Fall Apple Cake

What is fall without a little fall baking?!  

I couldn't justify making this cake, in all its sweet-tasting glory, without having someone to share it with.   I decided a dessert night with friends was waaay past due.  I doubled the original recipe and it fit nicely into a 9x13-inch pan.  I also doubled it for you below in case you're thinking a dessert night spent with friends sounds as appealing to you as it did to me.  

The cake turned out super moist and the glazy top was just spectacular!   

So here's to cooler weather and to friendship!

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Apple Cake with Brown Sugar Glaze

For the Cake:

3 cups all purpose flour

2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

4 eggs

1 cup canola oil - I used vegetable

2 teaspoons vanilla

3 cups finely chopped apples

1 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped (optional) - I didn't use any

Brown Sugar Glaze:

1 cup packed light brown sugar

6 Tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 Tablespoons heavy cream

For the Cake:  Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9x13-inch pan with butter and set aside.  In a large bowl, mix the eggs with a hand mixer til light in color and foamy.  Add the oil and vanilla and beat well. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.  Stir with a whisk to mix everything together.  Stir in the flour mixture with a spoon and continue stirring the batter til the flour disappears.  Add the apples and nuts (if using) and stir to mix them into the batter.  Scrape batter into prepared pan and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Place the hot cake on a wire cooling rack. While it's still hot, prepare the glaze.

For the glaze: Combine all the ingredients into a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the mixture comes to a gentle boil. Cook for 3-5 minutes.  

Spoon the hot glaze over the still hot-from-the-oven cake. Let the glazed cake cool completely before serving straight from the pan.

German Chocolate Cake

I have been craving this cake for a couple weeks now. Well...ever since the last time I made it actually. I made this cake for Steven's birthday and instantly became a coconut convert! The icing is spectacular and well worth the time you sit stirring. This recipe came from here, but I have added some tips I think you will find helpful in parenthesis. Enjoy!


German Chocolate Cake

Cake:

1 (18.25 ounce) package butter cake mix
1 (3.5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs

Frosting:

(You will most likely need to double this. I have both times.)

1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
1 cup white sugar
1 cup chopped pecans (I didn't use the pecans because Steven didn't want them.)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup butter
1 cup flaked coconut

Directions


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour three 8 inch round cake pans. (I only used 2 and left a little batter in the bowl. I have some great helpers who help me with what's leftover.)

2. Combine the cake mix, instant vanilla pudding, cocoa, buttermilk, vegetable oil and the 3 whole eggs. Mix until blended and pour the batter into the prepared pans.

3. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until the cakes test done. Set cakes aside to cool.

Frosting:

In a medium sized sauce pan mix the evaporated milk, white sugar, 3 egg yolks and the butter. Cook over medium heat until the mixture is thick. (It should resemble a soupy applesauce consistency. This will take about 25 - 30 min. of stirring. It's my excuse to read a magazine :-)  Trust me, it will be worth it!) Remove from heat and beat until partially cooled. Beat in the vanilla. Stir in the flaked coconut and the chopped pecans. (I then chilled the frosting in the refrigerator because it is still not thick enough to ice at this point.) Use to fill and frost cake.