This caramel apple dapple cake is filled with warm fall spices and apple pieces in every bite. It is encased in a brown sugar caramel glaze that makes it extra delicious.
So we may have gone a leeeetttllleee bit overboard on the apple picking this past weekend.
Like….50 pounds worth of apples overboard.
Not complaining!! Just, an observation.
Also, a warning: BRACE YOURSELF FOR ALL OF THE APPLE RECIPES.
So far I’ve made pie (good, but not special enough to share) and this cake, which is probably my new favorite apple confection.
It’s a one bowl wonder that is filled to the brim with apple chunks, spice, and an impossibly moist crumb.
There is a secret ingredient at play here, and it is……COFFEE. I know, right?! I was surprised also. It adds a kick of alluring warmth to the cake but not a super strong coffee flavor. My husband HATES coffee, and had no idea it was in there. He still doesn’t, for the record, so SHHHH.
The cake is topped with a brown sugar caramel icing while still warm, which gets into all of its nooks and crannies (of which there are many).
It’s rustic, but in a way that makes you love it all the more for its imperfections.
- 2½ cups (320 g) all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¾ cup (150 g) sugar
- ¾ cup (170 g) brown sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (57 g) vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs, cold
- ¾ cup (170 g) coffee
- 4 cups peeled, cored, and chopped honeycrisp apples
- ¾ cup (170 g) brown sugar
- 4 tbsp (57 g) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- ¼ cup (57 g) whole milk
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- Heat oven to 350F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray, then line with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.
- Cream together the butter, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Decrease the speed to low and slowly stream in the oil until well mixed. Add in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Pour in half of the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Slowly pour in the coffee with the mixer running on low and mix until just combined. Finally, add in the remaining flour mixture and mix until the batter is smooth. Add the apples to the batter and fold in by hand. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread to an even layer.
- Place in the oven and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the cake is dark golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool slightly while you prepare the glaze.
- In a medium saucepan, heat the brown sugar, butter, milk, and salt over high heat. Bring to a boil and cook until thickened slightly, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Once the glaze stops bubbling, pour over the warm cake and spread so that it covers the entire cake.
- Allow to cool completely on a wire rack. Serve once cool.
OK – I have to say this was an ugly duckling cake. BUT it was really good – for breakfast, lunch and dessert!