Description
Homemade Apple Pecan Cake with Caramel Glaze brings warmth of autumn kitchens to your table. Delicate spices, crunchy pecans, and rich caramel drizzle promise a delightful dessert experience you’ll savor with each memorable bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 3 1/2 cups Granny Smith apples, peeled and finely chopped (about 3/4 apples)
- 1 cup pecans, finely chopped
- 4 large eggs
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
Wet Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups cooking oil
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup whole milk
Spices and Additional Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks)
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare the oven at 325F (163C), coating a tube pan or two loaf pans with grease and flour to prevent sticking during baking.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk cooking oil, granulated sugar, and eggs until achieving a smooth, creamy consistency.
- Separately sift flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Gradually incorporate dry ingredients into wet mixture, stirring minimally to maintain batter integrity.
- Enhance flavor profile by blending in vanilla extract.
- Gently fold chopped apples and pecans throughout batter, ensuring even distribution for consistent taste and texture.
- Transfer batter into prepared pan(s), positioning in preheated oven.
- Bake approximately 1 hour, monitoring doneness around 50-minute mark by inserting a toothpick. A clean toothpick indicates complete baking.
- For caramel glaze, melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat.
- Introduce brown sugar and milk, bringing mixture to a gentle boil. Reduce to simmer, stirring continuously for 10 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Remove from heat, incorporating vanilla extract. Allow glaze to cool to a pourable consistency.
- Once cake has cooled slightly, drizzle caramel glaze across top, allowing elegant drips along sides for a rustic presentation.
Notes
- Prevent apple browning by tossing chopped apples in a bit of lemon juice before adding to the batter to maintain their fresh color and prevent oxidation.
- For gluten-free adaptation, substitute all-purpose flour with a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend, ensuring the cake remains moist and tender.
- Toast pecans briefly in a dry skillet before adding to enhance their nutty flavor and provide a deeper, more complex taste profile to the cake.
- Create a dairy-free version by using coconut milk in the caramel glaze and replacing butter with a neutral vegetable oil that maintains the cake’s rich moisture.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 389 kcal
- Sugar: 29 g
- Sodium: 210 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 43 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 53 mg