Fresh Apple Cake with Caramel Frosting (Bakery Lane)

Fresh Apple Cake with Caramel Frosting

UPDATED 2019
Made this cake to take to the West End Gallery picnic on Sunday. Tom says "It is excellent!"  He went back for seconds.

I found it in an out-of-print popular cookbook from a 1970's era Vermont restaurant called Bakery Lane Soup Bowl.  It was featured on the back of the book, so I knew it had to be pretty good.  

---Barbara

Fresh Apple Cake
(from the Bakery Lane Soup Bowl cookbook)

Makes 9 x 13 inch cake

2 1/3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 t. baking soda
3/4 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. EACH of cloves and nutmeg
4 cups chopped, peeled apples
1/2 cup soft shortening
1/2 cup chopped walnuts  (or 1 cup pecans)
2 eggs
caramel frosting (see below)

Combine flour, sugar, soda, salt and spices in large mixing bowl.  Mix until well blended, 3 to 4 minutes.

Add apples, shortening, nuts and eggs.  Beat at medium speed until well blended.  Pour into a greased, and floured, 9 x 13 inch pan.  Bake in pre-heated 325 degrees oven 45 minutes, or until cake springs back when touched.  Cool completely on wire rack.  Frost in pan with caramel frosting.

Caramel Frosting

Makes about 1 cup

1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
dash salt
3 T. milk
1 1/2 cups sifted confectioners sugar (about)
1/4 t. vanilla

Melt butter in small saucepan.  Add brown sugar and salt.  Stir over medium heat until sugar melts.  Add milk and bring to a boil.  Pour into mixing bowl and cool 10 minutes.  Add confectioners sugar and vanilla.  Beat to spreading consistency, adding additional confections sugar, if necessary.  Spread on Fresh Apple Cake.

It traveled well,  stayed moist overnight and was easy to make! 

B