Winter Spice Cake With Caramelized Apple Topping Recipes

CARAMELIZED APPLE SPICE CAKE

Steps:

• Melt butter in a medium sauce pan. Once melted, add cubed apples and cook 5 minutes over medium heat. Apple will brown slightly. Add maple syrup and ground cinnamon. MIx well to combine. Continue to cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes. The syrup will thicken and the apples will soften. Remove from heat, straight into a food processor or blender. Cool apples for 10 minutes or to almost room temperature before pureeing. Measure out 1 c. Enjoy any leftovers as is or with yogurt, granola, on toast, etc. This step is optional, but gives the cake a wonderful texture while bringing lots of flavor. If you prefer to skip the puree step, make sure to smaash the apples really well, like you would making banana bread.
• Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line two 9" cake pans with parchment paper along the bottom. If needed, lightly grease the pans. Use non stick if possible. Set aside.If making homemade buttermilk: combine the milk and lemon juice, stir and allow the milk about 10 minutes to curdle.
• Whisk together the flours, baking soda, baking powder, chai (or pumpkin) spice and salt. Set aside.
• In stand mixer with whisk attachment or hand held with beaters, beat oil and room temperature butter on medium speed until smooth and well combined, about 3 minutes. On medium speed, beat in a slow stream of sugar. Beat until light, fluffy and well combined.This should take about 2-3 minutes in total.
• Add eggs one at a time. Beat each egg for about 20 seconds before adding another egg. Add vanilla extract. Beat until well combined. Add caramelized apple puree a few tablespoons at a time. Beat until fully combined.
• Using a large spatuala, mix the dry ingredients and buttermilk into the wet, in this order: dry, milk, dry, milk, dry. Make sure not to overmix.Wet cake strips if using and fit around the prepared cake pans.
• Evenly pour cake batter into each of the prepared cake pans. If using a food scale, make sure to take the weight of each cake pan prior to filling. Make sure the an even weight of batter is added to each pan. If you don't have a good scale, add 1 c to each pan until all the batter is added.
• Bake at 350 F for 30-35 minutes. Cakes will be golden brown, with edges pulled slighly from the sides of the pan. The middle of the cake should quickly spring back when a finger is pressed gently onto the top, when the cake is baked through. If the indent slowly springs back, bake an addtional 2-3 minutes. Start checking for doneness around 28 minutes.
• Once baked, rest cakes in the pan for 10-15 minutes on a cooling rack. Carefully invert the cake onto the cooling rack ( or plate placed on top.) Tap the pan a few times to encourage the cake to release. Lift the cake pan off the cake (which should be face down on the second cooling rack). Place the original cooling rack on the lined bottom of the cake. Gently flip right side up. Cool the cake on the cooling rack for about 1 hour.Wrap each of the cakes in plastic cling. Chill the room temperature cakes for 2-3 hours or overnight to make frosting easier. When ready to frost, pull the cakes from the freezer.
• Once the cake is baking, make the brown butter. To make brown butter, melt butter in a clear heavy bottom pot or sauce pan. You can use the same one from caramelizing the apples. Once the butter starts to foam, whisk continuously until brown bits start to form. Remove from heat, pour into clean bowl, skim the foam from the top and cool to room temperature (25-30 minutes).Chill the butter in the fridge an addtional 30-40 minutes. You can the butter to be softened like room temperature butter. While chilling the butter in the fridge, pull out the cream cheese to come to room temperature.
• In a stand mixer with paddle attachment or with electric mixer and beaters, cream together the brown butter and cream cheese until smooth and well combined, about 4-5 minutes. Add sifted powdered sugar 1/2 c at a time. Add vanilla extract and salt. Beat on high until desired consistency is reached. Add milk as needed to thin out the frosting. If the frosting becomes too soft, place the mixing bowl in the fridge for 30 minutes to set.
• Pour maple syrup into a small or medium sauce pan. Place candy thermometer into the pot. Bring the maple syrup to a boil over medium heat. Allow maple syrup to boil without stirring until it reaches 230F on the thermometer. This is right before soft boil. Once it reaches this temperature, remove from heat and whisk in butter until fully combined.Pour in heavy cream, stir until fully combined. Add salt and stir until fully combined. Pour salted maple caramel sauce into a heat proof airtight container to bring to room temperature. Caramel can be kept at room temperature for a day. Store in the fridge for longer storage, up to 1-2 weeks. Gently reheat in the microwave. You will have caramel sauce leftover from this recipe. To top the cake you will need about 1/4 c of caramel sauce.
• Spread about 1 tsp frosting on the cake stand or serving plate. Place bottom cake on a cake stand or serving plate. Spread 3/4 c frosting on the top of the bottom cake layer. Add the next cake on top of the frosting. Spread 3/4 c on top of the top cake layer. Spread the frosting to the edges, leaving the excess frosting hanging off the edges. Spread the remaining frosting along the sides. Dirzzle the caramel over the edges of the cake. Using a spatula, frosting knife or back of a spoon, smear the caramel into the frosting. This caramel is thinner than tradtional caramel, so expect the caramel to run a bit. Add caramel to the top.Once assembled with frosting and caramel sauce, the cake can be placed in the fridge until ready to serve (the same day). If serving the cake more than a few hours after preparing it, all components can be prepared in advance. Assemble the same day you plan to serve the cake.

