12 days of christmas baking - day 4: apple cake with buttery caramel sauce

okay, here's day 4. again, very late in posting up these holiday recipes this year. i will try very hard this week to post up more recipes as christmas is literally right around the corner. and now that m is back from his 3-week hiatus (actually, more like 2-1/2 weeks because we did meet up with him last week in nyc), i can get in the christmas spirit like i do every year and bake away. you know, things just aren't the same when the usual people aren't around.

alright, enough said. below's the recipe for day 4's christmas baking. it's an apple cake with buttery caramel sauce. i have been in love with simple cakes these last several months so it's no surprise that i also love this recipe. i like how the little chunks of apple gives you a different texture when eating the cake. and that gooey buttery caramel sauce gives you a nice extra sweetness since the cake itself isn't super sweet.

so go ahead and bake yourself a cake today! enjoy and happy baking and eating! :)


i think if you prefer the cake without the buttery caramel sauce, you can definitely omit it. but i personally wouldn't because i love caramel sauce.


this apple cake is perfect for this time of year. i love the added apple chunks and pecans. and the caramel sauce on top gives you that extra bit of sweetness. delish!

apple cake with buttery caramel sauce
recipe from better homes & garden

ingredients:

• 2 cups  all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon  baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon  salt
• 1/2 teaspoon  ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon  ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon  baking soda
• 1/2 cup  butter, softened
• 2 cups  sugar
• 2 eggs
• 6 cups  coarsely chopped unpeeled cooking apples (about 5 to 6 medium apples)
• 1 cup  chopped walnuts (i used pecans instead)
• 1 recipe Buttery Caramel Sauce (recipe below)

directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13x9x2-inch baking pan; set pan aside. In a medium bowl stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and baking soda; set aside.
2. In a very large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, beating on medium speed until well combined. Scrape sides of bowl; beat for 2 minutes more. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating on low speed just until combined. Fold in apples and walnuts. (Batter will be thick.) Spread batter in prepared baking pan.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 45 minutes. Serve warm with Buttery Caramel Sauce. Makes 16 servings.

Notes: Cool cake; cover cake pan with foil and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw covered cake in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat cake, covered, in a 325 degrees F oven about 30 minutes or until warm. Sauce can be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 week. Reheat in a saucepan over medium heat.

buttery caramel sauce

ingredients:

• 1/3 cup  butter
• 1/3 cup  granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup  packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup  whipping cream
• 1/2 teaspoon  vanilla

directions
In a small saucepan melt butter over medium heat. Stir in sugars and cream. Bring to boiling, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Serve warm. Makes about 1-1/4 cups.

check out last year's day 4 recipe: cranberry apple crumb bars