Oh Martha!

A few days/weeks ago, I was watching MARTHA, you know...the show you get after spending a year in prison! Right. Anyway Martha's main cooking guest was this sweet sweet woman from the South; I can't remember from where exactly. But she was a cook at this plantation that is still operating, but mostly as a historic site. My understanding is that Martha was there as a guest, or to do a segment for her show, and at lunch, she had this cake for dessert that she just had to have. So when MARTHA went into production, Martha contacted Dorothy Mae Brown and invited her to New York to make the cake before the studio audience. Ms. Brown is probably in her 60's, she'd never been to New York, let alone on a plane! This woman needs her own show...she was soo sweet and silly and full of cookery knowledge. Such a sweetie!

Anyway, Ms. Brown was generous and gave up her secret Apple Spice Cake recipe and I need to share it with you.

APPLE SPICE CAKE
Serves 10

1 1/3 cups vegetable oil
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 TB ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
3 to 4 Granny Smith apples, cored and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (3 cups)
1 cup chopped assorted nuts, such as pecans and walnuts (optional)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Caramel Sauce (see below)

Nonstick cooking spray with flour

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 12-cup bundt pan with cooking spray;
set aside.

2. Working over a large sheet of parchment paper, sift together flour,
cinnamon, baking soda, and salt; gather sifted ingredients into center of
sheet; set aside.

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment,
combine vegetable oil, sugar, and eggs; mix on high speed until lemon
yellow.

4. Fold reserved parchment in half lengthwise; with mixer on medium
speed, gradually shake in dry ingredients until just incorporated.

5. Add apples and, if desired, nuts, to batter; mix to combine. Add
vanilla, mixing until incorporated.

6. Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake until a cake tester inserted in
the center comes out clean, 75 to 90 minutes.

7. Remove from oven, and cool slightly on a wire rack.

8. Invert cake onto rack; turn cake right-side up to cool completely on
rack, and serve drizzled with caramel sauce.

CARAMEL SAUCE
Makes enough for 1 cake

1 cup light-brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 cup evaporated milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

1. Combine ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook,
stirring, until thickened to desired consistency.

Both recipes by Dorothy Mae Brown

NOTES: I don't have a bundt pan, so I thought it would make sense to use a muffin pan and turn these into Apple Spice Muffins. Well, it sort of worked. These don't really rise, so they are more of a flat top muffin...but they still taste great. If they are to rise, I'm sure they need just a smidge of baking powder. Outside of that change, this is a great recipe with lots of great taste! The caramel sauce...it's wonderful...sinful...decadent...great for this cake, or ice cream...or just for a taste when you're looking for a snack in the fridge. All that said, the cake is great even without the sauce. So for those of you who like the sweet, but not the SWEET, don't worry about the sauce....or just put a light drizzle on the cake.

Drizzle Drizzle on my flat-top head!

The whole apples and nuts are perfect in the cake, especially with the sauce!