Wednesday, November 11, 2009

GOLDEN GIFT ~ NOVEMBER SUNSET (GLAZED FRESH APPLE CAKE with CARAMEL GLAZE)

“Know what you want to do, hold the thought firmly, and do every day what should be done, and every sunset will see you that much nearer the goal."


Golden November sunset
(Hubbard Lake)
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FRESH APPLE CAKE with CARAMEL GLAZE
~ The spicy smell of autumn fills the air ... each bite, the gift
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2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 organic eggs
3 cups AP flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. mace
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. real vanilla extract
3 cup pared, cored, and diced Michigan apples
juice and zest of 1 lemon
1 cup chopped toasted walnuts
Caramel Glaze
  • Preheat oven to 325-degrees. Grease and flour bundt or large tube pan.
  • Combine sugar and vegetable oil in large bowl. Beat until well combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
  • Sift together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, mace, lemon zest and salt. Gradually add to egg mixture, beating constantly. Add vanilla and combine thoroughly.
  • Sprinkle apples with lemon juice and fold into batter. Add toasted walnuts (batter will be thick).
  • Spoon into well-greased & floured bundt pan. Bake for 75 minutes or until cake tests done. Remove from oven and cool on wire rack for 15 minutes. Loosed edges with knife and invert onto serving rack. When cool, glaze with Caramel glaze.
CARAMEL GLAZE
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. heavy cream
1 tsp. vanilla
Melt butter in heavy saucepan. Add brown sugar, cream & vanilla. Bring to rolling boil and boil rapidly about 2 minutes or until mixture coats but drips from spoon. Cool slightly and spoon over cake letting glaze run down the sides.

34 comments:

Unknown said...

This picture and quote made my eyes water a bit. I'm trying to hold onto my dreams every day.

Shady Gardener said...

Hi Joey! Oh, Yummy! This sounds wonderful. Perhaps I can make this recipe tomorrow! I have apples on hand. I know they should be Michigan apples, but I'll stoop to using the the JonaGold that I have on hand. ;-) How are you doing these days? Are you keeping up with all the Fall chores you've needed to do?

joey said...

Dear Michelle, my heart is with your and your dreams. I know you miss home/family and read your touching post. This quote touched me for many reasons also and why I posted it. Michigan awaits you with loving arms (BIG HUGS)

Hi Shady! I've missed you trying to catch up. You know well that you can use ANY apples but, heck, I'm a Michigan Blogger and plug wherever I can :) These past Indian Summer days have been a HUGE gift for gardeners (last year we all got caught BIG TIME). Except for planting more bulbs and stubborn leaves that are hanging on for life, all is done (oh, and spraying rhodos, etc. for winter wilt). Now, focus on the home and weekend guest :)

Gail said...

Joey, The golden light is wonderful on your lake! The end of the day and a view like that...would make me smile. I am not even going to peak at the cake, I am covering the monitor! ...Trying not to eat sugar! gail

Katarina said...

Sounds absolutely delicious!

donna said...

Can't get enough of all the delicious apples this time of year. Okay if I use Wisconsin apples in this recipe:)

Look at that sunset? Amazing.

Monica the Garden Faerie said...

I just love apple cake with caramel glaze! We've been having a lovely fall, even this far into November! :)

joey said...

Very golden like the harvest this time of year, Gail ... love that each sunset is different. Without tasting, trust me, this cake tastes of autumn (I admire your will power :

Indeed it's good, Katarina (though not for diets :)

Thanks Donna ... almost as tasty as Michigan's, Wisconin apples should be fine ... after all, we're sister Great Lakes States :)

I obviously do too, Monica, since I see I've posted the recipe twice (yikes, another pending birthday will not sharpen the memory)! I use 2 sources ... one an old clipping and another from a beloved cookbook. Yes, we've been blessed with a beautiful Indian Summer ... this much I remember :)

Victoria said...

Woah...truly a gorgeous post..in photos..recipe and glaze YUMM!! Love the title too.Joey you are so creative..and really capture the essence of both the vibe of the recipes and photos, the atmosphere as one! Great job!

Rob (ourfrenchgarden) said...

Joey you really do take some of the best photos around. Those sunsets are really something, as no doubt your apple cake is!

Nutty Gnome said...

Beautiful photos as ever Joey - and that recipe!!!

Erm, another translation issue! What's AP flour?

We have Plain or Self Raising over here and I'm not quite sure which to use?! :)

lindalou said...

The cake sounds yummy.

Have you ever talked about what kind of camera you used? I'll have to poke around and see if you ever blogged about it before.

I've been enjoying the warm weather we've been having as well. It was summy and 55 degrees when I came back after lunch. Very nice.

Roses and Lilacs said...

Hi Joey, hope you have been enjoying wonderful indian summer weather. What a treasure to find these golden days in mid November. Your sunset photos are breath taking.
Marnie

Chloe m said...

You fed my heart, head and eyes with this post. Now just need to make some of this cake and feed my stomach. Thank you, Joey!

joey said...

You are a dear, Kiki, and thank you. You are very clever in the creative department yourself :)

Thank you, Rob ... I feel the same about your lovely posts/photos that always leave me, sighing, hoping to one day visit.

Hi Nutty ~ AP flour is all-purpose flour (I always used unbleached). I'm sure your Plain flour is the same and will work well. Enjoy!

Thanks Lindalou, we have been so blessed weather-wise, haven't we? Always near, my trusty ol' Dimage for quickies and SLR with 3 lenses/filters, etc. Great that when Mr. Ho-Hum travels with me, he'll stop on command (I have him well trained :)

Marnie, this has been the loveliest 'golden' November ever! We've been blessed for sure (unlike last year when caught by an early winter), able to catch up in the yard.

