Apple Pecan Cake with Caramel Glaze

Ingredients:

• 1½ cups cooking oil
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 3 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsps vanilla extract
• 3½ cups Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped (approximately 3-4 apples)
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Caramel Glaze:

• ¾ cups butter (1½ sticks)
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• ¼ cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C).
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the oil, sugar, and eggs. Mix until the mixture is creamy and well-blended.
3. In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Gradually add this dry mixture to the large bowl, mixing until everything is thoroughly combined.
4. Stir in the vanilla extract, followed by the chopped apples and pecans until everything is evenly distributed throughout the batter.
5. Pour the batter into a generously greased and floured tube pan. Alternatively, you can use two loaf pans if you don’t have a tube pan.
6. Bake at 325°F for about 1 hour. Start checking for doneness at around 50 minutes by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, the cake is done. Note: If using loaf pans, the baking time might vary slightly, so it’s important to check them as well at around 50 minutes.

For the Caramel Glaze:

1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat.
2. Stir in the brown sugar and milk, mixing well.
3. Increase the heat to bring the mixture to a low boil. Then, reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, stirring constantly for about 10 minutes.
4. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Let the caramel glaze cool slightly.
5. Once the glaze has cooled but is still pourable, drizzle it over the top of the cake.

Allow the cake to cool and the glaze to set before serving. Enjoy this moist and flavorful apple pecan cake with its rich caramel glaze—a perfect dessert for any occasion