There’s an ongoing battle at our house about pies. I’m from New Orleans, so I argue that Pecan Pie is the best one. The Yankee I’m married to is very contrary and insists that the primo pie is apple. I’m pretty sure we can have the best of both the North and the South, but I haven’t figured out how to do that in pie form. What I can do, though, is combine the yummy bits from each one in a fabulous pound cake!
Apple and Pecan Pie Pound Cake
INGREDIENTS:
4 sticks butter, softened
4 c sugar
4 c + 2 T flour
1 t cinnamon
2 c peeled/chopped apples (2-4 apples, depending on size)
8 eggs
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
3 tsp vanilla extract
1 c pecan pieces
1 c brown sugar
1 jar of caramel sauce
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Blend 2 T. of flour and cinnamon. Toss apples in mixture until coated. Set aside.
- Using a stand or hand mixer, cream butter, cream cheese, and sugar until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time.
- Add flour, one cup at a time, fully incorporating each addition.
- Add vanilla flavoring, then fold in apples.
- Grease and flour a bundt pan and pour in batter. Pour in batter first, then sprinkle pecans and brown sugar on top (a cup or little more of each). Lightly press into the batter.
- Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes (put some foil on the top to keep the pecans from burning.)
- Remove the foil and increase the temperature to 325 degrees. Bake for an additional 30 minutes.
- Test the cake for doneness with a wooden skewer. If it’s not clean, return to the oven in 5 minute increments until it is. (The type of apples you use will affect the cooking time.)
- Remove from oven and cool on a rack for about 5 minutes.
- Invert onto a serving plate and drizzle with caramel sauce.
Serve warm or cooled. This is delicious as is, but you can dress it up with more caramel sauce, whipped topping, vanilla ice cream or a simple rum sauce. (I just stir one or two tablespoons of rum (or a teaspoon of rum extract) into a can of condensed milk.)
I think we’ve bridged the North/South divide with this one!
Oh my gosh! I can’t wait to make this at Christmas! It looks delicious!
Made this again using fresh peaches. Holy cow, that version is a real winner! Same amount of peaches as apples. Not sure if canned peaches would work because of the liquid/moisture. I’m a willing guinea pig, though!