CARAMEL APPLE CAKE

CARAMEL APPLE CAKE
This fabulous apple cake recipe came from the September 2015 issue of Southern Living Magazine and it is a winner!  I made it this week to take to a friend's house as a dinner dessert.  I must admit I did not have apple brandy to use in the sauce so I substituted apple juice and it worked just fine.  My husband and I are particularly fond of Gala apples.  Olivia recently purchased some for me at the Wakarusa Produce Auction (if you live in Northern Indiana and have never attended, you really should--it is awesome).  The apples did well sauteing them with butter.  They held up and really were tender yet crisp.  If you are looking for a delicious autumn dessert that is really pretty too, try this cake recipe.
-Nanette

Ingredients

CAKE   

1 1/3 cups firmly packed light brown sugar

3/4 cup butter, softened    

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3 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon table salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup buttermilk

Shortening    

APPLES

2 pounds McIntosh apples (about 6 apples, 6 to 7 oz. each)

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch of table salt

2 tablespoons butter

ADDITIONAL INGREDIENT

Apple Brandy-Caramel Sauce

Preparation

1. Prepare Cake: Preheat oven to 350°. Beat first 2 ingredients at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition; stir in vanilla.
2. Whisk together flour and next 4 ingredients in a medium bowl. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat just until blended after each addition. Spread batter in a greased (with shortening) and floured 9- x 2-inch round cake pan.
3. Bake at 350° for 50 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, shielding with aluminum foil after 35 to 40 minutes to prevent excessive browning, if necessary. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan, and cool completely (about 1 hour).
4. Meanwhile, prepare Apples. Cut apples into 1/2-inch-thick wedges. Toss together apples, 1/2 cup brown sugar, and next 3 ingredients. Melt 2 Tbsp. butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add apple mixture, and sauté 5 to 6 minutes or until crisp-tender and golden. Cool completely (about 30 minutes).
5. Arrange sautéed apples over cooled cake, and drizzle with desired amount of warm Apple Brandy-Caramel Sauce; serve with remaining sauce.

APPLE BRANDY CARAMEL SAUCE

Ingredients

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup heavy cream

Pinch of table salt

1 tablespoon apple brandy

1 tablespoon powdered sugar

Preparation

Bring brown sugar, butter, cream, and salt to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Remove from heat, and stir apple brandy. Whisk in powdered sugar; cool 15 minutes before serving.