Caramelized Apple Coffee Cake

When I think of apples Granny Smith, Pink Ladies, Golden Delicious and Macintosh come to mind. But there are also other wonderful apples that deserve our attention. Among these strong silent types is the Ambrosia apple. New in the world of apples, it started here in British Columbia and is now available around the world. It is a medium to large apple that is mostly red with ribbons of yellow throughout its skin. It is sweet and crunchy. It doesn't oxidize quickly which is a bonus if adding them to a fruit platter or fruit salad.

Batter, apples, almonds, repeat!

Is there anything better than caramel and apples? Only if you add almonds! To let the amazing flavours of those ingredients take top billing in this cake, I used our family's basic coffee cake recipe. It has a great texture to hold up to the apples and caramel sauce and isn't too sweet. I like this recipe the day it is made but if there is any left the next day the flavours meld together even more!

When I add the apples and caramel I set side most of the caramel sauce to add later once the cake is baked. There is also enough caramelized apples to have a bite or four before assembling it! Also, if you find your sauce is a bit too thick you can add up to another 1/4 cup of cream. It will thicken a bit as it rests.

See the layers of apples?!

Ingredients

Batter
1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup milk
1 egg slightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1.5 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Carmelized apples
4 ambrosia apples
1/2 c unsalted butter
1/4 c sugar
3 tbsp brown sugar
2/3 c whipping cream
1 c chopped roasted almond

Instructions

Carmelized Apples

1. Over medium heat, melt unsalted butter in large sauté pan.
2. Stir in sugars and continue to stir until combined with butter. 
3. Add ambrosia apples. Sauté for about 10 minutes until apples start to turn golden brown and their juices start to release into the pan.  
4. Add almonds and sauté for another 2 or 3 minutes. 
5. Add whipping cream and simmer for 3 minutes until sauce thickens slightly. Remove from heat.

Cake:

1. Cream butter and sugar for three minutes until light and fluffy.
2. Mix in egg and vanilla until combined.
3. In another bowl whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.
4. Add sifted ingredients, alternately with milk (3 flour: 2 milk) into butter mixture and mix gently with each addition.
5. Put 1/2 batter into greased tube pan.
6. Layer half of apples and almonds reserving most of the sauce.
7. Add rest of batter.
8. Add rest of apples and almonds spreading evenly.
9. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
10. Cool cake 10 minutes, remove from pan and flip so topping side faces up.
11. Spoon leftover caramel sauce over cake. 
12. Cool completely.