Apple Pie Cake

This is the first month of the Improv Cooking Challenge, started by Sheryl over at The Lady Behind the Curtain.  Each month she will give the participants two ingredients, and we're to come up with any recipe we want as long as it includes those two ingredients.  For this month, the two ingredients are apples and caramel.

I decided to go with a recipe that I haven't made in years (Apple Pie Cake), and add to it the Caramel Rum sauce that was so amazingly delicious from the Club: Baked challenge a couple weeks ago (Bananas Foster Fritters).

The toughest thing about this recipe is peeling, coring, and slicing all those apples!  There are a lot of apples needed for this, and you will get a springform pan packed to the gills with apples!  Don't worry, they will cook down a bit.  But you may want to make sure you have some people to share this with.....there's a lot to go around!  The great thing about this recipe is that the same dough that is used on the bottom is sprinkled on the top....only two bowls to dirty!

I waited until the pie/cake had cooled before drizzling on some of the caramel sauce, but because I hadn't waited for the caramel sauce to completely cool off it kind of soaked into the topping.  Had I gotten it completely cooled off before drizzling it on, you would have seen it better in the photo, but trust me, it was still delicious!  This sauce was a gigantic hit for our Baked challenge.....caramel and rum go together perfectly.....not to mention it's a piece of cake to throw together!  It's easy to throw together because it's not a traditional caramel sauce where you would dissolve your sugar and wait for it to get to the darkness you like......this one is much much easier!

APPLE PIE CAKE
Source: Martha Stewart

2 cups flour

1 cup packed light-brown sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

½ pound (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces

5 pounds tart apples, such as Granny Smith (about 12)

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

In a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.  Using an electric mixer or a pastry cutter, cut in butter until the mixture forms pea-size pieces.  Press two-thirds of the mixture onto bottom and 1 inch up the side of a 9-inch spring form pan.

Preheat oven to 350.  Peel the apples, cut into thin slices, and place in a bowl.  Pour off any accumulated liquid.  Toss the apple slices with the remaining teaspoon cinnamon and the lemon juice, and put them in the prepared pan, pressing down gently as you pack them in (they will mound above the edge of the pan).  Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture on top.

Put the pan on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet, and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until golden brown on top.  Run a knife around the edge of the pan, and let the cake cool in the pan to set.  Serve at room temperature.  

CARAMEL RUM SAUCE
Source: Baked Explorations

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/3 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons dark rum
Pinch cinnamon (optional)

Place butter and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, and stir together until smooth.  Add the heavy cream and bring the mixture to a boil.  Once a boil is reached, remove from heat and stir in the extract, rum, and cinnamon.  Set aside until ready to serve.





This post is linked to:
Show Off Your Stuff - Sweet Tooth Friday - Friday Favorites - Anything Goes Linky - Fusion Fridays - I'm Lovin' It - Friday Food - Sweets for a Saturday - Seasonal Inspiration - Fat Camp Friday - Sweet Indulgences Sunday  - Monday, Mmmm....Dessert - Tea Party Tuesday - Tasty Tuesday - Tuesday Talent Show - T' Time - Crazy Sweet Tuesday - These Chicks Cooked - Cast Party Wednesday - It's a Keeper Thursday - Turning the Table Thursday - Sweet Treats Thursday - Full Plate Thursday - Bake with Bizzy - A Themed Baker's Sunday