As promised, here is your boozy gluten-free apple cake filled with chunks of apples, raisins and nuts. At first I thought this was too sweet, but when I gave it a second chance, the sweetness was just right. Maybe it mellowed, or maybe I was just in a funky mood the first time. At any rate, if you don't want anything even approaching the "too sweet" border, just omit the granulated sugar.But the sauce--oh, the sauce--it truly makes the cake. I had some leftover after the cake was gone, and used it to top bananas (yum) and some apple turnovers, which you'll see tomorrow. I'll make this cake again, but I bet I'll make the sauce even more for other things.
As in yesterday's Applesauce Cake, for this recipe, I combined the recipe for Sticky Spiked Double-Apple Cake with a Brown Sugar-Brandy Sauce from The Kitchn with Catherine's gluten-free cupcakes. It worked very well this time, with that 1/2 cup granulated sugar being my only questionable ingredient.
Gluten-free Spiked Chunky Apple Cake with Brandy Caramel Sauce1 cup raisins
1/3 cup brandy
1 cup unsulphured dried apple slices (or rings, cut in half; chunks are fine, too, if that's what you can find)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 package Gluten-Free Pantry Old Fashioned cake and cookie mix
One 3.4 oz package Jello Vanilla Instant Pudding mix
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans, toasted
2 medium sized tart cooking apples (Granny Smith is easy to find), one peeled, one unpeeled, both cored and cut into 1/2" pieces
- Prep: In a small bowl, soak the raisins in the brandy for 45 minutes. Add the dried apples, stir, and soak an additional 15 minutes. Do not drain. (Also chop apples; chop and toast pecans; melt butter and allow to cool.)
- Preheat oven to 325°.
- Butter a 9x13 inch pan and line the bottom and up the two long sides with a sheet of parchment paper. Lightly butter the paper.
- In a small bowl, whisk together gluten-free baking mix, pudding powder, and spices. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, blend both sugars. Add eggs two at a time and beat until thickened and pale (2-3 minutes with a mixer). Add the cooled melted butter and mix to blend.
- Fold in dry ingredients, mixing just enough to moisten most but not all the flour.
- Add in dried fruit and brandy mixture, chopped pecans, and diced fresh apple; fold gently until combined. (There's a lot of fruit in there, but it will turn out fine.)
- Scrape batter into prepared pan. Bake for 60 minutes, or until the center springs back when lightly touched and the cake is pulling away from the sides of the pan.
- Cool completely before serving. Top with Brandy Sauce.
Brown-Sugar Brandy Sauce
1/3 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 1/2 tablespoons brandy
- Combine butter, sugars and cream in a small, heavy saucepan.
- Stir mixture over low heat until sugar dissolves, then increase heat to medium and bring the sauce to a very gentle boil, stirring all the while.
- Cook five more minutes, then remove from heat and stir in brandy.
- Serve immediately, or cool to room temperature, cover, and refrigerate up to three days.
- Rewarm in microwave on low power or in saucepan over low heat.
