Caramel Apple Dapple Cake

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Ever since I caught this apple cake on the Today Show I have been dying to have an excuse to make it and I finally have one! A dessert potluck, but you really don’t have to have an excuse to bake something THIS delicious. From Shauna Severs cookbook Midwest Made this cake really hits all of the notes of the perfect dessert. It is sweet, but not too sweet, just as much apples as batter, and the cake is super moist and fluffy thanks to this tip that will forever chang my baking from here on out. I really had no idea that this simple act could change the texture of my cake. Instead of scooping the flour straight out of the jar with your measuring cup and leveling it off; simply spoon it in your meauring cup then level it off without packing it down. Keeping it light and airy. Mind-blown.

Serve this cake with vanilla bean ice cream, and it is also perfect to serve a large crowd. The other great thing about this cake is if you are craving a fruit dessert, but nothing is in season, apples are always readily availble. Honeycrisp apples are ALWAYS my go-to. I mean who doesn’t want to eat something called Honeycrisp?!?!

Caramel Apple Dapple Cake

Ingredients

  • CAKE

    • Nonstick cooking spray

    • 2½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled

    • 1 teaspoon baking soda

    • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt

    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

    • 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

    • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

    • 3/4 cup granulated sugar

    • 3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

    • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

    • 1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil

    • 2 large eggs, cold

    • 3/4 cup lukewarm brewed coffee

    • 4 cups peeled, cored and chopped Honeycrisp apples (about 3 medium-large apples, cut into 1/2-inch pieces)

  • GLAZE

    • 3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

    • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

    • 1/4 cup whole milk

    • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

    • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preparation

For the cake:

1. Position a rack to the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Spray a 9- by 13-inch light-colored metal baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and line it with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until creamy. Add the granulated and brown sugar and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium-low and slowly stream in the oil until well blended. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time. On low speed, spoon in half of the flour mixture. Slowly pour in the coffee. Stir in the remaining flour until the batter is smooth. Fold in the apples by hand.

4. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth evenly. Bake until the cake is deeply golden all over, begins to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 45-50 minutes. Let cool slightly in the pan, set on a wire rack.

For the glaze:

In a 1- to 1½-quart saucepan over high heat, combine the brown sugar, butter, milk and salt. Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring often and boil until you can see it has thickened slightly, 2-3 minutes, depending on your pan.

Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the vanilla. Let the glaze cool just until it stops bubbling. Pour the hot glaze over the still-warm cake. Working quickly, use a spatula to spread the glaze so it thinly and evenly covers the entire surface of the cake.

To serve:

Let the cake cool completely, uncovered, on the rack. Store any leftovers loosely covered at room temperature for up to 3 days

xo,

LE

Megan McDougal