Caramel Apple Pound Cake

Let them eat cake.

After seeing Les Mis this week I can’t stop singing and humming and thinking about it.  Now that the French Revolution is on my mind I felt like a decadent Caramel Apple Pound Cake was in order for today’s post.  Despite the fact that Les Mis takes place several years after Marie Antoinette lost her pretty little head and regardless that the reports of her actually ever uttering that phrase are sketchy, I’m going to pretend that it’s true.  For the sake of cake.

I made this cake for Christmas Dinner and I must say that it was delightful and fairly easy to boot.  It’s in my repertoire of go-to desserts.

Ingredients:

3 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup butter, softened
3 cups sugar
6 eggs
1 tbs. lemon juice
zest from half a lemon
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. garam masala
2 apples peeled, cored and chopped into bite size pieces
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup whole milk

Before we start baking we need to make the caramel sauce.  This will take 2 1/2 hours so plan ahead.

You may have heard of this before but if this is the first time…your life is about to change.  Take one can of sweetened condensed milk, remove the label and place in a deep pot.  DO NOT OPEN the can.  Cover the can with water and boil (at a constant low boil) for 2 1/2 hours.  The water will evaporate so keep a tea kettle filled with water on the stove on low heat so you can keep adding hot water to the pot.  After 2 to 3 hours take the can out and let it cool.  When you open it up the milk will be a rich caramel color.  Empty it into a small bowl or pitcher.  Add about 1/4 cup whole milk to thin it out.  I’m telling you right now you will never buy Hershey’s brand caramel sauce in a jar again.  You will have to restrain yourself from drinking this mother’s milk straight from the bowl

Now for baking.

Preheat oven to 325.

Combine flour, baking soda, salt and garam masala in a small bowl and set aside.  Cream together butter and sugar.  Add eggs and beat until smooth.  Beat in lemon juice, zest and vanilla.  Add buttermilk and flour mixture alternating and combining well in between additions.  Fold in apples.

Grease a large bunt pan and pour in batter.  Bake at 325 for 90 minutes.  Check the cake at 1 hour and 15 minutes with a toothpick.  If it comes out clean, you’re done.  Let it cool then turn it out onto a pretty plate for serving.

Just before serving, pour caramel sauce all over the top and watch the magic happen.