Caramel Apple Poke Cake
Prep Time: 15 mins | Cook Time: 50-60 mins | Course: Dessert | Serves: 9
This simple and easy apple cake is poked after baking with a delicious caramel rum sauce to fill the nooks and crannies. I don’t even peel the apples, but you could if so inclined. This cake is melt in your mouth decadent. Inspired by Lori Lange at Recipe Girl https://www.recipegirl.com/apple-cake-with-hot-caramel-rum-sauce/
Apple Cake:
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla
1 ½ cups flour
¾ cup hazelnut meal (or other nut finely ground)
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg, freshly ground is best
½ tsp ground cloves
¼ tsp ground allspice
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
3 medium apples, granny smith or pink lady
Caramel Rum Sauce:
½ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup butter
½ cup heavy cream
¼ cup rum or malibu coconut rum
Preheat the oven to 350*. Spray oil a 9” square baking dish and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Cream butter and sugar well in a stand mixer, about 2 minutes. Add in the eggs and vanilla mixing until well combined. In a mixing bowl, whisk flour, ground nuts, spices, baking soda and salt. Fold dry ingredients into batter with a rubber scraper, then fold in apples. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry. Poke the cake with the handle of a wooden spoon so there are a few rows and allow to cool. Make caramel rum sauce while cake bakes.
Microwave the sugars and butter in a 8 cup glass measurer (or other similar-sized microwave-safe mixing bowl) for 3 minutes. Stir, add in the cream and stir again, this time, microwave 1 minute at a time, stirring after each minute until mixture comes together and is bubbly and puffy (about 3 minutes). Stir in the rum and continue to stir and microwave a minute at a time until it comes together, is somewhat reduced and is saucy (about 3 more minutes). Allow sauce to cool until almost at room temperature before spreading over the poked cake. Sauce will continue to thicken a bit as it cools. Yield is 2 cups.
