Caramel Apple Cake. . . Yum!

With the crispness of the Autumn air, my appetite turns to harvest ripened Apples! I have been craving baked apples, fried apples, sliced fresh apples!!! So~o~o. . . I opened my Best of Cottey Cooking Favorite Recipes from the Celebrated Cuisine of Cottey College by Michael Richardson and found the recipe for Caramel Apple Cake.

 I made this for our Annual Trout Fishing Trip! This Caramel Apple Cake is so very moist and sweet! Ladies, it makes 16 servings. Some, we ate; some, I froze for later. . .and some, I took to my Dad. He loved it, too!

Here's What's On The Menu? 11 

Caramel Apple Cake:

Cake

   3/4 cup vegetable oil

   3/4 cup applesauce

1 1/3 cups sugar

   1/2 cup packed brown sugar

   3 eggs

   3 cups all~purpose flour

   2 teaspoons ground cinnamon*

   1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

   1 teaspoon baking soda

   1/2 teaspoon salt

3 1/2 cups apples, peeled, diced

   3/4 cup walnuts (optional)**

   2 teaspoons vanilla

For Cake:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In a mixing bowl, combine the oil, applesauce and sugars. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine the dry ingredients and gradually add to the batter, while stirring. Fold in the apples, walnuts and vanilla.

Pour batter into a greased and floured bundt pan.

(If a bundt pan is not available, pour batter into a greased 9~by~13~inch pan. The directions state to bake for about 30 minutes or so. . . it took 50 minutes.)

Bake about 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then flip over to release cake onto a wire rack or other cool surface. Let cool completely before icing.

Caramel Icing

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup half~and~half

1/4 cup butter

        pinch salt

1 cup powered sugar

For Icing:

In a small saucepan over medium~low heat, combine the brown sugar, half~and~half, butter and salt, stirring constantly until the sugar is dissolved. Cool to room temperature. Beat in the powered sugar until smooth. Drizzle over cake.

"Mr. Ed" tells me this reminded him of  "bread pudding"; however . . . I've never eaten bread pudding, therefore I can't compare the two. I just know this Caramel Apple Cake satisfied my craving for apples!

Would I make this recipe again? Yes, indeed! It is one of the best made~from~scratch cakes I've made in ages!!!

The cake I froze was eaten after our return from vacation. Other than the wonderful aroma that penetrated the house On Crooked Creek, I couldn't tell any difference. Just as moist and tasteful as the first piece!

 * I have a food allergy to cinnamon. . .therefore, I omitted this ingredient!

**"Mr. Ed" prefers pecans! No walnuts in our Caramel Apple Cake!

Enjoy!

Until next time. . .

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On Crooked Creek is joining our sweet hostess,Yvonne @ StoneGable for On The Menu Monday! Be sure to visit and find wonderfully delicious menus, recipes and tips for your family cuisine!