Fresh Apple Cake With A Pecan Praline Sauce

This Southern Fresh Apple Cake is a moist, rich apple dessert made with fresh apples and toasted pecans, then drizzled with an irresistible homemade pecan praline sauce. Easy enough for a family dessert and special enough for company!

Course Cake, Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword apple-cake, apple-desserts, fresh-apple-cake-pecan-praline-sauce

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 55

Cooling time 2

Total Time 3 15

Servings pieces

Calories 532kcal

Author Melissa Sperka

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup roughly chopped pecans toasted (divided use)
Apple Cake:
2 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 cup butter melted
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla
4 medium apples peeled cored and thinly sliced
Pecan Praline Sauce:
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup salted butter
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Fresh whipped cream for serving optional

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Spread pecans in a single layer on a baking sheet. Toast for 5-7 minutes. Cool completely.
In a large mixing bowl use a whisk to sift together flour, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, ginger and nutmeg.
In a separate medium bowl stir together the melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs and vanilla extract.
Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir by hand until fully combined. Fold in apples, and 3/4 cup chopped pecans. Mix until evenly distributed.
Spray a 9-inch nonstick metal pan with baking spray. Pour cake batter into the pan spreading evenly.
Place pan into the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Lay a piece of aluminum foil on top and continue to bake for an additional 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center shows moist crumbs.
Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
Pecan Praline Sauce: Add the brown sugar, heavy cream and butter to a heavy bottomed saucepan. Bring to s boil then lower the heat and cook for 2 minutes stirring constantly.
Remove form the heat and add the vanilla extract and remaining 1/2 cup toasted pecans. Mix well and cool for 5-10 minutes.
Pour sauce over the cake prior to serving with fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream on the side, if desired.

Notes

Oil - You can use 1/2 cup vegetable oil or canola oil in place of melted butter in the apple cake batter but NOT in the praline sauce.
Apples - You can use your favorite variety of raw apples in this recipe. However, I don't recommend red or yellow delicious. Apples like Granny Smith apples, honeycrisp apples and gala are the best apples to use for a fresh raw apple cake.
Nuts - You can use walnuts instead of pecans for the praline sauce for a slightly different flavor.
Sauce Shortcut - You may opt to drizzle this cake with caramel sauce, if time doesn't allow for making the praline sauce.
Pan Options - You can make this cake in a tube pan or a bundt pan however, the volume of cake batter works best in a square pan.
Serving Options - When serving apple cake recipe immediately after baking, I like to have fresh whipped cream and vanilla ice cream ready for those who might enjoy a dollop (or scoop!) on their warm cake. The warm spices, tender apples, toasted pecans and buttery praline sauce turns this into one delightful Southern-style dessert.

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