Caramel-apple Walnut Cake

Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 5 mins

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1 pinch salt
• 1/3 cup caramel (either cut from a block or about 12 to 15 unwrapped candies)
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream or 3 tablespoons whole milk
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup sour cream or 1/2 cup yogurt
• 2 cups king arthur unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 large apples, peeled, cored, cut into 8 wedges each
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Recipe

• 1 preheat the oven to 350 degrees. lightly grease a 9" round cake pan at least 2" deep; or a 9" springform pan.
• 2 spread the walnuts in a single layer in an ungreased pan, and bake them for 8 to 10 minutes, until they're a light golden brown. remove them from the oven, and sprinkle very lightly with salt. set them aside.
• 3 beat together the sugar, butter, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and vanilla till smooth.
• 4 add the eggs. beat till thoroughly combined.
• 5 stir in the sour cream or yogurt alternately with the flour, using the low speed of your mixer. the batter will be stiff.
• 6 spoon the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with a spatula as best you can.
• 7 toss the apple wedges with the sugar and vanilla till apples are thoroughly coated.
• 8 arrange the apples atop the cake, pushing them into the stiff batter gently so they're partially submerged.
• 9 bake the cake for 65 minutes, till it's golden brown on top and a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
• 10 remove the cake from the oven, and turn it out onto a rack, apple-side up.
• 11 place the caramel and cream in a microwave-safe bowl, and heat till the cream is showing bubbles, and the caramel is soft.
• 12 stir the caramel and cream till smooth.
• 13 spoon the caramel over the cake, dripping it down into the crevices around the apples.
• 14 scatter the walnuts on top. serve warm, or at room temperature.