooling rack 15 minutes. Whipping cream is simultaneously being vigorously beaten in a medium bowl until it starts to thicken. Add 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar gradually while beating until soft peaks form.
- Run knife around sides of pan to loosen cake. Place a heatproof serving plate on top of the pan and flip it over. Remove pan. Serve warm cake with whipped cream. Store cake loosely covered.
Caramel Apple Cake
A spice cake with diced apples, topped with a caramel buttercream and a caramel drizzle, is the perfect way to usher in apple season.
Prep: 120min
Total: 165min
Serving Size: 1 serving
Nutritional information per serving: calories 607 kcal, 80 g of carbohydrates, 5 g of protein, 30 g of fat, 19 g of saturated fat, 124 mg of cholesterol, 189 mg of sodium, 1 g of fiber, and 62 g of sugar.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups diced apples (heaping, approx. 2 medium apples)
- 1 Tbsp light brown sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar (packed)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 150 ml heavy cream (room temperature)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 3 large egg whites
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature, cubed)
- 1/2 cup caramel
Instruction:
- Throw peeled. Set aside.
- Cakes should be placed on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes before being removed to finish cooling.
- Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Transfer to a container and place in fridge to thicken. *.
- Add cooled caramel and whip until smooth.***
- Put dollops of caramel around the top edges of the cooled cake with a small spoon, letting some drip down. Use an offset spatula to evenly spread more caramel over the cake’s top. ****.
Kardea Brown’s Caramel Apple Cake | Delicious Miss Brown | Food Network
FAQ
Can you use Gala apples for caramel apples?
Any apple that your family enjoys; for this recipe, I used gala, which is sweet but might be too juicy; granny smith is very tart but makes a great caramel apple; and golden delicious Just make sure your apples are fresh and free from bruising. Organic is preferred, and typically organic products don’t have wax on them.
Should apples be cold before dipping in caramel?
You don’t want to lose any of that yummy caramel! Tip #4 – Cool the dipped apples in the fridge If you place the parchment paper on a pan before beginning, then you can easily slip the apples in the fridge once they’ve been dipped. This will aid in setting the caramel and stop it from slipping off.
How do you get caramel to stick to apples?
You should soak your apples for a few minutes in hot tap water with a little bit of vinegar added to help the caramel adhere to them. Then scrub off any wax with a kitchen towel. Once ready, tilt pan to pool caramel. Each apple should be evenly coated using a twirling motion; let any extra caramel drip off.
What apples are best for caramel?
The best apples for caramel apples include Granny Smith, Fuji, and Honeycrisp, but you can use any apple variety you like. Because Granny Smith apples are tart, which goes well with sweet, buttery caramel, they are a popular choice for caramel apples.