Apple Walnut Spice Cake

 An autumn walk led me to follow my bliss

.

right back into the kitchen for a slice of Apple Walnut Spice Cake with Caramel Sauce.

And let me tell you, each mouthful was pure bliss. Baking is at its best when filled with the flavors of fall. This recipe was originally posted in 2017 and needed an update. In the original recipe, it was frosted with Penuche Icing, but with this recipe, I skipped the icing this "go around" and paired it with caramel sauce and ice cream. What's not to like. 😊 

Apple Walnut Spice Cake 
Cook's notes: This was easily one of the best fall cakes I have ever had. Everything about this cake was absolute perfection. The spice cake was tender and moist. The apples with chopped walnuts were a combination that brought out such a delicious flavor and texture.  Let this cake be on the top of your list for fall baking. Take note: no mixer is needed for this recipe! The cake can stand alone but adding caramel sauce and ice cream was really the piece de resistance.
Recipe adapted from the recipecritic.com

Ingredients:  

• 4 cups Granny Smith apples, chopped into small pieces (about 4 medium apples) 
• 1 cup brown sugar and 1 cup white sugar
• ½ cup vegetable oil (I used canola oil for a milder flavor) 
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup white flour and 1 cup whole wheat flour 
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon or 1-1/2 teaspoons Saigon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon allspice, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, dash nutmeg, or use 1 teaspoon apple pie spice mix and 1/2 teaspoon ginger 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• ½ cup buttermilk 
• 1 cup pecans or walnuts, roughly chopped
• Caramel sauce, ice cream  

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine apples, sugars, and cinnamon.
• Whisk oil, eggs, and vanilla together in another bowl. Stir into the apple mixture. 
• In another mixing bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the apple mixture. Add milk and stir until just combined. Add in chopped pecans or walnuts.
• Pour into prepared 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If frosting the cake, let it cool completely before adding the icing.  
  

Penuche Frosting (recipe below is enough for a 9 x 9 cake)
Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup milk (may need more)
• Dash of salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2-1/2 cups powdered sugar 

Directions:

• In a saucepan, melt butter on low heat, stir in brown sugar, milk, salt, and vanilla.
• Use a whisk and stir on low heat until the sugar dissolves and is smooth, about 2 minutes.
• Remove pan from heat and stir in powdered sugar.
• Use a hand mixer to beat the frosting in the saucepan until smooth. May need to add more milk to achieve the desired consistency.