Apple Fritter Skillet Cake

A few months back a new donut shop opened in the center of town. Which happens to be about a mile from where I live. I have yet to taste a donut that disappointed my fussy donut palate. In other words, all of the donuts are all really, really, really good, but there is one donut in particular that is dangerously good. You might already have a really good idea as to which donut that might be. If you guessed the Apple Fritter Donut you would be right! In all honesty, it has taken a significant amount of restraint to turn my weekly trip to the donut shop into a daily one. After the third or fourth apple fritter (not all in one sitting and not all in one week thank goodness), I was again inspired to make my own apple fritters. However, after looking a bajillion recipes, I remembered why I have yet to make homemade apple fritters. While there are some baked apple fritter recipes out there, the majority of them call for the apple laden batter to be deep fried. I have always been a reluctant 'fryer'. Which explains why there haven't been any homemade apple fritters coming out of my kitchen. But while driving home from a short trip up to Door County for my birthday, I had an epiphany. I also happened to have a very large bag of Honey Crisp apples (picked up at one of the many Door County apple orchards) in my trunk. Could an apple fritter cake be as good (possibly even better than) as a deep fried apple fritter? Could such a cake have all of the flavor, texture and oompf as a deep fried apple fritter And most importantly, could it be one that could satisfy my almost insatiable cravings for an apple fritter? My guesses were yes, yes, and yes!

If you ever go down the apple fritter cake or apple fritter skillet cake rabbit hole, you will discover there are essentially two different kinds of 'fritter' cakes. Ones made with refrigerated biscuits and ones made from scratch. I decided taking the homemade path would get me closer to experiencing apple fritter nirvana. Along with helping to curtail my trips to the donut shop in town. 

In addition to diced, sautéed Honey Crisp apples, the cake is made with some chunky applesauce. The combination of these two ingredients help to give the cake a great apple flavor and texture. Cinnamon, nutmeg, light brown sugar, dark brown sugar, and butter help to create a deeply spiced, perfectly sweet, luscious, buttery cake. One destined to elicit rave reviews whether you serve it for breakfast, brunch, as an mid-morning, afternoon, or late-night snack, or at a gathering of friends. With apples currently in season and fall temperatures looming nearby, I hope this Apple Fritter Skillet Cake becomes an immediate baking priority in your life. Especially if you consider yourself an apple fritter fanatic and don't happen to live in a town with a donut shop.

The cake has three different components: the sautéed, diced apples; the cake batter; and, the icing. The cast iron pan used to sauté the apples is the same one used to bake the cake. Both the cake batter and icing are made in bowls using whisks. If the simplicity of this recipe doesn't entice you to make this delectable cake, the anticipation of a moist, spice cake, destined to make any apple fritter lover swoon should.

Hands down, the best apple to use in this Apple Fritter Skillet Cake is the Honey. Crisp! Not because they happen to be my most favorite apple, but because they are sweet, crisp, and transform into tender bites when baked. You will need about 4 medium sized (or 3 larger sized) Honey Crisps to get four heaping filled cups of half-inch peeled and diced apples. Once the diced apples are sautéed in butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and a pinch of Kosher salt, temporarily transfer them to a bowl. Then remove one cup of the apples and about four tablespoons of the syrup to use to top the cake batter. The remaining three cups and syrup will get mixed into the very thick cake batter.

For the prettiest presentation and best bake, I highly recommend using a 11" to 12" cake iron pan (I used this 30cm cake iron pan from Staub). Baking time will range from 25 to 35 minutes depending on the size of your pan. However, I encourage you to begin checking for doneness at the 25 minute mark. The glaze gets poured on the warm (but not hot) apple fritter cake about 10 minutes after the cake comes out of the oven. Some of the glaze will melt into the warm cake and some will remain on top, giving it that gorgeous apple fritter 'please eat me' finished look! 

If you love Honey Crisp apples, comfort food, apple fritters, the fall season, sweet things, or simple delicious food, you are going to be smitten with this Apple Fritter Skillet Cake. There may be no better way to welcome in the arrival of the fall and Honey Crisp apple seasons than with a generous wedge of this buttery spiced apple cake. Okay, maybe the occasion calls for at least two slices!

Recipe

Apple Fritter Skillet Cake

Serves 8-12, depending on how you slice it.

Ingredients

Cake

4 heaping cups (1 lb. 3 oz/539) peeled, half inch diced Honey Crisp Apples (from about 4 medium sized or 3 large apples) - divided after being sautéed

3 Tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup (100g) light brown sugar

1 slightly heaping teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch of Kosher salt

2 1/2 cups (336g) all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

1/2 cup (100g) light brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 large eggs, room temperature

1/2 cup (120g) chunky applesauce, organic, if possible (see notes)

1/2 cup whole milk

1 Tablespoon dark brown sugar

Icing

2 cups (220g) confectionary sugar, sifted

1/4 cup whole milk

Directions

Apples, Cake and Icing

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F).

