This cake is very moist and has a surprising twist—the carmel makes a hard crust on the peaks of the Bundt cake like toffee. It's sometimes thick and wonderfully gooey [like in the picture], and sometimes like pieces of candy. I love the surprise of never knowing which it will be, because regardless, it is ALWAYS delicious!
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| ooey, gooey, goodness! |
Ingredients:
CARAMEL:
1/2 c firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 c butter or margarine
2 TB heavy whipped cream
1/3 c chopped pecans
CAKE:
- 6 TB butter, or 1/3 cup canola oil
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 cups of apples of preference - diced or grated [peeling optional]
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 3/4 cup water or milk
- 1 egg
- 3 TB Irish Whiskey*optional*- [I used my Tierney Irish Cream, since I had some on hand]
CINNAMON WHIPPED CREAM:
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream2 TB powdered sugar
3 or 4 good shakes cinnamon
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 335 F.
2. In small sauce pan over low heat, combine 1/2 cup brown sugar, 4 TB butter, and 2 tablespoons of whipping cream. Cook and stir just until butter is melted. Remove from heat after it comes to a boil; stir in pecans. Pour mixture into bottom of well greased [Non-stick Spray the heck out of the bottom of that baby.] Bundt cake pan. Set aside. You don't have to use a Bundt cake pan, you can also use a deep dish 9" pie plate or casserole dish.
3. In large bowl, combine all cake ingredients [except apple]. Stir 50-75 strokes by hand until mix is moistened and well incorporated. Add Apple and stir them in until everything is well coated. Carefully spoon batter over caramel mixture, making sure caramel is completely covering bottom of pan and surrounding batter. [caramel should form a kind of moat around the cake mix]
2. In small sauce pan over low heat, combine 1/2 cup brown sugar, 4 TB butter, and 2 tablespoons of whipping cream. Cook and stir just until butter is melted. Remove from heat after it comes to a boil; stir in pecans. Pour mixture into bottom of well greased [Non-stick Spray the heck out of the bottom of that baby.] Bundt cake pan. Set aside. You don't have to use a Bundt cake pan, you can also use a deep dish 9" pie plate or casserole dish.
3. In large bowl, combine all cake ingredients [except apple]. Stir 50-75 strokes by hand until mix is moistened and well incorporated. Add Apple and stir them in until everything is well coated. Carefully spoon batter over caramel mixture, making sure caramel is completely covering bottom of pan and surrounding batter. [caramel should form a kind of moat around the cake mix]
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| Look closely and you can see the caramel goodness peeking around the outer edges. |
Bake at 335F-- for Bundt Pan: 50-55, or, 9" pan: 45-50 minutes--until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 1 minute; invert onto serving plate. Cool.
4. Just before serving, in small bowl, beat remaining whipping cream until soft peaks form. Add powdered sugar and cinnamon. Beat until stiff peaks form. Add whipped cream to individual slices before serving. **This whipped cream is only very mildly sweet so it doesn't send the whole dessert into cloying, sugary overload.
4. Just before serving, in small bowl, beat remaining whipping cream until soft peaks form. Add powdered sugar and cinnamon. Beat until stiff peaks form. Add whipped cream to individual slices before serving. **This whipped cream is only very mildly sweet so it doesn't send the whole dessert into cloying, sugary overload.
Store, covered, in the refrigerator.
