Caramel apple cake and sparkling punch

 
Slice of homemade apple cake with fresh apples. PHOTO | FILE 

By LILLIAN BWIRE
More by this Author

If you have never had caramel with dessert, you have no idea what you’re missing. This week, I will teach you how to bake a delicious caramel apple cake, which you can serve with sparkling pink punch, with a dash of champagne if you wish.

a) Caramel Apple Cake

Ingredients

 1 ½ cups vegetable oil

 1 ½ cups white sugar

 ½ cup packed brown sugar

 3 eggs

 3 cups baking flour

 2 tsp ground cinnamon

 ½ tsp ground nutmeg

 1 tsp baking soda

 ½ tsp salt

 3 ½ cups peeled and diced apples

 1 cup chopped walnuts

 2 tsp vanilla extract

Steps

•  In a bowl, mix oil and sugar
•  Add eggs, one at a time, and beat thoroughly
•  Mix dry ingredients with butter
•  Fold in apples, walnuts and vanilla
•  Pour into a greased and floured 10” tube pan
•  Bake at 345 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 1/2 hours or until the cake is done
•  Cool in pan for 10 minutes, overturn on wire rack and allow to cool completely

For the caramel icing

Ingredients

 ½ cup packed brown sugar

 1/3 cup light cream

 ¼ cup butter or margarine

 A dash of salt

 1 cup confectioner’s sugar

 Chopped walnuts

Method

•  On top of a double boiler over simmering water, heat brown sugar, cream, butter and salt until sugar is dissolved
•  Cool to room temperature
•  Beat in the confectioners’ sugar until smooth
•  Drizzle over cake and sprinkle walnuts if desired.

How to make Caramel

Ingredients:

 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar

 6 Tablespoons (90g) salted butter, cut up into 6 pieces

 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream

 1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

•  Heat granulated sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly with a high heat resistant rubber spatula or wooden spoon.
•  Sugar will form clumps and eventually melt into a thick brown, amber-coloured liquid as you continue to stir. 
•   Once sugar completely melts, immediately add the butter. Be careful because the caramel will bubble rapidly when the butter is added.
•  Stir the butter into the caramel until it completely melts (takes about 2-3 minutes)
•  Very slowly, drizzle in 1/2 cup of heavy cream while stirring. Since the heavy cream is colder than the caramel, the mixture will rapidly bubble and/or splatter when added.
•  Allow the mixture to boil for 1 minute. It will rise as it boils.
•  Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon of salt. Allow to cool down before using.

Make ahead tip: You can make this caramel in advance. Make sure it is covered tightly before storing. It can keep for up to two weeks in the refrigerator. Warm for a few seconds before using.

A sparkling pink punch with strawberries and mint in a wine glass. PHOTO | FILE

b) Sparkling Punch

Ingredients

 1 (12-oz.) can pink lemonade concentrate, thawed

 4 cups white cranberry juice cocktail

 1 qt. club soda, chilled

 Garnish: fresh mint sprigs Preparation

•  Stir lemonade concentrate and cranberry juice in a large pitcher.
•  Cover and chill at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
•  Stir in club soda just before serving. Garnish, if desired.
• To turn the sparkling punch into a champagne punch, substitute 1 bottle of extra-dry Champagne or sparkling wine and 1/4 cup orange liqueur for club soda.

advertisement