Cake Ingredients
1 ¾ cups flour
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup white sugar
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. salt
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. vanilla
¾ cup softened butter or alternative
3 eggs
1 ½ cups peeled and finely chopped apple(Granny Smith)
1 cup chopped pecans
Carmel Frosting Ingredients
½ cup butter or alternative
1 cup brown sugar
¼ cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
3 cups powdered sugar
Basic Cake Preparation
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a Bundt pan and set aside. Place all of the cake ingredients except the apples and pecans in a stand mixer bowl. Start on low speed to get all of the ingredients well incorporated. Move the mixer speed to medium and continue to mix an additional 2 minutes. Remove the bowl from the mixer stand and fold in the apples and pecans until evenly combined. Now, pour the mixture into the prepared Bundt pan and level with a spatula. Bake for one hour or until an inserted tooth pick pulls out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and cool on a rack for 15 minutes.
Cover the open cake with a display plate and invert quickly. Gently shake the cake and pan until the cake releases and drops on to the plate. Set back on the cooling rack while you prepare the caramel frosting.
Caramel Frosting Preparation
Melt the butter in a medium sauce pan. Add the brown sugar and stir to combine. Continue to stir until the sugar has dissolved in the butter and begins to boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla, and then the milk. Stir until all ingredients are well incorporated. Gradually stir in the powdered sugar one cup at a time. Beat by hand until the frosting is creamy and smooth. Using a spoon, Drizzle the hot frosting across the cake, as you turn the cake. Continue to do same until you reach the desired look and amount of frosting. Garnish with fall foliage.
Yield: 8-10 servings
Prep time: Active:20 minutes, Passive: 15minutes
Cook time: Cake: 1hour, Frosting: 5 minutes