CARAMELIZED-APPLE SPICE CAKE

Steps:

• Put 1/2 stick butter into a large nonstick skillet. Using the tip of a paring knife, scrape seeds from vanilla bean into skillet, and toss in pod. Cook over medium heat until butter is lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Stir in apples, cider, and 1 cup granulated sugar. Raise heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes. Reduce heat to low, and cook until apples are golden and translucent and liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Discard vanilla pod. Let cool.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 8-by-2-inch round cake pans. Dust with flour, and tap out excess. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Reserve 1/4 cup flour mixture.
• Beat remaining 2 sticks butter, remaining 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, and the brown sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Reduce speed to medium, and add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce speed to low. Beat in flour mixture in 2 batches, alternating with the sour cream and scraping bowl as needed. Add remaining 1/4 cup flour mixture to apple mixture, and toss. Fold in apple mixture and pecans.
• Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake until tops are dark golden brown and a toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean, 55 to 65 minutes. Let cool for 30 minutes on a wire rack. Run a knife around edges of cakes to loosen. Unmold cakes, and let cool, right side up, on rack.
• Assemble cake: Trim each cake so it's 1 3/4 inches high. Place 1 cake, cut side up, on a cake stand. Spread 1 1/2 cups buttercream over top. Place remaining cake, cut side down, on top. Spread 1 cup buttercream over entire cake. Refrigerate until firm, about 45 minutes. Spread remaining frosting over cake. (Cake can be refrigerated, uncovered, overnight.)
• Before serving, decorate with marzipan pumpkins, acorns, and leaves.

APPLE CAKE WITH CARAMEL TOPPING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 12-cup Bundt pan with nonstick spray. Sift flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt into medium bowl. Transfer 3 tablespoons flour mixture to Bundt pan and tilt to coat. Set pan aside. Place apples and 2 tablespoons flour mixture in another medium bowl; toss to coat apples. Combine 1 cup brown sugar, vegetable oil, 1 cup sugar, eggs, and 3 teaspoons vanilla in large bowl. Using electric mixer, beat until mixture is thick, about 4 minutes. Gradually beat in remaining flour mixture. Fold apple mixture and pecans into batter; transfer to prepared Bundt pan.
• Bake cake until tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Transfer cake in pan to rack. Let stand while making caramel.
• Melt butter in heavy small skillet over medium heat. Whisk in remaining 1 cup brown sugar, then milk. Continue to whisk until topping is smooth and blended and comes to boil, about 5 minutes. Whisk in remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla. Spoon 1/4 cup hot caramel topping over warm cake in pan. Let stand until topping is absorbed into cake, about 15 minutes. Turn cake out onto platter. Pour remaining warm topping over cake. Let stand until cool, at least 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome. Let stand at room temperature.)

SPICED APPLE CAKE WITH CARAMEL ICING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour a 10-in. tube pan. In a large bowl, toss apples with bourbon., In a large bowl, beat sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla until well blended. In another bowl, whisk flour, pie spice, salt and baking soda; gradually beat into sugar mixture. Stir in apple mixture and walnuts., Transfer to prepared pan. Bake 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack., In a small heavy saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar, milk, bourbon and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally; cook and stir 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Drizzle over warm cake. Cool completely.