You know it is Autumn when the bundt cake pan comes out to cook an Apple Pecan Bundt Cake with Salted Caramel Rum Sauce. The combinations of apples and caramel say and smell like fall.
Out in Hendersonville, I recently took a drive to Skytop Orchard in Flat Rock, NC. If you have never been to the orchard, you are missing out. First, they have every variety of apples you could think of in Western North Carolina and beyond. They also have cider, apple doughnuts, and more!
My heart was set on the Honeycrisp apple, but they were gone for the season. They steered me towards what is called a Candy Crisp apple. They said it was a close favorite. I purchased my apples, but before I left, I saw one of the owners Lindsey Bulter. She was really busy, so I waived to her with the crowds everywhere!
When I returned home, I decided it was time to make the Apple Pecan Bundt Cake. I got the bundt pan out and sprayed, greased, and floured, so it was ready. I broke the eggs and creamed the butter and sugar together. Then, I folded the flour mixture to the egg, sugar mixture.
Easy peasy so far!! I peeled the apples and added the chopped pecans. The perfect finish is adding cinnamon and a dash of nutmeg. Yummy!
Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan, and the cake is ready to go into the oven. I checked about 10 minutes into the cooking, and all systems were on the go!
Now, time to make the caramel sauce. Not just any caramel sauce, but a Salted Caramel Rum Sauce. It is tricky to make the caramel, so always stay by your pot. Begin by adding the sugar and water together, and you don’t stir until the caramel is ready and dark amber. Find your patience.
As soon as there is a small amount of smoke coming up from the pan, it’s time to add the cream. It will sizzle up, and you will never think it will settle down, but it does. Keep stirring and add the butter, vanilla, and rum. And, keep stirring!
Back to the Apple Pecan Bundt Cake, it should be cooled by now. Place a larger plate than the cake pan on top of the cake pan. Make sure the top of the plate is on top of the cake pan. With hot pads, pick up the cake pan holding the plate, and quickly flip the cake onto the plate. It should come right out.
It’s time to poke holes in the cake around the center and out a couple of rows. Finally, it’s time to pour the decadent caramel sauce over the cake, making sure it covers the top and down the cake sides.
Now, it’s time to cut the cake and put the cake on your prettiest plates, adding extra sauce, if desired.
Here’s to the fall season in Western North Carolina!
Apple Pecan Bundt Cake with Salted Caramel Rum Sauce
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- 2 Cups Sugar
- 2 Cups Unsalted Butter
- 1/4 Cup Pecan Oil*
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract*
- 1/2 tsp almond extract*
- 3 Cups All-Purpose Flour – unbleached*
- 1 tsp. Salt
- 1 tsp. Baking Soda
- 3 Cups Apples – chopped and peeled I used local candy crisp*
- 1 Cups Pecans – coarsely chopped
- 1 tsp. Cinnamon*
- 1/4 tsp. Nutmeg*
Salted Caramel Rum Sauce:
- 2 Cups Sugar
- 1 Cup Heavy Cream – room temperature
- 2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
- 6 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter – cut into 6 pieces – softened
- 1 Tbsp. Meyer's Dark Rum*or any dark rum
- 1 tsp. Salt
Instructions
Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Grease, spray, and flour a 12 cup bundt pan, set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, beat eggs until foamy; in another bowl, cream the sugar and butter together until blended and fluffy; add the pecan oil and blend slightly; add the eggs to the sugar/butter mixture and mix combined and the dough forms together.
- Combine and mix the flour, salt, and baking soda; add to the egg-sugar-butter mixture and fold in gently until combined.
- Stir in the apples and pecans.
- Pour the batter into bundt pan and bake for 45 minutes or until cake tests are done. Remember, everyone’s oven can cook differently.
Caramel Sauce:
- Combine the sugar and 1/2 cup water into a pot and stir to combine, but do not stir from this point forward. Set over medium to medium-high heat depending on your stovetop. Without stirring, cook the mixture until dark amber in color, swirling the pan carefully while cooking, about 5 to 10 minutes. I like to watch the pot the entire process as it can burn so quickly.
- Slowly add the cream and remove from heat, being careful because the caramel can splatter up. Stir with a wooden spoon. Add the butter. Add the vanilla extract and rum and keep stirring. The caramel needs to settle down. Set aside.
- When the cake is ready and done, remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 6 to 8 minutes.
- You can gently loosen the sides of the cake with a pairing knife. Slowly remove the cake to the platter by putting the platter top down on the top of the cake pan and quickly turn over, so the cake comes out; pour caramel topping slowly over the warm cake.
- Finally, poke small holes in the cake with a bamboo skewer. Pour the caramel sauce over the cake and into the holes.
- When ready to serve, slice the cake, the thickness you desire. Place on a plate. It can be served with vanilla ice cream or flavored whipped cream.
Need another Fall dessert this season? Then check out this recipe for Apple Tart Roses with Caramel Sauce