Caramel Apple Cake

My family has been hooked on this cake since our first taste.  The brown sugar topping is the best part!  I've tried grating the apples and they get lost in the cake.  Tart, firm apples {Granny Smiths}work well in this recipe, so don't be stingy.

Caramel Apple Cake

grease an 8x8 inch glass dish

preheat oven to 350 degrees

1 1/2 c. flour

1 c. sugar

1/2 tsp soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup canola oil

1 1/2 cups chopped apples

 Whisk to combine dry ingredients.  Beat eggs until light and foamy.  Add oil and vanilla.  Combine wet and dry ingredients.  Don't over mix.  Stir in apples.

Bake 40-45 minutes until toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Take cake out of oven and begin making glaze.

1 cup light brown sugar, packed

6 Tbsp butter

1 tsp vanilla

2 Tbsp heavy cream

Cook over medium heat, stir often until mixture comes to a gentle boil.  Cook 3-5 minutes.  Pour hot glaze immediately over still hot cake.  Cool completely before serving.

recipe adapted from Lick The Bowl Good who previously adapted the recipe from Southern Cakes.  Check out Monica's post to compare her thinner 'glaze'  to my thicker, crunchy caramel (and her nice photos).  We like both versions, but the kids really like the hunks of caramel on the top!  For a less sugary topping, use half the amounts for the glaze.  It's like a caramel apple in reverse...the crunch coming from the caramel and the soft and chewy part coming from the apple cake.