3cupspeeled and finely diced apples(about 3-4 medium apples)
FOR THE CARAMEL GLAZE
1cuppacked light brown sugar
¾cup(1 ½ sticks) salted butter, softened at room temperature
¼cupheavy cream or half-and-half
¼teaspoonsalt
½teaspoonvanilla extract
Instructions
MAKE THE CAKE
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a Bundt pan; set aside. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat together the eggs, sugar, oil, and vanilla extract until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture; mix just until combined.
Gently fold in the nuts and apples.
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Bake for 70-80 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Leave the cake in the pan while you prepare the glaze.
MAKE THE CARAMEL GLAZE
Combine the brown sugar, butter, cream, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring or whisking frequently.
Once the mixture comes to a boil, continue cooking and whisking constantly for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in the vanilla.
GLAZE THE CAKE
While the cake is still warm in the pan, use a long wooden stick to poke holes all over.
Pour about ¾ cup of the glaze over the cake. Allow the cake to sit in the pan and soak up the glaze for about 15-20 minutes. Place the remaining glaze in a microwave-safe bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until the cake is cool. After the cake sits in the pan to absorb the glaze for about 15-20 minutes, turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Once the cake is cool, microwave the remaining glaze in 10-second intervals until the caramel is soft and smooth again. Drizzle the remaining caramel over the top of the cool cake.
Slice and serve!
Video
Notes
Use a firm baking apple, such as Honey Crisp or Granny Smith. These apples hold their shape and won't break down into mush.
To Bake the Cake in a Regular Pan: The Bundt pan gives the cake a beautiful texture -- moist on the inside and crisp on the edges. If you prefer, however, you can bake the cake in a 9 x 13-inch pan, and decrease the baking time to about 40-45 minutes.
I find that it's easiest to slice the cake cleanly when the cake has cooled to room temperature.
The cake keeps well covered at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the fridge for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for 3 months. If your house is particularly warm, it's best to store the cake in the refrigerator. Remove it from the fridge an hour before serving to let it come back to room temperature.
Serve a slice with a drizzle of extra caramel sauce, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a dollop of freshly whipped cream, or a sprinkle of toasted pecans or walnuts.