Fresh apple cake with caramel glaze
Instructions:
- Cake:
- 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour;
- 1 teaspoon baking soda;
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon;
- 1⁄2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg;
- 1⁄2 teaspoon fine sea salt;
- 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar;
- 1 cup granulated sugar;
- 11⁄2 cups vegetable oil;
- 3 large eggs;
- 5 cups peeled, cored, and diced baking apples;
- 11⁄4 cups black walnuts or English walnuts, coarsely chopped;
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract.
- Glaze:
- 4 tablespoons (1⁄2 stick) unsalted butter;
- 1⁄4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar;
- 1⁄4 cup granulated sugar;
- Pinch of kosher salt;
- 1⁄2 cup heavy cream.
- For the cake: position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease a 9 × 13-inch light metal baking pan. (A dark metal or nonstick pan will make the crust very dark and thick.)
- Sift together the flour, soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt into a medium bowl.
- Beat the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and oil until smooth in a large bowl with an electric mixer. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. With the mixer set to low speed, slowly add the flour mixture, beating only until it disappears into the batter. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the apples, nuts, and vanilla. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake in the center of the oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Place the pan on a wire rack while you make the glaze.
- For the glaze: melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and salt. Stir until blended and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes. Stir in the cream and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil until the glaze begins to thicken, about 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Poke holes all over the cake with a wooden skewer or chopstick. Slowly pour the glaze evenly over the cake, letting it seep down into the holes. Let the cake cool to room temperature before serving.