Our dear neighbour brought us a cake like this, only using a different nut, and it was gorgeous. Well, here is our version. Give it a try, you may love it like we do. Just sayin’
- 1 cup flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
- pinch of salt
- 1/3 cup butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp. half and half cream
- 2 large eggs
- 2 – 2 1/2 cups Granny Smith apples, peeled and cut in 1/2 inch cubes,
- 1/2 – 3/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans
- Pam spray
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the first 6 items in a bowl and gently whisk to combine.
In your electric mixer, add the butter, sugar and vanilla and beat for about 3 minutes so to make it light and fluffy (more if needed). Now lightly beat the eggs together adding to the mixer, along with the cream. Mix this really well.
Add the apples and pecans to the flour mix to coat them well and then add this to the wet mixture and mix only until the batter is thick.
Spray a 9 inch springform pan with oil spray. Spoon the batter into the pan, spreading with a spoon to even it all out. Bake in the middle of your oven for 30-35 minutes until it springs back when GENTLY touched in the very centre of the cake.
Set an on a rack to completely cool and run a knife around the outer edge of the cake ring and remove.
Cover the cake until you are ready to serve this to all the drooling mouths at the table.
Salted Caramel Sauce
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup whipping cream, divided
- 2 tbsp. room temperature butter
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 tsp. kosher or coarse salt only. Do not use regular table salt.
Put the sugar and water in a medium pot. It will look almost too thick, but will thin out as it cooks. Do not stir this until it becomes golden in colour. This should take about 12-13 minutes.
Remove from the heat and very, very slowly whisk in 1/4 cup of the whipping cream. If you add this too quickly, it will bubble over. Now whisk in the remining cream until all is absorbed then whisk in the butter and vanilla. Now whisk in the salt.
Serve this warm over the cake, adding whipped cream or Chapman’s vanilla ice cream on the side.
Store any remaining sauce (haha) in a jar in the refrigerator and when wanting to use it again, simply warm it up.
