30 Days of Holiday: Fresh Apple Cake with Caramel Glaze

Apple cake, especially when served warm, tastes like brightly colored leaves, chilled breezes, and fuzzy blankets warming toes.  Apple cake tastes of Autumn, and is the perfect finish to Thanksgiving dinner.

This recipe comes from Scott Peacock, long time chef at Watershed in nearby Decatur, Georgia.  Earlier this year, Scott was named a semi-finalist by the James Beard Foundation in the category of Outstanding Chef.  One week later, he resigned as chef at Watershed to pursue writing and film-making.  Fortunately for us, he shared his apple cake recipe with the Atlanta Journal Constitution and many others in a book called "The Gift of Southern Cooking".

What's In It:

CAKE:
1 c. light brown sugar, packed
1 c. granulated sugar
1 1/2 c. vegetable oil
3 eggs (Thank you Sylvia, Chloe, Pat, and Lucy!)
3 c. unbleached all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg (Fresh grated is always best!)
1/2 tsp. salt
5 Winesap apples, peeled and diced into 1/2" pieces (You may use Granny Smith if you prefer.  I find them sour, and prefer the taste of Winesaps.)
1 1/4 c. coarsely chopped pecans (Try toasting them!  It really enriches their flavor!)
2 1/4 tsp. vanilla (No imitation!)

GLAZE:
1/2 stick unsalted butter (Yes!  Butter!)
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1/4 c. light brown sugar
Pinch salt
1/2 c. heavy cream

How To Make It:

Let's make the cake!
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Butter (Yes! Butter!) and flour an 8"x13" baking pan.
Beat both sugars and oil in large bowl until very well blended.
Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Sift flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt together.  Gradually add to egg mixture, mixing just until blended.
Stir in apples, pecans, and vanilla.
Pour into prepared pan.
Bake 1 to 1 1/4 hours (begin checking donenes after 50 minutes), until a toothpick insered in the center comes out clean.
Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan while preparing glaze.

Let's make that glaze!
Melt butter in small saucepan.
Add both sugars and salt.  Stir until blended and cook over medium-low heat for 2 minutes.
Store in cream and boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat.
Poke holes all over top of cake using a skewer or toothpick.
Pour glaze over surface.
Let set for 5 minutes.
Serve warm with dollop of whipped cream (Don't go store-bought.  Whip it!  You must whip it!  Whip it good!), if desired.


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