Salted Caramel Apple Cake Food

SALTED CARAMEL APPLE POKE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
• For the cake: Whisk the applesauce, brown sugar, melted butter, sour cream, eggs and vanilla together in a large bowl until smooth. Add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and kosher salt to the bowl and whisk until just combined. Pour into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Leave the cake in the pan to cool completely, about 2 hours.
• Once the cake is cool, use the handle of a wooden spoon to poke 25 holes in the cake (5 rows of 5 holes each). Press 2 to 3 apple pieces into each hole; reserve the remaining pieces for garnish. Pour and spread the caramel sauce over the cake and let it stand 10 minutes to sink into the holes and be absorbed by the cake. Sprinkle with the flaky salt.
• Meanwhile, for the cinnamon buttercream: Beat the butter, confectioners' sugar, cinnamon and salt together in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until smooth. Add the cream and vanilla and continue beating until fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Dollop the frosting on top of the cake, then use a small offset spatula to spread it evenly. Garnish with the remaining apple chunks, a drizzle of caramel sauce and another sprinkle of flaky salt.

SALTED CARAMEL APPLE CREPE CAKE

Steps:

• For the apple-cinnamon puree: Puree the roasted apples and their juices in a food processor or blender. Combine the apple puree with the lemon juice, sugar and cinnamon in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until thickened and reduced slightly, about 30 minutes. Cool to room temperature and store in a sanitized jar for up to a month.
• For the salted caramel: Heat the sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, until the sugar turns golden. Stir until all of the sugar is dissolved and just starting to turn a lovely amber color.
• Turn heat to low, add the butter and stir to combine. Careful, it'll foam up. Then add the heavy cream, vanilla extract and salt, stirring to combine. You'll cook the sauce for 5 to 10 minutes, until it comes together. It'll take quite a bit of stirring! Let caramel cool to room temperature, pour into a glass jar and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Pour over everything and anything!
• For the crepes: Pop the flour, both sugars, salt, milk, eggs and melted butter in a large bowl and blend together thoroughly. If at all lumpy, strain.
• Heat a large saute pan over medium heat. Lightly coat or spray with vegetable oil and ladle a scoop of the batter into the center of the pan. Tilt the pan, rotating in a circle, to spread the entire crepe out. It should be about 9 inches wide and very thin. Cook until golden brown, about 1 minute per side. Set aside on a plate. Cook the remaining batter until you have about 20 crepes.
• For assembly: Place a crepe on a cake platter and spread 3 to 4 tablespoons of the mascarpone over the crepe. Top with another crepe, and spread with 3 to 4 tablespoons of the salted caramel sauce. Top that with another crepe, and spread with 3 to 4 tablespoons of the apple-cinnamon puree. Repeat this process until you've layered 20 crepes.
• Pop the crepe cake in the fridge for at least 3 hours (preferably overnight) to set. When ready to serve, remove from the fridge and let it sit on the counter for about 20 minutes to take the chill off. Sprinkle the top with sea salt and enjoy.

SKILLET APPLE CAKE WITH CARAMEL FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F (325F convection).
• Butter a 10-inch cast iron skillet, dust with flour, and tap out excess.
• To make the cake, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl and mix well. Add the apples, shortening and eggs to the flour mixture and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. The batter will be stiff. Spread the batter evenly in the skillet.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 40-45 minutes. Cool in the pan.
• To make the frosting, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and stir until the sugar dissolves. Add the milk and bring to a boil. Pour into a mixing bowl and let cool for 10 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and powdered sugar and beat with a whisk until creamy (or use an electric mixer). The frosting will thicken as it cools. Spread evenly over the cooled apple cake. Sprinkle the chopped pecans over the top.

SALTED CARAMEL APPLE CAKE

Steps:

• 1. Butter the bottom of a 10-inch round cake pan (I used a 10-inch deep-dish pie pan) with 4 Tbsp. of the butter. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the brown sugar and the sea salt.
• 2. Heat remaining 2 Tbsp. cold butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add apples; saute 13 to 15 minutes, until tender. Cool.
• 3. In a large bowl, whisk flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder and salt. In a second large bowl, beat softened butter and remaining 1 cup brown sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then vanilla.
• 4. On low speed, beat flour mixture into butter mixture, alternating with half-and-half. Scrape down sides of bowl; beat for 1 minute.
• 5. Fan apples over bottom of prepared pan. Spread batter over apples. Bake in a preheated 350º oven for 45 to 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes.
• 6. Run a small knife around edge of pan. Place a serving plate on top of pan and turn plate and pan over together. Carefully remove pan. If any apples remain in pan, place on cake.
• 7. Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream, if desired (or even ice cream!).

SALTED CARAMEL APPLE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 10-inch angel food (tube) cake pan with shortening; lightly flour.
• In large bowl, stir muffin mix, streusel (from muffin mix box), milk, oil and eggs just until blended (batter will be lumpy). Spoon half of the batter into pan. Sprinkle with half of the apples. Repeat with remaining batter and apples.
• Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on cooling rack 15 minutes; remove from pan to serving plate.
• Pour caramel topping over cake. Sprinkle with pecans and salt. Serve warm or cool.

SALTED CARAMEL APPLE POKE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350° F (325° F for dark or nonstick pan). Grease or lightly spray bottom only of 13 x 9-inch pan.
• In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 2 minutes. Add apple pie filling; beat 1 minute longer. Pour into pan.
• Bake as directed on box for 13 x 9-inch pan. Cool in pan on cooling rack 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix 1/4 cup of the caramel sauce and the sea salt. Poke warm cake every inch with a straw or handle of wooden spoon, halfway into cake. Pour caramel-salt mixture over cake, allowing it to fill in holes.
• Spread cake with whipped topping. Drizzle with remaining 1/4 cup caramel sauce; top with butterscotch chips.