Caramel Apple Cake

When I think of caramel....I automatically think apples.  Really....it is a natural pairing don't you think.  Sure....a sliced apple and caramel for dip brings happiness to my heart but I wanted to bring that same happiness to the entire house.  That wonderful smell of apples baking...a scent that brings back wonderful memories of my Grandma.

 

I think I have mentioned all the apples that my dear friend has shared with me.....I have been trying to vary my apple recipes.  Cobbler, crisp, apple butter, apple chips.....all super delish.  But I needed something different.  I found a recipe for caramel apple bread over on www.thedomesticrebel.com and instantly knew I had to make it. 

 

When got ready to make it though I simply forgot what I was doing and grabbed my 9x13 baker....sprayed it and poured the batter into the pan.  Ooops!  Yikes....it was supposed to go into bread pans.  I decided that it was going to be way more trouble to try and get it out of the baker and into the pans....so....I left it.  And it was very yummy....in fact my husband thought that I had made a coffee cake.  Of course I did admit to him my mistake....but it seemed to work out great....the fam loved it.

 

 

Of course we topped ours with a spray of whip cream and a drizzle of caramel.  Did it need it.....no probably not.....but really it was super delish with it.

 

 

Caramel Apple Cake

 

1 cup butter, room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1 Tbsp lemon or lime juice

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp salt

2 cups coarsely chopped apples

Caramel sundae sauce

 

 

Crumb Topping Mixture

1 tsp cinnamon

4 Tbsp flour

4 Tbsp brown sugar

4 Tbsp cold butter

 

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with non stick cooking spray.

 2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until creamy. In a separate bowl, dissolve the baking soda into the lemon juice. Mixture will foam up; that’s normal. Once dissolved, add the baking soda mixture, eggs and vanilla to the butter and beat to combine.

 3. Add the flour and salt until a thick batter has formed. Stir in the chopped apples by hand.

 4. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the crumb ingredients until mixture forms coarse crumbs. Set aside.

 5. Spread 1/2 of the batter into the pan.  Sprinkle 1/2 of the crumb topping on top of the batter.  Drizzle caramel syrup over the crumb mixture.  Repeat layers ending with caramel syrup.

6. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until toothpick comes out of center clean; allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

7. Bread can be stored up to 2 days at room temperature, wrapped tightly.

Happy Wednesday!  Enjoy!