#BundtBakers ~ Caramel Apple Bundt Cake

Welcome to the May 2017 reveal day for Bundt Bakers! This month Felice from All That's Left are the Crumbs invited us to bake up something for Father's Day - for any of the special men in our life. 

#BundtBakers is a group of Bundt loving bakers who get together once a month to bake Bundts with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on the BundtBakers home page.

I chose apples and caramel - the special man in my life seems to have a fondness for this combination and I choose to honor him with this recipe. That doesn't mean I'm sharing any of this cake with him - because he is exceptionally busy and I don't see him nearly often enough, and so he might only get photos. :) 

But if I do share - I hope he thinks as much of this recipe as I do. The cake is so incredibly soft and moist, but holds together well, with little tender bits of apple dispersed throughout. Just a touch of sweetness and cinnamon, and then bam that gooey caramel glaze that soaks into the warm cake. The only thing I did differently from the original recipe is leave out the walnut, on request. I think this is a really delicious recipe that I would happily make again. 

Creating the sauce was a bit of a science experiment - watching it foam up thanks to the baking soda and turn from a soft yellow buttery color to a light brown caramel color. I am generally not a huge fan of glazes and frostings, but it complements the apple cake well and is a lovely addition!

And don’t forget to take a peek at what other talented bakers have baked this month:

• Aloha Hawaiian Pineapple Butter Cake by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
• Banana Chocolate Chip Bundt by Palatable Pastime
• Basic Plain Cake by Sneha's Recipe
• Black Forest Bundt Cake by All That's Left Are The Crumbs
• Blue Cheese, Figs and Loin of Saxony Bundt Cake by I Love Bundt Cakes
• Brandy and Chocolate Bundt Cake by Bizcocheando
• Caramel Apple Bundt Cake by Making Miracles
• Chocolate Espresso Bundt Cake by Patty's Cake
• Layered Boston Cream Bundt Cake by The Queen of Scones
• Orange Bundt Cake by La Mejor Manera
• Pineapple Bundt Cake by Basic N Delicious
• Walnut-Whiskey Bundt Cake with Whiskey Glaze by Katin špajz
• When your cake is a Fail....Just Bundt! by A Day in the Life on the Farm

Caramel Apple Bundt Cake adapted from Trisha Yearwood

Ingredients

Cake
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1/2 cup orange juice
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup walnuts, finely chopped (optional)
2 1/2 cups peeled, cored, and finely diced sweet apples (about 3-4 medium apples)

Glaze
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
¹⁄3 cup buttermilk

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Thoroughly grease a 10-inch Bundt pan with Crisco and lightly flour it.
2. With an electric mixer, beat the 2 cups sugar, eggs, and oil until smooth. Add the orange juice and vanilla; mix well. 
3. Sift together the flour, salt, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and cinnamon. Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture and beat well. 
4. Stir in the walnuts (if using) and apples, until blended. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. 
5. Bake for 60-90 minutes, or a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven, let it cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a cake plate.

For the glaze:

1. Combine the 6 tablespoons butter, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and buttermilk in a large saucepan and bring to a low boil. Boil the mixture for 5 to 10 minutes, until it thickens slightly and begins to turn light brown. Take off the heat. (It may foam up quite a bit while you're simmering, just turn the heat down slowly as needed to keep it from over flowing, and cooking too quickly).
2. Poke holes in the warm cake with a fork - all over the top and along the sides (gently). Allow glaze to cool slightly, then pour over the prepared cake, allow it to soak in. Set cake aside to complete cooling. 
3. Store the cake in an airtight cake carrier in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.