Toffee Apple Pound Cake with Spiced Caramel
Servings 12 servings
Ingredients
Apples
- 1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled, chopped into 1/4-inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon flour
Cake
- 1 8 oz. bag toffee bits, divided (Heath Bits O’Brickle Toffee Bits)
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 cups (20 TBS) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 2/3 cups light brown sugar, packed
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
- 3/4 cup buttermilk or sour milk at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Easy Creamy Caramel Sauce
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1-2 - 3/4 cup evaporated milk or heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Toffee Apple Pound Cake
- Preheat oven: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Generously and thoroughly grease and flour a 12-14 cup Bundt pan. Set aside.
- Prepare apples: In a medium bowl, toss the chopped apples with 1 tablespoon flour until evenly coated. Set aside. Remove 1/4 cup toffee bits from package. Set aside for garnish.
- Mix Dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Remove 1 teaspoon to be used later in the caramel sauce. To the rest of the spices in the large bowl, whisk in the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir to evenly combine.
- Make batter: Add butter and sugars to a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium-high speed for least 3-4 minutes (no less!), until light and fluffy, scraping down sides occasionally. Reduce speed to medium and add eggs, one at a time, beating just until the yellow disappears after each egg.
- Reduce speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture in thirds, alternately with buttermilk in between each third. Beat just until combined with a few flour streaks remaining, don't overmix. Stir in toffee bits in package and apples just until combined, then spoon batter into prepared pan.
- Bake: Bake at 325 degrees F for 55 - 65 minutes or until a wood pick inserted near the center of cake comes out clean, You may need to cover the top of the cake with foil near the end of cooking time to prevent excess browning. Let cake cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan, and let cool completely on a wire rack.
- Caramel Sauce: Prepare Caramel Sauce according to directions (below). You can make in advance and reheat in the microwave/stove or prepare when ready to serve the cake.
- Serve: Spoon caramel over cake and garnish with remaining toffee bits.
Easy Spiced Caramel Sauce
- Add butter, brown sugar, water, and salt to medium saucepan and heat over medium heat, stirring until butter melts.
- Bring to boil, then reduce heat and continue to boil for 5 minutes (it will bubble a lot!), stirring constantly.
- Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup evaporated milk, vanilla and reserved teaspoon spices. Add additional evaporated milk if desired to thin to desired consistency.
- Caramel Sauce will thicken upon standing so if it becomes too thick, reheat and stir in additional evaporated milk. Serve warm.