It's Tuesday, and That Means It Is Recipe Time

Well, I did not know what I wanted to "trade" today, but sometimes it pays to be late to the party because then several people go and unknowingly create a "theme" for me! Apparently, the theme is desserts, predominantly of the cake variety. Further, seeing as I am currently drowning in apple craziness (see post below) this particular cake seems to suit the occasion. And, it is pretty darn yummy and perfect for fall. If you know me well, then you know that, for me, Fall arrives as soon as it is Honeycrisp time at Central Market.

Autumn Apple Cake

Cake:
3 cups all-purpose flour 11/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda 3 cups peeled, cored, chopped apples (about 2 1/2 apples)
1/2 tsp salt 1 cup chopped, toasted pecans (optional!)
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs

PreHeat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease 10-inch tube or bundt pan.
Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt.
Beat sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla. until pale.
Mix in flour mixture one third at a time. (Batter will be very thick!)
Mix in apples (and nuts if you want them)
Into the pan, smooth the top.
Bake for 55 min (check on it early, Ive had it be done at around 45 minutes before)
Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto rack to cool completely before glazing.

Glaze:
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 cup unsalted butter (Ive used salted - it was fine!)
1/3 cup milk

Bring all ingredients to a rapid boil in a small saucepan. Let boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and keep stirring (kind of vigorously) until all bubbles are gone. Spoon over cake.

And just to be over-the-top decadent, I serve each slice with a bit of caramel sauce! (oh, and to be technical, a sauce is not REALLLLY a caramel sauce if it is made with brown sugar. Technically you have to brown white sugar to create caramel sauce. A sauce using brown sugar such as this one is really a butterscotch sauce...just trivia for you)

Caramel Sauce:
3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup heavy cream

Melt butter, brown sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil while stirring with whisk. Remove from heat. whisk in cream and vanilla.
You wont use all of this sauce. you can keep it in the fridge to put on ice-cream, pound cake, or whatever. Soften it from the fridge either in the microwave, or set container in warm water.