Make sure you check out a good photo of this cake on Mel’s Kitchen Cafe as this photo does not do it justice at all.
Different from other apple cakes, this one has a terrific cream cheese layer laced throughout as well as a yummy glaze on top. I made it around Thanksgiving and I keep meaning to write about it as it was really quite good. Eric asked what was in it, and I immediately got defensive (aggressively asking, why??) and he said that well, he just really liked it and was curious! Jeez, I gotta calm down. Anyway, it was good. Really tasty and stayed moist and lip smacking good for several days. I served it with a caramel sauce but it really isn’t necessary given the glaze. If you want to make the sauce, just look at the link and directions are there.
Make this a day before you plan to serve it and don’t be put off by the long list of ingredients as it is really very simple to throw together.
caramel apple cake (from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe)
cake
3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 medium apples (for about 3 cups chopped)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla, divided
1 1/4 cups canola oil
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
cream cheese filling
8 ounces cream cheese (not whipped) room temp
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
glaze
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease a 9 or 10 inch bundt pan. All over.
In a smallish bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
In another bowl, combine the chopped apples with the lemon juice. Add the brown sugar and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla extract.
With hand held beaters or an electric mixer, beat together the oil, sugar and other teaspoon vanilla. Follow with the eggs one at a time and mix well. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just blended.
Strain the apples to remove any excess liquid and add to the batter mixing just to incorporate. Do not over mix.
The batter will be thick – pour into the bundt pan and make the filling.
Mix together the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and egg. Mix well. Place in a trench on top of the batter and try to scoop the batter around and on top of the cream cheese. Then take a knife and swirl the cream cheese even more.
Bake for about an hour to an hour and 20 – really depends on the size of you pan and your oven. You want a toothpick to come out with a few moist crumbs.
Make the glaze by mixing all the ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then boil for about 60 seconds mixing constantly. Remove from heat.
Once the cake is out of the oven, the recipe instructs you to pour the glaze on top of the cake (while still in the pan). I struggled with this – and was worried that the cake would get stuck. So I let the cake cool a bit, then inverted it and poured the glaze on top. I suppose my cake isn’t as pretty because of it, but it didn’t fall apart. See what you think and lmk if you have success.
Enjoy-
