Caramel Apple Coffee Cake

My dad made one of these the other day and I positively fell in love with it.  It looks like a lot of work, but it’s really not, and you could make it for a Sunday breakfast or brunch quickly by making the caramel sauce and the streusel topping ahead of time and storing it in the refrigerator.  Then just whip up the cake batter, assemble and bake.

This was printed in a local newspaper, but it originally comes from Southern Living Magazine–and we all know the good stuff they have going on.

This will be served a few times at my house and at my work this fall and winter, it’s a definite keeper.

I’ve only got one picture so far because it’s cooling right now, but I promised friends I would publish this today so they could have the recipe too.  I will update this post as soon as I have more photos.

Caramel Apple Coffee Cake

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 cups peeled and sliced Granny Smith apples (about 3 large)
• Streusel Topping
• Caramel Sauce
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preparation

1.  Preheat oven to 350°. Melt 2 Tbsp. butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add apples; sauté 5 minutes or until softened. Remove from heat; cool completely (about 30 minutes).
2.  Meanwhile, prepare Streusel Topping and Caramel Sauce. Reserve 1/2 cup Caramel Sauce for another use.
3.  Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition.
4. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; add to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Pour batter into a greased and floured shiny 9-inch springform pan; top with apples. Drizzle with 1/2 cup Caramel Sauce; sprinkle with Streusel Topping.
5. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes. Cover loosely with aluminum foil to prevent excessive browning; bake 25 to 30 minutes or until center is set. (A wooden pick will not come out clean.) Cool in pan on a wire rack 30 minutes; remove sides of pan. Cool completely on wire rack (about 1 1/2 hours). Drizzle with 1/2 cup Caramel Sauce.

Caramel Sauce:

• 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/4 cup whipping cream
• 1/4 cup honey

Preparation

1. Bring brown sugar, butter, whipping cream, and honey to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring constantly; boil, stirring constantly, 2 minutes. Remove from heat, and cool 15 minutes before serving. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 1 week. To reheat, microwave at HIGH 10 to 15 seconds or just until warm; stir until smooth.

Streusel Topping:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Preparation

1. Stir together flour, pecans, melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt until blended. Let stand 30 minutes or until firm enough to crumble into small pieces.

This will become one of your special recipes, I’d bet my life on it.:)

Stacey