Are you in charge of dessert for an upcoming holiday meal? Yes, you could bring pumpkin pie, it's a holiday must, but yours won't be the only one there. This pound cake recipe is a little different than your typical holiday dessert but still safe enough to make it everyone's favorite. Plus, the caramel sauce is incredible and you will have fun table talk telling everyone how you made it.
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
*if you don't have garam masala handy, a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves will be just as delish.
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.
For more from Stephanie, visit her blog at www.hugskissesandsnot.com.
