Chunky Apple Cake with Butterscotch glaze

Addictive! That's one of many words I can use to describe this cake. I have TONS of cookbooks and magazines lying around, I pulled this one from A Taste of Home magazine and have been making the cake for about three years now with rave reviews. This year I went looking for the recipe and GASP, the magazine was no where to be found. So I franticly searched the website for apple cake recipes, and after sorting through what seemed like a million versions of apple cakes, I found the beloved recipe. I love it because my family always used to go apple picking every Fall. We would make everything from apple crisp to apple butter and still have apples left over, so it's just a feel good recipe for me. This cake starts with lots of tart apple chunks (so it's basically healthy right???) and a little bit of batter that expands around the apples as it bakes. It just smells like fall when it's in the oven! Then you pour the most delectable homemade butterscotch sauce over the top, GLORIOUS!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon Spice Islands®, All Natural, No Corn Syrup Added, Pure Vanilla Extract
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 6 cups chopped peeled tart apples
• 
  BUTTERSCOTCH SAUCE:
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions

• In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well (batter will be stiff). Stir in apples until well combined.
• Spread into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until top is lightly browned and springs back when lightly touched. Cool for 30 minutes before serving.
• Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine brown sugar and butter. Cook over medium heat until butter is melted. Gradually add cream. Bring to a slow boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat. Serve with cake. Yield: 12-14 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (1 piece) equals 365 calories, 14 g fat (8 g saturated fat), 68 mg cholesterol, 244 mg sodium, 59 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 3 g protein.

Chunky Apple Cake published in Taste of Home August/September 2006, p27

Cream Butter and Sugar, then add eggs

add the flour mixture a little at a time

The batter is very stiff

a total of 6 cups of tart Granny Smith apples, Mmmmm!

see I told you mostly apples = healthy (never mind that it's covered in a sugary sauce)

I poke holes so the sauce can soak into the cake.
I do this instead of seving the sauce on the side like the recipe does, it's just easier