GRAND FINALE APPLE CAKE

I love getting together with friends. I am definitely a "people person". I am happier when I am with someone or someones than when I am by myself.

I also love when we eat....especially desserts....homemade desserts. Most of my friends are more than willing to share their recipes with me for my blog. I don't have all the pictures to share of making the dish, but that's okay. I have the most important ones of the finished product. Several of my friends have taken and sent pictures to me along with the recipe when they have made dishes I won't be eating. I love that! I love that they care enough about me and my blog that they think to take pictures and send them to me.

The recipe I am sharing today was another one from my friend Carol that she served last week when the Tasty Bunch met. I only have pictures of the finished cake, but let me tell you, that is really all you need. I wish somehow you could smell and taste it just by looking at them. It was so delicious and thoroughly enjoyed by everyone in the group.

Before we left Carol and Keith's, I asked her for the recipe. She told me she would have to write it up as she altered her original recipe when she decided to add different chips (she said she had never seen cinnamon chips before she saw them in the store and decided to try them) and mix the raisins. The combination she came up with totally successful.

I asked Carol if she used Splenda for the sugar because I know she often does. She said she didn't this time, but you could use 2 cups of Splenda or truvia  or 1 cup of blend.

Grand Finale Apple Cake

         4 cups diced apples                   1 cup oil

         2 cups sugar                             2 beaten eggs

         2 cups flour                               1 tbsp Worcestershire

         2 tsp baking soda                      1 tsp vanilla

          1 tsp salt                                   1 cup chopped walnuts

         2 tsp cinnamon                         ½ cup golden raisins

         ½ tsp nutmeg                             1/2 cup  brown raisins

         ½ tsp cloves                              ½ cup butterscotch chips           

                                                           ½ cup cinnamon chips

Combine the apples and sugar and set aside for 15 minutes.  

Sift together the flour, soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.  

Stir together the oil, eggs, Worcestershire and vanilla.  

Combine the nuts, raisins and chips.  

In a large bowl stir the oil mixture into the flour mixture. 

Fold in the apples.  

Then fold in the nut mixture.  

Spoon batter into a 9 x 13 pan that has been sprayed with baking spray.  

Bake in a 325 degrees F. oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.  

Brush caramel glaze on cake.  (See below.)

CARAMEL GLAZE

1/3    cup packed brown sugar blend
3       tablespoons butter or margarine
1       tablespoon milk

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Let cool for 1 minute.  Then drizzle and spread on cake.  (Carol uses a pastry brush to spread the glaze.)  

This can also be made in a Bundt pan.

This is how many of us enjoyed Carol's cake. She had Smuckers caramel sauce in pitchers that we could pour over the cake. Perfect addition!