Fall is here, man! The weather was just perfect this weekend. I could just go outside and roll around in the grass all day long. PB and I may have did this Saturday evening.
I usually count our church homecoming as the unofficial ‘kickoff’ to fall. That, and the opening Saturday of college football, and the first night my nose stops while I sleep, which, coincidentally, happened on the same night.
So….it’s fall, y’all!
I can think of no better way to celebrate my favorite season than with my favoritestestest dessert of all time: Peggy’s fresh apple cake with caramel icing. Hark! Did you hear that? Angels just sang.
Let me give you a little background behind this glorious cake. My mom first made this cake a couple of years ago. I, a certified picky eater, was skeptical at first. It had no sprinkles, hot pink, chocolate, or glitter, four essential characteristics for a cake in my mind. In fact, the cake was brown and had a light brown icing topped with nuts. Nuts, people. That’s what grown-ups eat. If you want to kill a good bowl of ice cream (or cake), add nuts. Glitter and sprinkles are where its at, friends. Anyway, this baby was fresh out of the oven and smelling delicious, so I was intrigued. I took a bite.
I can’t even remember what happened next. I might have cried, sang, scream, jumped up and down, or kissed my mom. All I can remember is from that moment on, I vowed that this would forever be my favorite dessert. And many years later, no dessert tops this sucker in my mind.
My mom got this recipe from her dear friend Peggy. I love Peggy for many reasons, this cake being one of them. This cake is perfect, perfect, perfect for fall. It’s not too sweet and perfectly moist. Sometimes I pretend its a breakfast cake, and thus, I eat it for breakfast!
I made Peggy’s fresh apple cake with caramel icing this past weekend to celebrate fall. And the church homecoming. And the fact that I got to cook in my kitchen without a baby clinging to my ankles. Ben and PB were outside doing man things, so I cranked up some Alicia Keys and Young MC and got busy.
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Here’s the recipe: (please note, I made cupcakes instead of the actual cake because I figured it would be easier to hide some at home tote to church. The recipe is originally for a bundt cake. I think it actually tastes (and looks) better as a bundt cake).
Peggy’s fresh apple cake with caramel icing
3 eggs
1 1/2 cup oil
2 cups sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
3 cups flour
3 1/2 cups chopped apples (I used Granny Smith apples. Who the heck is Granny Smith anyway?)
1 cup pecans
1 tsp. vanilla
Peel and chop your apples. I actually used a cheese grater. I think the smaller pieces of apple hold up better in the cake.
Mix eggs, oil, sugar, salt, and baking soda together well with a mixer. Then add the flour, apples, and chopped pecans. Mix well.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes-1 hour for the cake (15-20 minutes for cupcakes).
Now, whip up some caramel icing:
1 stick (or less) of butter (I usually use about 2 tblsp less than 1 stick)
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup milk
vanilla
confectioner’s sugar (to taste)
Melt butter over low heat on the stovetop, cooking it for about 2 minutes. Add brown sugar and bring it to a boil. Bring it down from boiling and add milk, and then bring it back to a boil, stirring frequently. Remove it from heat and put it in a cold water bath (I usually put the pot in my sink with cold water). And then pat your head and rub your tummy at the same time……
Let it cool, and then add vanilla and confectioner’s sugar to taste. I usually start with a cup and go from there. If you want it thicker, add more.
Now, hold on to your britches. Drizzle this over your bundt cake, or spread this over your cupcakes. Top with some chopped pecans (or sprinkles and glitter, whatever floats your boat) and, alas:
Eat this warm. Eat it anyway you like, but warm fresh apple cake really does it for me. So I always pop a slice in the microwave for about 10 seconds, pour a ice cold glass of milk, and kick back on the couch and watch reruns of Friends. All is right in the world again, folks.
If you know Peggy, thank her for her delicious fresh apple cake with caramel icing. If you don’t know Peggy, thank any Peggy that you know just because its that good.
Have a blessed Monday 🙂
