This is apple season and we should enjoy every bit of it. This cake that I’m going to write about it is a perfect blend of layered apple spice cake with caramel frosting, sprinkled with pecans and more apples with cinnamon with more and more drizzled caramel at the top of it. This cake is the perfect piece to enjoy every bit of apple season and it could be anyone’s favourite because this is so yummy, so rich and so different than mainstream traditional cakes.
To start with, beat the batter to make it creamy and don’t go for so much beating because this may add air to it and it can affect the fluffiness of the cake. I would recommend using apple butter because this adds so good and rich apple flavour to the cake and the use of other spices give it up the more and more delicious favour. I’m also using sour cream because it’s unique and different taste is just not replaceable and the blend of cinnamon, nutmeg and other delicious spices provide the taste out of the world. At the end, crushed pecans add the crunchy texture to the cake with great taste and if you are not a big fan of pecans you can definitely avoid them, this will not make any difference.
Okay, while you put the cakes in the oven for baking you can prepare for caramel sauce and cut the apples and combine them with spices or you can do this side by side. The thing you must not forget is softened the butter at room temperature and put the heavy cream out of the fridge, in fact it would be better if it is a little warmer because cold cream and hardened butter can seize the caramel.
Once you prepare the caramel sauce, about ¾ cup of the sauce should be kept aside to drizzle over the whole cake and remaining sauce should be used to make the inside frosting. When you are making the frosting, try to use caramel with normal temperature because too warm or too cold may affect the consistency and once you are done with the frosting, let it cool. I the mixture gets too thick, you can add water to have desired consistency. Once you are done with layers and frosting then this is time to combine the layers together. Do remove the cake domes you could have a flat surface. Use a good flat spatula to spread the frosting. At the end, drizzle some caramel sauce over the top and apple pieces combined with cinnamon. Let’s have a look at detailed directions.
Ingredients
Cake Layers:
- 3/4 cup (168g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups (310g) sugar
- 3/4 cup (173g) sour cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 6 large egg whites, room temperature
- 2 1/2 cups (325g) all purpose flour
- 4 tsp (15g) baking powder
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- pinch of allspice
- ½ tsp salt
- 3/4 cup (180ml) apple butter
- 1/4 cup (60ml) milk
- 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
Caramel Sauce and Frosting:
- 1 1/2 cups (310g) sugar
- 9 tbsp (126g) salted butter, cubed, room temperature
- 3/4 cup (180ml) heavy whipping cream, room temperature
- 4 cups (460g) powdered sugar
- 2-3 tbsp (30-45ml) milk
Cinnamon Apples:
- 1-2 apples, chopped
- 2 tbsp light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- pinch ground nutmeg
- sprinkle of lemon juice
- 1 tbsp (14g) butter
- Chopped pecans, optional, for top of cake
Directions
For the Cake Crust:
Preheat the oven at 350 degrees and prepare the pan with parchment paper and grease with butter.
In a large bowl, softened the butter and beat with sugar with an electric beater and fluff the mixture. Now add vanilla extract and sour cream and beat until well combined.
Now add egg whites and beat into the butter mixture until all the ingredients are well combined and creamy.
In another bowl, whisk all dry ingredients together and in a measuring cup combine milk and apple butter together.
Now add dry ingredients to the egg mixture and mix then add apple butter and milk mixture in the batter and add further dry ingredients and mix well the batter.
Divide the batter equally in already greased pans and bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove the cakes and let them cool and prepare for the sauce and frosting.
Caramel Sauce and Frosting:
In a large saucepan, pour sugar and heat over medium heat for about 10 minutes or until melt completely or turned amber in colour and remove from the heat. Now add butter in sugar caramel and whisk until butter is melted now add heavy cream, whisk and let it cool for about 15 minutes. Set ¾ cup of caramel aside and add remaining in another bowl.
Now add powdered sugar and milk in the remaining frosting and observe the frosting consistency.
Let’s Assemble the Cake:
Remove the cake surface with a large sharp knife, and place the first layer over the cake stand and top ½ cup of frosting and spread with the spatula.
Now place another layer of the cake and spread remaining frosting and spread again. Place the final layer of the cake and make cinnamon apple.
To make cinnamon apples, cut them into cubes, put it in the pan and cook over medium heat until tender. Once they are done, put those apples at the center of the cake and drizzle ¾ cup of caramel over the apples and the surface of the cake. Now sprinkle chopped pecans over the cake and serve. It would be better to serve this cake fresh because apples taste even good when they are fresh.