Gee, thanks Rosey ~ come on over ... I'd love to share this with you :)

marmee said...

love the quote to go with your golden sunsets...so beautiful in sentiment and rich in sight.
happy autumn.

Martha said...

A beautiful picture -- absolutely stunning

garden girl said...

Hi Joey, what breathtaking beauty you get to enjoy on your lake! I love the beautiful quote. You always seem to find such memorable ones for your posts.

This recipe is very similar to one we've made in my family for years, and it's one of our favorites. We substitute 1/2 whole wheat flour to make ourselves feel less guilty(!) It's just as delicious, albeit a bit more rustic that way.

Ann said...

Hi Joey,
You must have read my mind. I was about to look for a fall dessert recipe (of course, I started with you;)), for a Harvest Dinner tomarrow with "Hunters Widows". And there it was the perfect fall fruit in a cake!!!!! Yeah!!!

I have made your Pear Up Side Down cake three times this fall and it's now a FAVORITE. I'm not much of a sweets eater, but this time of the year a simple cake (without all the frosting) is great with a cup of coffee or tea. I can't wait to try of Apple Cake.

Well, I'm off now to plant more bulbs. My leaves are also holding on for dear life, I have a pretty good handle on them; the rest can wait till next week, as it seems our Indian Summer will continue.

Enjoy while you can, it glorious!!!

Ann

Kate/High Altitude Gardening said...

Yum. Sounds delicious. Since it's a cold, snowy day I think I'll busy myself making a special treat for this evening.

Joey, you had mentioned you're doing the final edits on a book you wrote? I certainly hope it's a recipe collection... :)

Rose said...

Joey, I've run out of superlatives to describe your photos! I love this quote, and ending the day watching a sunset like one of these would be bliss.

This recipe sounds delicious; my fresh apples are all gone now, but I might try it with some of the slices I froze. It might not be quite as good, but I'm going to try it anyway. Of course, they're Illinois apples, which might make a difference as well:)

The word verification is "purti"-- guess I could use that to describe your photos:)

joey said...

Happy autumn to you, Marmee, and thank you. This golden November is the lovelies I can ever remember!

Thank you, Martha. We are indeed blessed to have this view.

Thanks Linda :) I bet this cake would be delicious with whole wheat flour ... will give it a try next time I make it.

Can you believe this gorgeous day, Ann! Indian Summer agrees very well with me also. Glad you are enjoying the Pear Upside Down Cake ... thanks for the kind words (my son left to go hunting today and I remember my father always left on my birthday, which was yesterday). Do you like venison? Not my favorite but I do prepare it.

Wow, Kate, snow already although not surprised since it's not uncomomon here this time of year either. Actually, my book is a novel (Diary of a Ho-Hum Housewife) but hopefully a cookbook will follow with many of my favs from this blog:)

Never tire of sunsets, Rose, each unique and many show stoppers! Thank you for your kind words :) Yes, Illinois apples will do ;) but I really think Thelma & Louise should make a road trip to Michigan for not only our world renowned apples but to stop and share the sunset with Me!

Carol said...

Joey what a beautiful thought ... and your sunset photos are fabulous... the colors! beautiful collage too. I can almost smell the apples... such a warm glowing inspirational post. Funny ... I was just on Cape Cod and took some Sunrises that were similar but nowhere as beautiful... I love the leaves on the tree covering the sun in your bottom collage photo... both but really love the larger one. Carol

joey said...

Thank you, dear Carol, for the lovely comment. I have never had the joy of seeing a Cape Cod sunrise but can imagine the beauty. Do hope you are enjoying this beautiful Indian Summer!

garden girl said...

p.s. Happy Belated Birthday Joey!

joey said...

Thanks Linda :)

Naturegirl said...

Joey a stunning golden autumn sky!
Takes my breathe away!

joey said...

Thanks Anna. I'm missing the lake, wondering when we will return ... (BIG HUGS)

Ann said...

A belated Happy Birthday to you, Joey, I hope you had a great day.

Yes I like venison. Fortunately, we are in at area where farm fields are near by and not many swamps that can make the meat strong tasting. I don't particularly like the bucks.

Oh and the Apple Cake was a big hit, thanks again for a wonderful recipe.

joey said...

Thank you, dear Ann ... my birthday was a day 'as good as it gets'! Though his father-in-law's land is prime hunting ground, after many good stories, Oldest Son came home empty handed ... a bit of a joy for me since he 'counts on me' for the feast :) But what you say is so true about what they eat ... I find this with wild pheasant (though buckshot I can do without :) So ... do you cook wild turkey? A dream for me yet have never had the chance to do my thing and taste :) Happy November! (Glad you enjoyed the cake with the weekend 'Hunter's Widows'!)

Anonymous said...

oh Joey,
Look what a good recipe I missed by not following you! I can't wait to make this always looking for a new apple recipe. Us Michiganders need to stick together!
vickie

joey said...

Thanks Vickie and indeed we do! Blessed live in this beautiful state, it's always a to a joy to meet another Michigan blogger :)

Kerri said...

Your golden sunset photo is one of the best I've seen. Truly glorious, Joey. I can feel the warmth! And the collage is wonderful too.
I'm definitely going to bake that apple cake! Mmmmmmmmm. Thank you!

joey said...

Thank you, dear Kerri. Can't wait to return to the lake, a piece of which is always in my heart. Enjoy!