Apple Cake with Caramel Sauce

This classic recipe makes a generous dessert that is a great crowd-pleaser!  It's one of my favourites for 3 reasons:

• it uses a lot of apples, making it both healthy and flavourful
• you don't have to peel the apples, which saves time and adds nice colour and texture to the cake
• any leftover caramel sauce can be kept in the fridge and served over ice-cream - just reheat it slightly in the microwave first!

This cake is best enjoyed fresh as all those apples can make it a bit soggy the next day.

Apple Cake

• 2 cups sugar
  
• 3/4 cup shortening
  
• 3 eggs
  
• 7 cups unpeeled, chopped apples
  
• 3 cups flour
  
• 1 tsp. nutmeg
  
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
  
• 3 tsp. soda
  
• 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
  

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Caramel Sauce

• 1/2 cup butter
  
• 1/2 cup sugar
  
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
  
• 4 T flour
  
• 1/2 cup cream (evaporated milk or milk may be used)
  
• 1 tsp. vanilla
  

Directions for Cake
 

• Preheat oven to 350 F.
  
• Cream together sugar, shortening and eggs.
  
• Add apples, flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, baking soda and nuts.
  
• Mix well and pour into lightly greased 13 x 9 x 2 pan.
  
• Bake for one hour or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. 
  

Directions for Caramel Sauce

• Melt butter in saucepan.
  
• Mix sugars and flour together and stir into melted butter.
  
• Add the cream or milk and vanilla.
  
• Cook over low heat until thick, stirring to prevent scorching.
  
• Serve warm sauce over the cake.