Caramel Apple Cake with Apple Cider Frosting
Scrumptious applesauce cake that tastes like eating caramel apples! That's because this one has caramel sauce in the batter. Made with a delicious apple cider buttercream frosting.
Ingredients
CARAMEL APPLE CAKE:
- 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
- 13/4 cups Gold Medal UNBLEACHED all-purpose flour bleached flour toughens baked goods
- 1 tbsp. baking powder
- 11/2 tsp. baking soda
- 11/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 11/2 cups light brown sugar packed
- 3/4 cup canola oil
- 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 3/4 cup caramel sauce homemade or from a jar
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- 11/2 cups buttermilk
APPLE CIDER FROSTING
- 5-6 cups confectioners’ sugar to desired consistency
- 1/2 cup Land ‘O Lakes unsalted butter softened, 1 stick
- 1/3 cup Musselman's apple cider or apple juice
- 3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
- pinch salt
- caramel sauce for garnish
- Fisher pecan halves for garnish
Instructions
CARAMEL APPLE CAKE:
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Grease and flour three (8 or 9 inch) round cake pans and set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat sugar, oil, applesauce, caramel sauce, vanilla, eggs, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and buttermilk together with an electric mixer until well combined, about 30 seconds.
- Add wheat flour and unbleached all purpose flour and stir (DO NOT MIX WITH MIXER) until well combined.
- (Over stirring with an electric mixer causes a tough cake).
- Pour batter into prepared cake pans and bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle of each cake comes out clean, about 30-40 minutes.
- Cool cakes completely before spreading with frosting.
APPLE CIDER FROSTING:
- Put sugar, butter, apple cider, cinnamon and salt into a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
- Arrange one cake on a large plate and spread about 1 cup of the frosting evenly over the top.
- Arrange second cake on top then spread another cup of frosting over top of the second later.
- Secure layers with toothpicks.
- Frost top and sides of entire cake with remaining frosting.
- Drizzle caramel sauce over top of cake.
- Place pecan halves in the center of the cake and around the edge for decoration.
- Makes a 3-layer, 8-9 inch round cake.
Notes
Recipe source: adapted from Whole Foods Market.
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