INGREDIENTS:
Apple Cake:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 cups apples, peeled & diced
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- Caramel Sauce:
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp water
- pinch salt
- 1½ tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup heavy cream
DIRECTIONS:
Caramel sauce: Grease the sides of a medium saucepan with non-stick spray. Add butter, brown sugar, water, and salt and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the butter has melted. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 8 minutes, stirring, until golden brown and thickened (it will continue to thicken as it cools). Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and evaporated milk.
Cake: Grease and flour a 10” bundt pan. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350°.
Toss the diced apples with lemon juice and set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
In another large mixing bowl mix oil and granulated and brown sugars. Mix in applesauce and vanilla. Add the egg then mix.
Stir in the dry ingredients, just until incorporated, then stir in the diced apples. Don’t over-mix. The batter will be thick.
* See note below for adding a layer of cream cheese
Pour batter into the bundt pan and bake in preheated oven for 50-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven then cool for 5-10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack.
Serve slices drizzled with caramel sauce on top.
* Optional Cream Cheese Layer:
- 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese just until smooth. Add the ⅓ cup sugar, vanilla and egg and blend until smooth. Set aside. Pour half of the cake batter evenly into the prepared bundt pan. Spoon the cream cheese mixture in a line along the centre of the batter (being careful not to let it touch the sides of the pan). Spoon the remaining batter on top and bake as instructed in recipe.
