Chunky Apple Cake with Warm Caramel Sauce

By Hklbrries

Note: Caramel Sauce can be cooled and refrigerated up to one week. Reheat slowly over low heat or in microwave before serving.

Ingredients

• Cake:
• 2 medium or large cooking apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
• 2 tsp grated lemon peel
• 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 c butter, softened
• 2 c sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• 3 c flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 c coarsely chopped pecans
• Caramel Sauce:
• 1 c sugar
• ½ c water
• ¾ c whipping cream
• 1 tbsp butter

Preparation

Step 1

Cake: Combine apples with lemon peel and juice in bowl. Set aside.

Cream butter in large bowl with electric mixer. Gradually beat in sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt. Stir into butter mixture. Stir in apples and pecans. Spoon batter into greased and floured 10-inch tube pan.

Bake at 325 F until wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean, 1 1/4 hours. Cool cake in pan for 10 minutes on rack. Serve warm or at room temperature with Warm Caramel Sauce.

Warm Caramel Sauce: Combine sugar and water in heavy saucepan. Bring to boil over medium-high heat. Boil, without stirring, until syrup turns amber, about 15 minutes. Do not allow it to turn dark brown or it will be bitter. Remove pan from heat and cool 2 minutes.
Carefully pour in cream. Stir in butter. Return pan to heat and cook, stirring, until smooth about 1 minute.
Serve warm.