Sour Caramel Apple Cake

Ingredients:

Cake
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp cinnamon
6 tbsp butter, room temperature
1/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg, lightly beaten with a fork
1 cup buttermilk or sour cream

Apples
4 large baking apples
4 cups apple cider
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, divided
1/2 cup brown sugar
pinch of flaky salt
4 tbsp butter

Whipped Cream
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tbsp powdered sugar
1 tbsp sour cream

Directions:

Cake

Line a 8×8 cake pan with parchment paper and butter generously.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, cream together the butter and both sugars, beating until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla, mixing until combined, then fold in buttermilk or sour cream. Fold dry ingredients in to wet in 2 batches. Pour batter into prepared pan (it will be thick, it’s ok!). Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes, until a tester comes out clean. Let cool before frosting.

Apples and Caramel

Peel, core and halve apples. In a large pot, bring cider and 2 tbsp vinegar to a gentle simmer. Carefully add apples and return to a simmer. Cook until apples are softened, easily pierced with a fork, but not mushy, about 15 minutes. You may need to turn them occasionally if they are not fully submerged. Remove apples from the poaching liquid. When cool, thinly slice.

Add a pinch of flaky seat salt to the cider. Bring the cider to a boil and cook until it is reduced to a thick syrup, about 1/3 to 1/2 cup. Add brown sugar and butter, stir to melt. Off heat, stir in remaining 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar. (The mixture will bubble up violently when you add butter- make sure to use a large pan and be careful with hot sugar!) Stir until smooth. Let cool to close to room temp before drizzling over frosted cake. If it cools too much, it can be gently rewarmed on the stove or in the microwave- stir to recombine all ingredients.

Whipped Cream Frosting

Beat together cream, sugar, and sour cream until shiny and thick.

Assembly

Dollop whipped cream generously onto cake and frost. Drizzle caramel over cream, then top with apple slices. Remaining cream and caramel can be store in the fridge.