Salted Caramel Apple Cake

It's apple season! I made this delicious cake a few weeks ago when Paddy and I visited Reebs and Andy up in Rangeley, ME. It was dessert and breakfast all in one weekend...the best kind of cake. Also great about this cake - the salted caramel sauce. I may have saved a little extra to put on ice cream the following week...

This recipe comes from Pinch of Yum, one of my new favorite blogs.

2 cups thinly sliced apples - slice on a mandolin to get them as thin as possible.

For the sauce:
1/2 cup salted butter
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp vanilla extract

For the cake:
1/2 cup salted butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

1. Generously grease a round 9-inch baking pan.

2. To prepare the sauce, melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and vanilla. Keep over medium heat and cook for 3 minutes until smooth and thick. Pour the caramel into the greased cake pan but reserve a little - around 1/4 cup. Layer the apples on top of the caramel.

3. To prepare the cake batter, beat the butter and brown sugar until creamy. Add the eggs and milk and beat to incorporate. Stir in teh flour, baking powder, and cinnamon.  Pour the cake batter on top of the apples.

4. Bake for 45 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes. Invert onto a plate and tap the top until the cake comes out on a plate. Pour the remaining caramel on top.