Nutty Apple Cake with Warm Caramel Sauce

An autumn walk led me to follow my bliss

right into the kitchen for a slice of Nutty Apple Cake with Caramel Sauce.  

And let me tell you each mouthful was pure bliss. Baking at its best filled with fall flavors. Don't skip the sauce it's the piece de resistance!

Recipe adapted from BHG
Ingredients:

•  2 cups white flour 
• 1 cup whole wheat flour 
• 1 cup each granulated sugar and brown sugar 
• 1 tsp. baking soda 
• 1 tsp. apple pie spice
• 1-1/2 tsp. Saigon cinnamon or 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3 large eggs lightly beaten
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup apple juice
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 3 cups finely chopped cooking apples or 3 large apples (I used Granny Smith) 
• 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, toasted

Sauce:

• 3/4 cup brown sugar 
• 3 TB. butter
• 3 TB. heavy cream
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
• Grease and lightly flour the bottom and sides of a 10-inch springform pan; set aside. 
• In an extra-large bowl whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, apple pie spice, cinnamon and salt. 
• Make a well in the center of flour mixture; set aside. 
• In a medium bowl combine eggs, oil, apple juice, and vanilla, low speed 1 minute. Stir in chopped apples and nuts. 
• Add egg mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moistened. Pour batter into the prepared springform pan, spreading evenly. 
• Bake cake for 45 -50 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 
• Cool cake in springform pan on a wire rack about 1 hour to serve warm, or cool completely. Using a small sharp knife, to loosen cake from sides of pan. Remove sides of pan.
• For sauce, in a saucepan on a medium low heat combine brown sugar, butter, and whipping cream. Cook and stir over medium heat just until mixture is bubbly and brown sugar is dissolved. Add in vanilla, mix well. Cool slightly. Spoon warm sauce over warm or cooled cake. Refrigerate leftovers in a screw top jar.