Caramel Apple Cake

Whoa.  Is this what a full week feels like!?  Only three days in to my first full week, and I am already not sure I will make it to Friday!

We still have lots of apples left in a huge basket on the kitchen table.  With Mark taking care of dinner, I was free to focus on dessert.  Mom has been pushing caramel apple cake recipes on me all week that she rummaged up out of her recipe file, so I decided to get one done.  I wish I could tell you where this recipe is from, but it was snipped from a magazine god knows how long ago.  I suspect it is really old, because it has strange ingredients (like 1.5 cups of vegetable oil!!?  And it gave the "butter or margarine" line, which I refused to even type in my recipe.  Butter all the way, please.).  But: it's also very good.  The caramel sauce is basically good enough to drink, and the cake is moist, appley, spicy, and delicious.  Mark said it was "wicked good," and Mom and Rachael are both trying it now, even as Rachael yells (as usual) that I am making everyone fat.  Mom said "all I can say is it's delicious.  I will be having it with my tea tomorrow."


Recipe:

caramel apple cake

Ingredients:
1  1/2 cups vegetable oil
1  1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2  teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3  1/2 cups diced peeled apples
1 cup chopped walnuts
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
for the caramel icing:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup light cream
1/4cup butter
dash salt
1 cup confectionary sugar

1)  In a mixing bowl, combine oil and sugars.  Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. 

2)  Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl.  Add to batter and stir well.

3) Fold in apples, walnuts and vanilla.

4)  Pour into a greased and floured 10-inch tube pan.  Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour 10 minutes or until cake tests done.  Cool in pan 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

5) To make icing: in the top of a double boiler over simmering water, heat brown sugar, cream, butter and salt until sugar is dissolved.  Cool to room temperature.  Beat in confectionary sugar until smooth; drizzle over cake.  Sprinkle with more walnuts if desired.