Caramel Apple Cake

I originally got this recipe from a blog called a A Whisk and A Prayer. I was in the baking mood and went browsing through some cooking blogs and saw this wonderfully easy recipe. The blog author put it best when she said "When you bite through the cake's caramelized crust, you get a mouthful of plump, juicy apples and creamy gooey caramel melted together in a heavenly whirl of cinnamon and brown sugar."   Wow! Doesn't that sound heavenly?!

Let's get to it. Below is my adapted ingredient list and the cooking instructions. Everyone who I had try it, loved it.

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

2-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1 cup milk

1/4 cup butter, melted

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1-2 cups coarsely chopped and peeled granny smith apple 

1/4 cup caramels bits

Ingredients for the Topping:

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup quick-cooking oats

6 tablespoons butter, melted

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Other Items:

2 large mixing bowls

1 medium sized spring-form pan

parchment paper

A good working oven lol

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. In another bowl, whisk the egg, milk, butter and vanilla. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in apple and caramel bits. Make sure the caramel bits don't stick together when you add them in. Cut out a circle of parchment paper to fit the bottom of your spring-form pan. Put parchment paper in the pan and spray pan and paper with nonstick cooking spray. Pour batter into pan.

In a separate bowl, combine topping ingredients, stirring in the melted butter last. Evenly sprinkle topping over batter. Place cake in preheated oven. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool before removing spring-form rim. 

Slice and ENJOY!! PS: this is best served warm with vanilla ice cream. ummmmm =)

What sweets have you been dreaming of lately?