Salted Caramel Apple Pound Cake (And a Giveaway!)
Tue, Oct 4, 2011
When life gives you left-over Salted Caramel Sauce, I say make pound cake!
With fall teasing us in the Dallas area, the temperatures are fluctuating between 100 and 80, I find myself feeling very domestic. The cooler weather puts me in the mood to putter around the house organizing books, clearing out closets, and whipping up cozy treats in the kitchen. Usually during this time of year I would be baking fall fruit pies, as the cooler weather seems perfect for pie, but this year I have had my fill of pie. With all the cookbook frenzy behind me I have turned my attention to cakes. While clearing out the refrigerator, which I am sad to admit needed some particular attention, I found a jar of homemade Salted Caramel Sauce that I had photographed for the next cookbook. How had I forgotten it? Even more important, what would I make with it?
This pound cake has salted caramel in the batter, salted caramel dripping over the top, and it is all finished with a salted caramel whipped cream. It sounds like it would be very rich and overpowering but it isn’t. In the cake batter the salted caramel adds a subtle, nutty yet buttery flavor that compliments the sweet-tart apple bits. The apples seem to sort of melt into the cake, but when you find a bite with apple in it you can certainly taste it. Because I prefer pound cake served with some sweet whipped cream I decided to experiment and make a Salted Caramel Whipped Cream. I will tell you it is good enough to eat all by itself, and it is my new go-to Thanksgiving whipped cream. I can’t wait to try it dolloped on pumpkin pie!
Now, for the giveaway … I am so happy to be giving away not one, but TWO copies of my new cookbook, Everything Pie! How do I get from pound cake to pie, you ask? Well, the Salted Caramel Sauce recipe I have included in this recipe is also found in Everything Pie. See, it fits!
How to enter:
First, comment below and tell me about your favorite fall activities. Do you love to hunt for the perfect pumpkin in a pumpkin patch? Trick-or-treating with the kids? Maybe you love going to a harvest festival? Whatever it is, tell me about it. What can I say, I’m nosy!
Second, Tweet about this giveaway with a link back to this entry, then post a link to that tweet in the comments below. Tweet whatever you like, and if you want to mention me (which would be lovely) my Twitter handle is @BakingBlog.
Finally, tell your friends on Facebook by sharing a link to this entry. Just post a link back here so I can see you did.
The giveaway ends October 11, 2011 at 11 pm CST. The winner will be selected at random and notified via email (so be sure to use a valid email address when commenting) no later than October 13, 2011. In the event that the same person wins both books (with multiple entries it could happen) a second winner will be selected. I am providing the books from my own personal supply.
Good luck, and now back to the cake …
Salted Caramel Apple Pound Cake Serves 10 to 12
For the cake:
1 stick (4 ounces) butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup Salted Caramel Sauce, divided (recipe follows)
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
5 eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups cake flour
1 cup whole milk
1 Granny Smith (or other firm apple) peeled, cored, and chopped
For the whipped cream:
2 tablespoons Salted Caramel Sauce
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup heavy whipping cream
Heat the oven to 325 F and spray a 10 to 15 cup bundt or ring pan with non-stick cooking spray.
In the work bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, cream together the butter and 1/2 cup of the salted caramel sauce until well combined. Add the sugar and brown sugar and beat until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
Add the eggs, one at a time, to the butter mixture, beating for 2 minutes after adding each egg. Once all the eggs are added stir in the vanilla.
In a separate bowl sift together the cinnamon, cardamom, baking soda, baking powder, salt, all-purpose flour, and cake flour. Alternately add the flour mixture and milk into the butter, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour. Fold in the apple pieces.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the cake springs back in the center when gently pressed. Watch the cake carefully starting at the 45 minute mark, and do not over-bake.
Allow the cake to cool for 15 minutes in the pan then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool pour the reserved caramel over the top, allowing it to drip naturally down the sides.
For the whipped cream combine the salted caramel, powdered sugar, vanilla, and cream in a medium bowl. Whip until the mixture forms medium peaks.
Serve the cake with a generous scoop of the whipped cream. Enjoy!
Salted Caramel Sauce Yield about 2 cups
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
3/4 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
In a medium saucepan with deep sides add the sugar, water, and corn syrup. Place the pot over medium heat and, swirling but never stirring, bring the mixture to a boil. Brush the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush if any sugar crystals cling to the edge of the pot.
Allow the mixture to boil until it is a deep amber color and the sugar smells like dark caramel, about 6 minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat and, very carefully as it will bubble up, whisk in the heavy cream, butter, and salt. Once the butter is melted let the caramel cool to room temperature. Left-overs can be stored in the refrigerator in an air-tight container for up to a month.
© 2011, Evil Shenanigans – Baking & Cooking Blog. All rights reserved.
Tags: Apple, apple pound cake, bundt cake, bundt cakes, butter, cake recipe, Cakes, caramel cake, Cardamom, Cinnamon, Dessert, everything pie, Fall, Pound Cake, salted caramel, salted caramel glaze, salted caramel pound cake, salted caramel sauce, salted caramel sauce recipe, salted caramel whipped cream, vanilla
I love to make chili in the fall, and just in general, take walks outside since the weather is perfect!
Scarves, crisp air, walking w/ my hubby and crunching the leaves with our feet, autmnal smells; cozy evenings in front of the fireplace with hot tea and my man.
I like fall because I can start wearing my boots again!
