Apple Walnut Cake with Caramel Glaze
My mother-in-law shared this recipe with me about twenty years ago and it has become a family favorite. It is a dense batter that bakes up into a surprising light cake. Since this cake takes about an hour and a half to bake it needs a sturdy apple type like Granny Smith to stand up to the long baking time. Combining the flavors of baked apples, toasted walnuts and cinnamon make a perfect ending to a Thanksgiving dinner.
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Apple Walnut Cake
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2 cup walnuts, chopped
3 ½ cup Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored & diced
1 ½ cup vegetable oil
3 lg eggs
1 ½ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar
2 t vanilla
3 cup all-purpose flour
1 t baking soda
2 t cinnamon
½ t nutmeg
½ t salt
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Spread the walnuts out in a 9”x13” Pyrex dish and bake for about 8 minutes until golden brown. Cool completely.
Turn the oven temperature down to 325 degrees. Butter and flour a Bundt pan.
In a large mixing bowl, blend the oil, eggs, sugars and vanilla together. In a separate bowl add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Whisk the dry ingredients together until blended. Using a hand mixer slowly blend in the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. The batter will be very thick so go easy on the hand mixer so the motor does not burn out. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the diced apples and the toasted walnuts. Spoon the batter into the Bundt pan and smooth the top. Bake the cake for 1 ½ hours. Let it cool in the Bundt pan for 15 minutes. Gently loosen the sides by sliding a knife in between the cake and the pan in four different places. Put a place over the top of the Bundt pan and invert the cake onto the plate. Cool for 1 hour.
Caramel Glaze
3 T butter
3 T brown sugar
3 T sugar
3 T heavy whipping cream
Pinch of salt
½ t vanilla
In a small sauce pan add the butter, sugars, and whipping cream. Heat over medium heat and bring to a boil. Cook, whisking constantly, for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in the salt and vanilla. Let it cool for 10 minutes. Drizzle over the cake.
This cake can be made a day ahead. Store in a cake saver at room temperature.
Serves 8-10
