I love pumpkin spiced-lattes as much as the next guy, but by mid-November I. Just. Cant. Anymore.  Seriously, it's not even Thanksgiving yet, and the thought of finishing my 'turkey dinner' with a slice of that mushy, textural-nightmare-enveloped-by-a-pie-crust makes me want to heave.  And pecan pie, which my family always pairs alongside the pumpkin slice, is one in which I find mediocre to good; it's certainly not a dessert that I crave, long for, or fantasize about.

So this year, I'm taking it upon myself to shake things up at our Thanksgiving table and introduce a dessert that's equally new and seasonal: Apple Cider Cake with Salted Caramel & Peanuts.  Think of it as a riff on a salty peanut-encrusted caramel apple that you enjoyed as a kiddo.  If you're allergic to peanuts, you can substitute the 'peanut bar' in the ingredients list, below, for about 1/2 cup of another form of chopped nuts.  OR, leave the nuts out altogether! 

Ingredients

Cake

• 1 peanut bar, crushed and separated in to 3 piles (I used Lance Fresh Roasted Original Peanut Bar)

  • For those who are allergic/sensitive, you can substitute the peanut bar for another crushed nut variety (1/2 cup's worth), or just leave the nuts out altogether.

• 1 box BETTY CROCKER Super Moist Yellow Cake Mix

• ¾ cup apple cider (juice)

• ½ c salted butter, melted

• 4 eggs

• 2 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1 tsp ground nutmeg

• 1 coarsely shredded peeled tart apples (2 medium)

• 2 tbsp cold salted to butter (to rub on bottom and over cake)

• Baking spray with flour (I used this one)

Salted caramel topping

• 2 sticks salted butter, cut in to larger chunks

• 1 c brown sugar

• ½ tsp vanilla extract

• Flaky Maldon sea salt (optional)

Helpful kitchen tools, pans, utensils for this recipe

• Bundt cake pan

• Cooling rack

• Metal skewer or cocktail drink-stirrer

Method

Cake

1. Heat oven to 350F. Generously spray fluted tube cake pan using “baking spray w/ flour”

2. Sprinkle one pile of the crushed peanut bar in bottom of bundt pan

3. In a large bowl, beat all ingredients up to the apples with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in apples. Pour in to pan.

4. Sprinkle top of batter with second pile of crushed peanut butter bar

5. Bake 37 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean

6. Remove cake from oven

7. Delicately poke holes through cake (using a skewer or drink stirrer)

8. Using the 2 tbsp's of cold butter, gently rub across the bottom of the cake, which will aid in adding additional moisture and yum to the innards of the cake (this is the 2 tbsp's of butter mentioned as the second to last on the ingredient list); make sure to save some butter for step #14, too!)

9. Put back in oven for 2 minutes

10. Remove from oven

11. Allow to cool in pan for 20 minutes

12. Spray cooling rack with baking spray w/ flour, and carefully remove the cake from its bundt pan to the cooling rack

13. Gently poke a few more holes in the top of the cake (going all the way through to the bottom)

14. With ease, lightly rub the remainder of the reserved butter all over cake (mentioned in step #8)

15. While the cake continues to cool, make the salted caramel topping

Salted caramel topping

1. Place butter and brown sugar in small saucepan and stir over medium heat until mixture comes to boil

2. Boil for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally

3. Remove from heat and slowly add vanilla (if you add too fast, the mixture may rise and bubble over)

4. Stir to combine

5. Immediately pour topping over cake, making sure to cover every surface, nook and cranny. Finish with a light dusting of the remaining pile of crushed peanut butter bar and, optionally, a few Maldon salt sprinkles

6. Using two spatulas, *very carefully* remove the cake from the cooling rack to a serving plate or cake stand

7. Enjoy!

...

Until we eat again, 

Lindsay, The Lunch Belle