Caramel Apple Cake with Salted Caramel Buttercream

Prep time: 30 minutes Bake time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

3 and 3/4 cups AP flour

1 and 1/2 cups light brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup canola oil

1 cup fresh shredded apples, ( I used Fuji apples )

3/4 homemade caramel sauce, ( you can used jarred caramel)

2 teaspoons best quality vanilla, ( I use Madagascar bourbon)

3 medium eggs at room temperature

1 and 1/2 cups whole buttermilk at room temperature

Caramel sauce

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup half and half

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon best quality vanilla

Caramel buttercream

4 sticks room temperature unsalted butter

6 to 8 cups confectioners sugar, ( based on your taste)

1 tablespoon vanilla

1/2 cup homemade caramel sauce, ( or you can use store bought)

3/4 to 1 teaspoon salt

5 tablespoons half and half

Directions

 

Caramel

In a medium sauce pan, place brown sugar, butter and cream. Whisk constantly over medium low heat for 5-7 minutes. Take off heat and add vanilla. Cool completely before adding to cake and buttercream.

Cake

Preheat over to 350 degrees F. ( I use a convection oven and will compensate by turning the temperature down slightly). Grease and flour 2 – 9″ cake pans and line with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk by hand the oil, eggs, sugar, vanilla and buttermilk, Add caramel and stir until combined. Whisk the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl and gradually add to the wet mixture. Use a wooden spoon or spatula and be very careful not to over mix once you add the dry ingredients. You will get used to me telling you not to over mix your recipes once the flour is added!!  It’s a precise way of making sure that your cake doesn’t come out rubbery and tough!

Divide batter evenly among prepared pans. Set your timer for 15 minutes and rotate the pans in the oven. Bake another 10 minutes and check for doneness by how the cake springs back in the center. Cool the cakes on a wire rack for 15 minutes and turn them onto a wire rack. Place in the oven while you make the frosting and caramel.

Salted caramel buttercream

Cream together butter, vanilla, caramel and salt until smooth and creamy. Slowly add confectioners sugar and cream alternately. Make sure to scape down the bowl as you go. Keep adding the confectioners sugar until you have the desired sweetness. I tend to like my frostings less sweet, so I do a lot of tasting along the way!

Frost the cakes when they are completely cool. I like to do a crumb coat, chill, then frost again. Drizzle the leftover caramel over the top of the cake.