Caramel-apple Spice Cake – Country Living

-APPLE-CHERRY FILLING-
2 md Granny Smith apples, peeled, Caramel Apple Topping
-cored, and finely chopped -(recipe follows)
1/2 c Dried tart cherries Vanilla ice cream or frozen
1/2 c Apple cider or apple juice -yogurt (opt.)
1/4 ts Ground cinnamon

1. Prepare Spice Cake: Line two 9-inch cake pans with waxed paper.
Grease and flour lined pans. Heat oven to 350’F. In large bowl, with
electric mixer, beat together sugar and oil until well blended; add
eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth. In large bowl, combine both
flours, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt; stir into
sugar mixture until just combined and smooth batter forms. Stir
walnuts into batter and divide evenly among prepared cake pans.

2. Bake cake layers 35 to 40 minutes or until cake tester inserted in
center comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans 5 minutes; remove from
pans and cool completely on wire racks.

3. Meanwhile, prepare Apple-Cherry Filling: In mcdium-size saucepan,
combine chopped apples, dried cherries, cider, and cinnamon. Cover
and cook over medium-low heat until apples and cherries are
soft-about 15 minutes. Transfer half of apple-cherry mixture to food
processor fitted with chopping blade, or blender; process until
smooth. Return to saucepan, blending with remaining half. Prepare
Caramel Apple Topping.

4. To assemble cake, place one cake layer on serving plate. Spread
Apple Cherry Filling evenly over top of layer; place other cake on
top. Transfer apple slices from Caramel Apple Topping to top of cake.
Drizzle remaining caramel syrup over cake. Serve with ice cream, if
desired.

Caramel Apple Topping: In large skillet, combine 1/2 C water and 1/2 C
sugar; heat over low heat, stirring gently to dissolve sugar. When all
sugar dissolves, increase heat to medium and cook, without stirring,
until mixture turns a deep amber color. Meanwhile, peel, core, and
slice 3 medium-size Granny Smith apples; set aside. When sugar
mixture is amber colored, remove from heat and carefully stir in 2 T
heavy cream to make caramel (mixture will bubble up, but then then
recedes as it cools). Add apple slices to caramel and return to low
heat. Cook 5 minutes; cool.