Apple Spice Cake

 

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups of sugar

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

¾ tsp. salt

3 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. ground ginger

½ tsp. cloves

1/4 tsp. allspice

1/3 cup warm milk

1 cup of melted butter (or coconut oil)

3 cups grated apples)

½ T. of vanilla

Optional: caramel sauce (recipe below)

 

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup of sugar (coconut sugar works)

3/4 cups of heavy cream +2 T. divided (coconut cream works)

2 T. butter (vegan butter works)

¼ tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla

 

Preheat oven to 325°F and lightly spray and line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment. In a medium bowl, mix together the dry ingredients. Add in the warm milk, melted butter, and vanilla. Combine. Add in this grated apple and mix until it is well combined and the apple is evenly distributed. Pour batter into the pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Add apple slices if you choose. Bake for 65-75 minutes until the center is cooked through. Allow to cool for 5 minutes and remove from springform pan and if using caramel, pour over cake while it is still warm.  Over medium heat in a medium pot, combine maple syrup, honey, sugar, ¾ cup heavy cream, salt, and butter.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat to med-low, making sure to keep it at a low boil. Watch it closely as it will boil up as it heats.  Once it reaches about 235°(softball stage and will just barely start to turn golden), remove from heat, add vanilla and 2 T. of heavy cream. Store in an airtight container for about two weeks in the refrigerator. If the sauce gets too hard in the fridge, gently warm it in the microwave 20s at a time, and it will become pouring consistency again.