I can’t believe that today marks the one year point of this cozy little corner of the blogosphere I call my own. Thanks so much to all of you who have taken this journey with me – what a gift it has been to share some crafty fun, recipes, musings and anything else that has come to mind with you! So, today in order to celebrate I thought I’d share with you my very favorite cake, compliments of a dear friend from our time in Rochester, NY. It’s delicious and full of wonderful spices, baked apples, pecans and then topped off with a warm caramel sauce. A-mazing. Won’t you bake one up and light a candle to celebrate with me? You won’t be sorry, I promise!
Carrie’s Scrumptious Apple Goodness Cake
Ingredients
2 ½ cups all purpose organic flour
1 ¼ teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
3 large free-range eggs
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
3 tablespoons orange juice
3 Granny Smith Apples, peeled and cut into ½ inch chunks (3 ¼ c.). Really should be a sour apple- cuts the sweetness
1 cup pecans, chopped
1 tablespoon flour
½ cup unsalted organic butter
¼ cup organic whipping cream
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
Directions
CAKE:
1. Place rack in the center of the oven
2. Preheat to 350 (F)
3. Generously grease and flour bundt pan (can also be muffin tin, change time, obviously)
4. Sift together 2 ½ c. of flour spices, and baking soda and set aside
5. Put vegetable oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla in large mixer bowl, Beat until thick and smooth
6. Add sifted ingredients and orange juice to wet mixture; mix to combine
7. Toss apples and pecans with 1 T. flour, then stir into batter
8. Transfer to pan and flatten the top
9. Bake until toothpick comes out clean- about 1 hour and let cool.
…While cooling, prepare glaze
GLAZE:
1. Bring all glaze ingredients to a boil in small pan and cook for 3 minutes.
2. Watch VERY carefully, as the sugar will switch from perfect to burnt quickly.
Once the cake has cooled, drizzle a good amount of the caramel over the cake, but be sure to reserve some to spoon over individual slices as you pass them out… It is very rich, but oh so good. Enjoy!
Wait! There’s more!!!
Because no party is complete without presents I have a giveaway for you!!! All you need to do to win this lovely pouch filled with a tissue holder and reusable coffee cuff is to leave a comment on this post by Novemeber 30 sharing what type of birthday cake is your favorite (feel free to include a recipe if you’d like!). Then, I’ll randomly select an entry on December 1 and announce the winner on the blog.
Thanks again everyone for sharing in this journey with me. I hope it is as life giving for you as it is for me. And I’m so excited to see what the next year will hold!
Hello!! What a fun idea! My very favourite birthday cake, and it is so generic, is the cake in a box ‘Confetti’ cake with the confetti frosting. I love, love, love it! And haven’t had it in years. May have to make myself a birthday cake for Christmas this year when I am in the States. YUM! But I would totally eat this apple cake with no complaints!! Probably for breakfast
Can I have two faves?
Because seriously, the carrot cake that you made for me last March was the best carrot cake I’ve ever tasted and I definitely made that twice this summer!! Thanks for the recipe! (By the way, I cannot find plain carrot baby food here!! I’ll have to get a food processor so I can make my own.)
But I also LOVE a good, dark chocolate cake. Here’s my current favorite dark chocolate cake recipe. One bowl – gotta love that!!
Ingredients:
2 cups flour
2 cups white sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup cold brewed coffee
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vinegar
Directions:
Grease and flour your pan(s). Preheat oven to 350 F.
Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the center and pour in the eggs, coffee, mild, oil and vinegar. Mix until smooth (batter will be thin.) Pour into pan(s).
Bake for 35-40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool.
This is great with a raspberry filling (if you are layering) and a chocolate cream cheese frosting. Oh my, I am so hungry right now!
PS – Nothing says “birthday” like a CUPCAKE!!!
My favorite cake, and I know so old fashioned, but Spice cake with real cream cheese frosting or buttercream frosting. One of my fav recipes is from Paula Dean–
Ingredients
Cake:
3 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
2 sticks butter, softened
2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
Quick Butter Cream, recipe follows
Finely chopped nuts, for garnish
Cocoa powder, for garnish
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour 3 (8-inch) round cake pans.
In a small mixing bowl whisk together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground nutmeg, ground cinnamon, ground ginger and ground cloves.
Cream the butter, sugar and salt until light and fluffy with an electric mixer. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the dry ingredients and the buttermilk alternately beginning and ending with the dry.
When the batter is well mixed and smooth, divide it amongst the 3 prepared cake pans and bake about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes come out clean. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes then turn out to cool completely. If the cake layers have domed a little during the baking process, slice off the tops with a long serrated knife so they are flat and even.
Place the first layer, cut side down, on a cake pedestal or serving plate. Spoon about 3/4 cup of butter cream onto the center of the cake. Spread it almost to the very edges with an offset spatula. Repeat with the remaining 2 layers. Garnish the top of the cake with finely chopped nuts and cocoa powder.
Quick Butter Cream:
3/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup shortening
Pinch salt
6 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup heavy cream
Beat the butter, shortening and salt together until creamy with an electric mixer. Add half the confectioners’ sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Combine the vanilla extract and heavy cream. Gradually beat in the remaining confectioners’ sugar alternating with the cream mixture until it is all incorporated and the frosting is very light and fluffy
Enjoy! You can also add carrots to this- as I sometimes do!
Hey Becky!!! So fun to hear from you! I love a good spice cake recipe too… anything with cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger is at the top of my list. I’ll definitely have to give your recipe a try!
You will have to try it. My mom, Ann , I am sure you remember her, She made it for my 30th birthday last month. I have added a little of molasses to in the past. I love spice cake. Its not too sweet and just the right amount of spices:-) We actually did a family cookbook this past year, it was a lot of fun!
My favorite birthday cake is the same as Katie! But Katie it’s called Funfetti and it is oh so yummy! This year I had two for my birthday!
It’s called Confetti cake sometime Shannon!! I promise, maybe just different brands or something!
Congrats! The cake looks divine
My favorite is Triple Chocolate Cake with chocolate frosting. Thanks for the giveaway! Found you through SMS.
My favorite is always changing, but my favorite cake at the moment is the chocolate godiva cake from the Co-op. I highly recommend it!!
Yeah Kate! How fun to be celebrating one year! I have LOVED sharing this journey with you and always look forward to the latest blog entry…it blesses my soul! And for any of you that are wondering just HOW good the apple cake with carmel frosting is….it is divine! I am a chocolate lover and I just might have to choose this cake over my usual favorite…chocolate cake with chocolate frosting!
I never knew coffee cuffs existed but it’s SOOO cute!
Favorite cake as a kid – confetti angel food cake with pink frosting.
I really don’t like the taste now, but it was the best cake as a kid!
Stacia’s mom even made it for my birthday my first year of college when we were in Wenatchee.
Now, favorite cake is probably apple spice cake…I’ll have to send the recipe later.
Congrats on one year! I’m glad you share this little corner with us.
BK, the photos are amazing and I love the location of your new FLAT in Scotland. I am finding, this year, that there are SO many blessings and even more reasons to be so very thankful, especially at this time of year. You and J are definitely some of those reasons. Blessings on Sparrow Hopes and your marvelous creativity, BK.