Fresh Apple Cake

Colorado has some crazy weather. This year my classroom is outside in a mobile and I am even more aware of the changing forecast. With 35 creatures who are eager to announce the current weather conditions it is hard to miss. Not to mention the four minute passing period I am outside. 

Last week we experienced a cold front that brought snow to parts of the Mile High City. I decided my grocery list should be only pumpkin, apple and fall tasting things. Things to make apple cake, pumpkin parfaits and soup.

 The high for today was 85 degrees. 

Oops. 

Regardless, this cake is amazing. My lady friends who sampled it gave it "10 out of 10!" Not to mention, my husband says it is the best cake I have ever made. The cake itself is insanely moist with chunks of tasty apple all throughout. The frosting is almost caramel in flavor while the texture is similar to a German Chocolate Cake frosting but without the coconut.

Essentially this is like eating a nutty caramel apple inside a cake. You will love it regardless of the weather.

Ingredients

Cake

1 cup vegetable oil

2 cups brown sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3 apples, peeled and chopped

Frosting

1/2 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup evaporated milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup chopped almonds

 Combine the oil, sugar and vanilla and mix well. Add in the eggs one at a time and stir until well mixed.

 Add the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in three increments alternating with one of the chopped apples. Essentially 1 cup dry ingredients, 1 chopped apple. Then repeat until you are finished. 

Pour this thick batter into a well greased 9 X 13 pan. Bake this off at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes or until a cake tester comes out almost clean.

 

Let the cake cool for at least 2 hours. 

For the frosting:

Cook the butter, sugar, and milk until it boils. Let this boil for about two minutes keeping a close eye on it. After two minutes take this off the heat and add the vanilla. Put the pan directly into a bowl of ice water to chill for about 5 minutes. Then whip this for about 3 minutes with an electric mixer. 

The frosting won't be super thick, but it will thicken as it cools and after you whip it a bit. Once the cake is cooled and the frosting is ready, spread this delicious layer of nutty sweetness over the cake.

 

 

This recipe was adapted from http://kikukat.blogspot.com/2012/07/feels-like-fall-fresh-apple-cake.html