Sounds great! I love anything that uses cardamom. Bought a bunch of apples at the farm recently and have been working on my teacake recipes this week. I love it that from TX to MA we’re all in apple mode this month!
My favorite fall activity is making pumpkin pie!!
I don’t think it’s possible to over-do apples at this time of the year. Put ‘em in everything!
Favorite activities: hikes, college football, and buying new cold weather gear!
How fun!
My favorite fall activity is curling up under a blanket on the couch and watching cooking shows.
OH my goodness… apples and salted caramel in ONE cake?? Be still my heart!! This is such a perfect cake to take to upcoming events – a little different and transportable… what could be better!
And the whipped cream… definitely making this for Thanksgiving!
Love everything about this cake…even if I think I love pies more. (Pander pander)
I know it goes against the grain but I don’t especially love fall. Mostly because it means winter is coming…brrr. I love spring and I’m sticking to it!
My absolute favorite fall activity is taking my daughter to all the pumpkin patches and fall festivals I can. It is so much fun to watch her enthusiastic response to all the fun activity. I also love, love, love Halloween.
I just tweeted about the giveaway! https://twitter.com/#!/jenroark
AND you’re my newest status update on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/inspiredbydesign
LOL. Can you tell I’d love to win this giveaway?
This cake looks decadent!
Favorite fall activity? Apple picking in NY/NJ Orchards and baking apple pie to share with family.
I bookmarked this for later. Wow! I love caramel and with it on cake even better! Thanks for sharing.
My favorite fall activity is having my older son home from college for a few days. Yay!
I love decorating ginger bread men cookies!
Salty caramel is my new bet friend. I take it everywhere and eat it in copious amounts. Grand, clever recipe! Fall? Walking in leaves of course.
I had to chuckle when you said the cooler weather and the temps were between 100 and 80! Congrats on the book!
My favorite fall activity is eating butternut squash. You think I’m kidding. Roasted. With butter and brown sugar.
I love fall. Raking leaf piles and jumping in them with the kids is fun.
I love to decorate the house with Halloween decorations and put up pumpkins and decorate them. Definitely handing out candy for the kids on Halloween.
Thanks for the chance to win!
I have to pick ONE favorite fall activity? It’s a toss up between carving pumpkins and weaving through a corn maze.
Pound Cake .. one of the best things i really enjoy , Thank you
I tweeted http://twitter.com/#!/thespiffycookie/status/121302348810289152
That is one delicious looking cake. My favorite fall activities are hiking, baking fall desserts, seeing the leaves change colors, and going to festivals.
Fall is, hands down, my favorite season. I love Halloween and Thanksgiving, I love the weather, and I love that my birthday is coming up! I especially love harvest festivals!
I shared it on my FB page! http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Spiffy-Cookie/111292245604346
My favorite activity has got to be apple picking.
I love fall. I love the cool air, leaves changing colors, fall baking, harvest festivals. I am looking forward to taking my new niece to the pumpkin patch this year. I am flying to Texas just to do it!
My favorite fall activity is totally the picking out of the perfect pumpkin! I mean c’mon!! And my birthday too (it is Halloween and all!)
I like the cool weather
My favorite fall activity is scrapbooking. Bake up some yummy fall breads, grab a mug of my favorite chai tea and settle in at the craft table for hours of scrapbooking fun. The summers are always too busy for me to get to this so the fall is the perfect time to catch up on scrapbooking my family albums.
The crisp weather, baking, apple picking, Halloween…I love everything about fall!
oh my you are still in the thick of summer- here in Macungie PA it is a chilly windy 62…and it is lovely!!
fall weather- the day you would love to be baking your scrumtious recipe for Salted Caramel Apple Pound Cake..I am going to make this next tuesday for our school secretaries birthday..so wish me luck…I just know I will need to run out and get this new book of yours- unless I am one of the lucky gals to win it….but either way- it will be mine!! thanks evil shananagins…love your blog..all your recipes are scrumtious!!! muah.
OMG YUM!
Yum! I love everything about fall — pumpkins, festivals, apple picking, leaf watching and building a fire outside — to name a few. Congrats on your cookbook! I hope I win!
By far, pumpkin carving and decorating for Halloween!!
This pound cake sounds divine. And since Yom Kippur is this weekend and we’re right in the middle of the high holidays which are all about apples, I can’t think of a better dessert.
As for the fall, I love going pumpkin hunting with the family. And of course trick or treating with my son who’s finally old enough to get it (which of course means more candy for me.
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My favorite thing to do in the fall is bake. That’s what makes it officially Fall for me. That’s also why I followed the incredible picture of this Salted Carmel Apple cake to find this recipe. Your pie cookbook would be an excellent bonus.
Just tweeted: http://twitter.com/#!/TimeforGoodFood/status/121311742168010753
I just tweeted about the giveaway.
And I shared this page on my Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Time-for-Good-Food/217286951624062
My favorite thing about fall is that I can whip out my boots! I also love baking autumn treats right now I’m thinking mini apple pies with salted caramel sauce!
I love drinking (way too much) apple cider!
BAKING…BAKING…BAKING; all the way thru the 1st of the year!
The pumpkin patch and fall baking.
Oh boy, where to start… baking, talking walks, buying pumpkins and mums, celebrating our anniversary and the kids birthdays… I LOVE FALL! And your cake looks so yummy!
My favorite fall activities is going to as many fairs, flea markets, country craft stores as I can. They have a lot of hidden treasures I just love!!
I love to go apple picking up in New York with my family ! Such a nice day to get outside then come home and make an apple pie !