Sunken Caramel Apple Cake
When falls comes around, and the leaves are changing, it’s time to really think about apples. The Sunken Caramel Apple Cake recipe is perfect for all of those special fall holidays!
A slice of the Sunken Apple Cake
This variation on a classic fruit sunken cake takes it up a notch because it has caramel. It adds a new dimension to the taste. The cake is dense to hold the structure of the fruit in place, so the sauce smooths it out and softens the bite.
Fresh, in season Granny Smith apples- perfect for baking!
Here, we use Granny Smith apples in the Sunken Caramel Apple Cake. Braeburn and Honeycrisp are also great baking apples with different notes. All three will hold up to the firm cake. You can also try mixing apples, and the result was suitable for a “rustic” or no fuss style. If you are “hasselbacking” the apples, use just one variety.
Apples and lemons
To make the Sunken Caramel Apple Cake, fill a large bowl with lemon and orange juice. Place the peeled, halved and cored apples cut-side-down on a cutting board. Place the apples the prepared bowl filled with juice. Microwave to soften and set aside leaving fruit to steep in the citrus water.
Next, whisk the cake flour, baking powder, warm spices and salt. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or a hand mixer), cream the butter, sugars and zest together. Add the eggs, one at a time, followed by the yogurt and milk until combined. Drain the juice from the apples into the mixture. Scrape down the mixture with a spatula and stir. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet to form the cake mixture, stirring by hand. Spread into the prepared springform pan evenly. Place the softened apples neatly on top of cake cut side down. Create a rustic look by simply placing the apples scattered on top of the batter. Or, for a real showstopper, place an apple in with the center of the cake, then create an outside ring around it with the remaining apples. If you have any extra apples leftover, turn them into a natural applesauce using a saucepan and a small amount of water with warm spices, maple syrup and vanilla extract.
Fresh from the oven
The batter will rise up around the apples as it bakes.! Bake the cake and set on a cooling rack. Top the warm Sunken Caramel Apple Cake with ½ of the caramel sauce. Release the cake from the springform pan and let cool completely. Once the cake is fully cool, using a pastry brush, gently spread the remaining caramel sauce to fill in any exposed cake or apples, like a glaze. Serve or allow the cake to absorb the sauce for a few hours.
Sunken Caramel Apple Cake
Depending on the season, you can also make this cake with pears (or if you like a sharp taste, quince!).
Sunken Caramel Apple Cake
Ingredients
- Juice and zest of one large lemon, reserved
- Juice and zest of one large orange, reserved
- 4 small apples, halved, peeled and cored (Granny Smith, Braeburn or Honeycrisp suggested)
- 1 ½ cup c. cake flour
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. of each: cinnamon, allspice and cardamom
- ½ tsp. salt
- ½ c. (1 stick) butter, softened
- 2/3 c. granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 3-6 oz full fat vanilla or maple yogurt, room temperature
- ¼ cup whole milk, room temperature
- 2 tsp. vanilla or almond extract
- Caramel sauce (preferably from a squeeze bottle, found in the coffee section of the market), approximately 1- 1 ¼ cups divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare a 9” springform pan with cooking spray.
- Fill a large bowl with lemon and orange juice. Place the peeled, halved and cored apples cut-side-down on a cutting board. See the Notes section for different ways to cut apples. Place the apples the prepared bowl filled with juice. Microwave for 3 minutes to soften and set aside leaving fruit to steep in the citrus water.
- In a medium bowl, whisk cake flour, baking powder, warm spices and salt. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or a hand mixer), cream the butter, sugars and zest together. Add the eggs, one at a time, followed by the yogurt and milk until combined. Drain the juice from the apples into the mixture. Scrape down the mixture with a spatula and stir. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet to form the cake mixture, stirring by hand. Spread into the prepared springform pan evenly.
- Place the softened apples neatly on top of cake cut side down. Create a rustic look by simply placing the apples scattered on top of the batter. Or, for a real showstopper, place an apple in with the center of the cake, then create an outside ring around it with the remaining apples. The batter will rise up around the apples as it bakes.
- Bake the cake, rotating pan halfway through, until the cake is golden, 38-40 minutes. Place a piece of parchment paper under a cooling rack. Remove cake from the oven, set on the cooling rack and let rest for 5 minutes. Top the warm cake with ½ the caramel sauce. Release the cake from the springform pan and let cool completely.
- Once the cake is fully cool, using a pastry brush, gently spread the remaining caramel sauce to fill in any exposed cake or apples, like a glaze. Serve or allow the cake to absorb the sauce for a few hours.
Notes:
· Apples: Place the peeled, halved and cored apples cut-side-down on a cutting board. For a simple no fuss style to cutting the apples, simply cut the halves into smaller neat pieces, trimming, as necessary. To “hasselback” the apples, carefully take a sharp knife and slice the fruit, cutting halfway through each apple, 1/8-1/4-inch-thick, trimming, as necessary.
· The batter will rise up around the apples as it bakes. Once the cake cools, the apples will "sink" slightly.
· If you have any extra apples leftover, turn them into a natural applesauce using a saucepan and a small amount of water with warm spices, maple syrup and vanilla extract.
· The Sunken Caramel Apple Cake will be a bit dense to hold the structure of the fruit in place. Serve with vanilla bean frozen yogurt and extra caramel sauce.
· Variation: try making the Sunken Caramel Apple Cake with pears! Place peeled, halved and cored pears cut-side-down on a cutting board. For a simple no fuss style, simply cut the halves into smaller neat pieces, trimming as necessary. To “hasselback” the pears, carefully take a sharp knife and slice the fruit, cutting halfway through each apple, 1/8-1/4 inch thick, trimming as necessary. Place the pears the prepared bowl filled with juice. Microwave for 3 minutes to soften and set aside leaving fruit to steep in the citrus water.
· The Sunken Caramel Apple Cake is best when eaten the same or next day. To store, keep cake at room temperature for 1-2 days. Reheat at 350 for 10-15 minutes and apply more caramel sauce to moisten.
VISIT US ON INSTAGRAM @EXPANDKITCHENANDHOME AND TAG US #EXPANDKITCHENANDHOME
