Michael's Apple Walnut Cake with Caramel Glaze

The perfect cake to chase away the winter blahs, this delicious Apple Cake was made by my über talented friend Michael. Although he usually frosts the cake with a caramel glaze, he's also drizzled chocolate over the glaze and dipped toasted walnut halves in chocolate to garnish the top, as a special treat for his mothers 70th birthday. It was so spectacular, his Mom still doesn't believe that he made that cake!

Michael's Apple Walnut Cake with Caramel Glaze
Serves 10-12

1 1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup white granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
3 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
4 1/2 cups of chopped granny smith apples in sugar cube size
1 cup coarse chopped walnuts

Caramel Glaze:
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp brown sugar
3 tbsp white granulated sugar
3 tbsp whipping cream
1/2 tsp vanilla


Heat oven to 325°F.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium-high, beat the oil and sugars until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition, then mix in the vanilla. In another bowl, sift the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet mixture a bit at a time. Then fold in the apples and walnuts. Scrape the batter into a greased 9 or 10-inch spring form baking pan and bake for 2 hours. When done, shut off the oven and let cool slowly inside the oven. The cake is best done a day before, then glazed the next day.

With a spatula, loosen the sides of the cake and remove it from the pan by inverting it onto a baking sheet, then inverting it again right-side up onto a platter. For the caramel glaze, bring all of the ingredients, except the vanilla, to a boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. To finish, brush the glaze onto the cake, making sure to do the sides also. 

Michael served his Apple Cake with a dollop of cream on the side, made with equal parts whipped cream and Greek yogurt with 2 tablespoons of the glaze, garnished with some blackberries and a sprig of non-edible Israeli Ruscus greenery for show! Ooh-la-la.