(Because pumpkin is not the boss of us)
Here’s the thing. I love pumpkins. I think they may be the cutest fruit or veggie or gourd or whatever the hell they are, on the planet.
I also like pumpkin spice, when combined with actual pumpkin… there is balance and it’s delightful.
That being said, I can’t with pumpkin spiced everything anymore! Enjoy what you want kids, I’m not in charge here.
But I am making room for other fall flavors.
I am inviting apple to the party. I live in New England. It’s September. It’s all apples up in here!
So let’s give that cute pumpkin a rest and let apple have its moment in the spotlight.
Also, did you not see those words “salted caramel butter cream”??? Pffft. Nuff said.
Here is the list O’ ingredients kiddos:
For the Cake:
-1 Stick of softened butter (I mean like super soft. Kinda like my mid-section. Like almost melted. …not like my mid-section…ugh you get what I mean!).
-2/3 Cup packed brown sugar (I used dark because it’s what I had. You can use light. Use a third of each. I don’t care… actually no that bothers me, don’t do that).
-1/3 Cup sugar (the regular kind).
-3 Tsp. Vanilla extract (yeah it’s a lot. I like it. Live with it).
-2 large beaten (you guessed it, like my spirit) eggs (and yeah, beat those babies up first. Trust me on this one).
-1/3 Cup milk (I used skim because as we establish in every post, I am round and try to not be. Use what you have. You whole-fat-milk-drinking snob… you think you’re better than me don’t you?).
-1 and ½ Cup all-purpose (AP to us cook kids) flour.
NOTE: level those measurements off kids. I find in this recipe that’s more important than ever for whatever reason…
-1 Tsp. baking soda (that’s the one that comes in the orange box. And remember, not the one you keep in the fridge).
-1/4 Tsp. baking powder (that’s the one that comes in the can, that has the cool metal edge you can level your measurements off on, making it an OCD bitches dream… yeahhhhhh).
-1/2 Tsp. cinnamon (yeah, that’s not a lot of cinnamon. Look we love cinnamon around here but this is ALL about the apple remember?! OK and maybe a little about that salted caramel… or a lot or whatever).
-1/8 Tsp. nutmeg (No. that’s not even a real measurement. But if I told you to add a “whisper” of nutmeg or “the idea” of nutmeg you would have judged me then too. So I feel like I can’t win here. Just add a little nutmeg please!).
-3 Apples (there they are!) peeled and shredded.
NOTE: I used Gala apples. Cortland would be good here too. Something hard and tart (I was gonna say “like me” but I think y’all would turn that into something weird so imma refrain. Just use a good baking apple that isn’t too sweet).
For the Buttercream: (yeah there’s more… so what?)
-2 sticks of softened butter (normal room temp soft this time… but leave them out on the counter for a few hours. We need them to soften naturally. It’s just better that way).
-5 Tbsp. powdered sugar (yeah. A 3rd sugar. I didn’t say this was diet cake OK?).
-8 Oz. or roughly 1 cup salted caramel ice cream topping (the fancy kind in the glass jar because we’re fancy people or whatever).
NOTE: you can start by added a little of caramel at a time and stop of you think it’s getting too sweet. This is where I felt it was perfect (I mean you could also just trust me…).
OK!!! SO many ingredients! SO much snark! And we haven’t even started baking yet! Let’s go!
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl (using a sifter if you want me to like you), add the 1 and ½ cups AP flour, 1 tsp. baking soda (and now you know what that is!), ¼ tsp. baking soda (enjoy that leveling experience), ½ tsp. cinnamon (remembering this is not about the cinnamon for once but don’t feel bad because it’s had its day), and the 1/8 tsp. nutmeg.
Mix (sift) until combined and set aside.
In another bowl (or your mixer because you’re awesome like me), add your (super crazy almost melted) softened butter, the 2/3 cup packed brown sugar, 1/3 cup sugar and mix (remember this process is called “creaming” and be wigged by the verbiage).
Once the sugars and butter are (shudder) creamed, add the 2 beaten eggs, 1/3 cup milk and the 3 tsp. vanilla (making sure you get over how much vanilla costs and how much you are using) and continue to mix until combined.
Add in the 3 shredded and peeled apples and mix some more.
One scoop at a time, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients mixing the whole time until all is blended and you’ve stopped it and scraped the sides of the bowl like a good person and then mixed it a little more.
Split the batter into two round cake pans that you buttered and floured (which us SUPER important because this cake is dense and needs all the help it can, getting out of the pans) even though I forgot to tell you to do that when I told you to preheat the oven, but since you know I like you to read the whole post before baking, I know you did the right thing.
Bake for 21 minutes or so until a toothpick comes out clean (I mean apple may come out on it which makes sense but if there is cake batter then bake it some more. Use that common sense people!).
Allow to cool completely before turning out of the pans.
NOTE: despite the amounts of leavening ingredients (baking powder and soda respectively and now you know what they’re called), this cake does not rise much. It’s dense and appley (yeah that’s a word now) and if you want something fluffy you’re in the wrong place. Sorry not sorry.
While the cake is cooling (completely. I’m not kidding here! It WILL fall apart if you take it out too soon). Make the butter cream.
In your mixer (using the whisk attachment) add the 2 sticks of softened butter, and whip up until it starts to get fluffy (there is that fluff you wanted).
Add in 8 oz. (or whatever you decided… sigh) salted caramel and the 5 tbsp. powdered sugar. Whip some more.
Scrape the sides of the bowl, and whip again until completely incorporated.
Let sit at room temp (for maximum spreadability, which isn’t supposed to be one word but I decided it should be), while you cakes cool.
Once the cakes are cool, turn the first layer out onto a plate (or cake stand because again, we fancy).
NOTE: lining the plate or cake stand with parchment sheets (or paper towels if you’re lazy like me), will help keep the surface free of frosting and make everything look clean and fancy when you remove them and you serve it.
Frost the first layer adding half the buttercream to the middle and working your way outward covering the sides (and if this doesn’t make sense look up a video… I mean I probably should have made you a video so you could not only see how I do it, but look at my awesome red hair/lipstick combination… but hey, hindsight is 20/20).
Add the second layer (upside down so you have a nice flat top… much like the 90’s hairdo) and repeat the previous step until the entire cake is covered in buttercream.
NOTE: It doesn’t have to be smooth. This is a rustic autumnal cake. I don’t just tell myself this because I suck at frosting cakes or anything…
Drizzle some of the leftover salted caramel over the top (because again, we fancy).
Refrigerate if you are not serving immediately but know that when you do want to serve it, you may want it to sit and soften a little first.
Enjoy with coffee… or wine…
Thank the apple for being the unsung hero of the fall season!
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