From Jennifer: Apple picking is one of my favorite autumn activities. Even though apples are often available all year at the store, seasonal apples have so much flavor and are wonderful in baked goods. Tart apples are especially good to use because they offer both sweetness and acidity. While I prefer to eat sweet apples, I use tart apples in almost all of my recipes. This caramel apple pound cake is sweet, eggy, and dense, but also quite soft. It has apples in every slice. And it’s covered in a rich, creamy caramel sauce that keeps the cake moist and flavorful.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15minutes
Cook Time 1hour15minutes
Total Time 1hour30minutes
Servings 12servings
Calories 430kcal
Author Jennifer Farley
Ingredients
For the apple pound cake cake
6ounces (1 1/2 cups)cake flour
1/2teaspoonkosher salt
1/2teaspoonground cinnamon
8ounces (16 tablespoons)unsalted butterroom temperature
1 1/3cupsgranulated sugar
3largeeggs
3largeegg yolks
1teaspoonpure vanilla extract
2teaspoonsbrandy
1largetart applesuch as Granny Smith
For the caramel sauce:
1cupgranulated sugar
1/4cupwater
1/4teaspoonkosher salt
3/4cupheavy cream or half-and-half
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C) and place an oven rack in the center position. Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with baking spray or butter and line the bottom with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, whisk the flour, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, approximately 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix on high speed for another 30 seconds. Turn the speed down to medium-low. Add the eggs and yolks, one at a time, allowing each to incorporate completely before add- ing the next. Scrape down the sides of the bowl all the way to the bottom, add the vanilla and brandy, and mix again until everything is just combined.
On low speed, add the dry ingredients in three batches, and mix until the batter is just combined.
Peel and core the apple, then slice it in half from top to bottom. With the flat sides down, slice each half thinly.
Spread a small amount of the batter into the reserved loaf pan. Layer the apple in the pan, overlapping each other, until the bottom of the pan is covered. Pour in the rest of the batter, smoothing the top with a spatula. Place the loaf pan on a baking sheet.
Bake for 70 to 75 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool for 5 minutes in the pan and then gently flip onto a cooling rack. Allow the cake to cool to room temperature.
While the cake is cooling, prepare the caramel sauce. In a medium saucepan, heat the sugar, water, and salt over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Continue cooking until it starts to turn golden brown. Once it begins to caramelize, it will continue to darken quickly. Let the sugar get as dark as possible without burning for best results.
When the caramel is dark amber in color, remove the pan from the heat and pour the cream down the side of the saucepan. The caramel will splatter, so be very careful to avoid burns. The caramel will temporarily seize up and solidify when the cream is added.
Move the pan back to the burner and use a heatproof spatula to stir the caramel and cream until evenly combined. Allow the sauce to reduce while stirring, until it reaches the desired thickness, 5 to 10 minutes.
Before serving, drizzle the caramel sauce over the cake.
Notes
You can make the apple pound cake ahead of time, and even freeze it, and then make the caramel sauce just before serving.