Make Ahead

Grandma Crawford's Cinnamon-Apple Pound Cake with a Salted Caramel Drizzle

February 21, 2016
5
2 Ratings
Photo by Nathaniel Crawford
  • Serves 8-10
Author Notes

This recipe originally delineates from my Grandma Crawford, who was known by friends and family for her cakes. I never had the chance to meet her before she passed away, but when I make her cakes, her memory lives on. This cake is tricky and persnickety if proper techniques aren't implicated (tip: don't open the oven door during the baking time, the cake will fall and you will be left in a saddened state). This pound cake is moist from the orange juice and has the perfect amount of cinnamon-apple flavors to ode to a chilly autumn day. A decadent salted sauce is drizzled on top for a salty contrast. —Nathaniel Crawford

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • Cinnamon - Apples + Salted Caramel Sauce
  • 6 Granny Smith apples, peeled & thinly sliced
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 5 tablespoons butter, cut into slices
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • Pinch sea salt
  • Cake Batter
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/3 cup orange juice
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder
Directions
  1. Cinnamon - Apples + Salted Caramel Sauce
  2. In a large bowl, mix together the apples, cinnamon, and sugar. Set aside.
  3. In a medium sauce pan, heat up the sugar. Whisk every so often until the sugar begins to brown, clump up, and dissolves into a caramel color. The longer the sauce is let cooking, a deeper and more biting taste will be achieved. I prefer a lighter, nuttier profile than the other. This step takes about 5-10 minutes
  4. Once the sugar has dissolved, take the sauce off the heat and let rest for 30 seconds. Carefully whisk in the butter and stir until combined. Gently add the heavy cream and whisk until combined. Finally, add a pinch of salt. Let cool, about 10-15 minutes, before transferring to an air-tight container for storage.
  1. Cake Batter
  2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Add all the ingredients to a large bowl and mix to combine until a thick batter forms.
  3. Transfer half of the batter to a greased and floured tube pan. Place one layer of apples over the batter, then layer with the rest of batter and then top with apples. Bake for 1 hour 50 minutes to 2 hours or until a tooth pick inserted comes out clean.

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  • louisez
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2 Reviews

louisez February 22, 2016
This sounds wonderful. I'd love to know more about the decadent salted sauce.
 
Nathaniel C. February 22, 2016
Hey @louisez, Updated the recipe to include the salted sauce. Enjoy!