Description
Paula Deen’s Apple Cake brings Southern comfort to your dessert table with a moist, spiced masterpiece. Cinnamon-kissed apples and buttery cake layers promise a delightful slice of homestyle goodness you’ll savor with pure pleasure.
Ingredients
Scale
Primary Ingredients:
- 3 cups (700 ml) sugar
- 3 eggs
- 3 cups (375 g) all purpose flour
- 3 cups (450 g) peeled and finely chopped apples
- 1 ½ cups (360 ml) vegetable oil
Flavoring and Spices:
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup (60 ml) orange juice
Additional Ingredients:
- 1 cup (100 g) shredded coconut
- 1 cup (100 g) chopped pecans
- ½ cup (120 ml) buttermilk
- ½ cup (1 stick or 115 g) butter
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
Instructions
- Prepare the baking vessel by generously coating a tube pan with butter or non-stick spray, ensuring complete coverage to prevent sticking. Position the oven rack in the center and warm the oven to 325°F / 165°C.
- In a spacious mixing bowl, whisk together granulated sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, fresh orange juice, all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, and vanilla extract until the mixture transforms into a smooth, homogeneous batter with no visible lumps.
- Carefully incorporate chopped apples, shredded coconut, and roughly chopped pecans into the batter, gently folding with a silicone spatula to distribute the ingredients evenly without deflating the mixture.
- Transfer the complete batter into the prepared tube pan, smoothing the top with a spatula to create an even surface that will promote uniform baking.
- Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for approximately 90 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through cooking. The cake is done when a slender wooden skewer inserted into the center emerges clean and free of raw batter.
- During the final baking moments, craft the decadent sauce by melting butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Introduce sugar, buttermilk, and baking soda, stirring consistently until the mixture reaches a vigorous, rolling boil.
- Maintain the boil for precisely one minute, continuously stirring to prevent scorching and ensure a smooth sauce consistency.
- Immediately after removing the cake from the oven, slowly and evenly pour the scalding sauce over the entire surface, allowing it to seep into every crevice of the warm cake.
- Allow the cake to rest undisturbed for one full hour, permitting the sauce to thoroughly penetrate and infuse the cake with rich, caramel-like flavors.
- Carefully invert the cake onto a wire cooling rack, letting it cool completely before slicing. Serve at room temperature, optionally accompanied by a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Notes
- Precise apple chopping creates uniform texture throughout the cake, preventing random hard or soft spots during baking.
- Buttermilk freshness transforms the sauce’s depth, delivering an authentic tangy undertone that elevates the entire dessert experience.
- Generous pan greasing guarantees a seamless cake release, protecting intricate tube pan details from potential sticking mishaps.
- Immediate sauce pouring while cake radiates heat maximizes flavor absorption, ensuring every crumb becomes deliciously saturated.
- Patient resting period after sauce application allows complex flavors to penetrate deeply, resulting in a consistently moist and rich dessert.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 16
- Calories: 542.46 kcal
- Sugar: 28.29g
- Sodium: 191.16mg
- Fat: 37.57g
- Saturated Fat: 5.5g
- Carbohydrates: 49.81g
- Fiber: 3.05g
- Protein: 5.39g
- Cholesterol: 39.12mg