2. In an 11" to 12" cast iron skillet, melt 3 Tablespoons of butter.

3. Add in the diced apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, and pinch of Kosher salt. Cook over medium-high heat until the apples are tender and the butter and sugar are syrupy (about 8-10 minutes).

4. Remove the sautéed apples and syrup from the pan (but remember you are going to bake the cake in this pan so keep it off the heat on the stovetop). Remove 1 cup of the apples and about 4 Tablespoons of the syrup. Set aside.

5. In a medium sized bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, Kosher salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside.

6. In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, apple sauce and brown sugar until well blended.

7. Whisk in the applesauce, eggs, and vanilla until fully incorporated.

8. Whisk in dry ingredients. Midway through mixing, when the batter starts coming together, add in the milk. When fully incorporated used a spatula to mix in the reserved 3 cups of sautéed apples and any remaining syrup. Pour into the same cast iron pan used to cook the apples. 

9. Top the cake with the reserved 1 cup of sautéed apples and 4 Tablespoons of syrup. Sprinkle the 1 Tablespoon of dark brown sugar over the top.

10. Place pan in the oven and bake for 25-35 minutes. Check for doneness at 25 minutes.

11. When done, remove the pan from oven and set on a cooling rack for 10 minutes.

12. While the cake is cooling, whisk together the confectionary sugar and milk until smooth. Drizzle the icing over the still warm (but not too hot) cake.

13. Enjoy generous slices of the cake warm or at room temperature. It's delicious both ways. But if you have any leftovers, heat a slice in the microwave (the icing will melt into the fritter cake) to get that out of the oven taste.

14. Cover leftovers and store at room temperature for up to a day. After that, cover and refrigerate. 

Notes: (1) This cake was meant to be made and served in a cast iron pan. If by chance you don't have one, you can bake in 9"x12" baking dish. The apples should then be sautéed in a separate skillet. (2) I think smaller Honey Crisp apples are a little sweeter and crisper than large ones. So I recommend buying medium sized apples for baking. (3) If you can't find chunky applesauce, use regular applesauce.

Apple Orchard, Door County, Wisconsin (September 2022)

Salted Caramel Cream Cheese Chunky Apple Cake (Bars)

Sometimes my cravings for certain foods can be quite predictable. When traveling out west, I crave bison burgers. When traveling out east, especially when in Maine, I have an insatiable craving for a lobster roll (because in all seriousness Maine's lobster rolls are the best). And when apple season arrives in the midwest, my sweet tooth cravings shift from anything made with chocolate to pretty much anything made with apples. From apple fritters, to apple dumplings, to apple crisp, to apple cider doughnuts, to caramel apple dutch babies, to now this Salted Caramel Cream Cheese Chunky Apple Cake (Bars), fall means the onset of apple heaven. It took awhile, but for reasons I don't really understand, some of my food cravings have finally aligned with seasonal bounties. With exceptions, of course. 

In spite of the fact that apples are available year round, fall apples, especially ones hand picked at an apple orchard, seem to be most flavorful. Which means when used in anything either sweet or savory, simple, ordinary things taste extraordinary. While the thought of having a slice of apple cake doesn't necessarily cause one to drool in anticipation, an apple cake topped with homemade salted caramel sauce and cream cheese icing just might. Somewhere between a moist cake and rich bars, these Salted Caramel Cream Cheese Chunky Apple Cake (Bars) are scrumptiously droolworthy. I might go so far as to say they are a bit decadent, thanks in large part to the luscious cream cheese icing and buttery caramel sauce. 

In spite of having three different components, these Salted Caramel Cream Cheese Chunky Apple Cake (Bars) are relatively easy to make. Being able to make the salted caramel sauce early in the day or even the day before makes them even easier.

Due it's longer baking time, sweet, tart Granny Smith apples are the perfect choice here. In addition to keeping their shape, they transform into bites of melt in your mouth tender toothsomeness. Once peeled and cored, the granny smith apples are first cut into quarters, then horizontally into generous 1/8" thick slices.

When the sliced apples and chopped walnuts are added to the batter, you might question whether the ratio of apples/nuts to batter is off. But it isn't. However, when pressing the apple batter mixture into your 9"x13" or 9"x12" metal pan (lined with parchment paper), make sure to evenly distribute the batter and apples. In a preheated 350 degree (F) oven, the chunky apple cake (bars) bake for 48-55 minutes. If a wooden toothpick inserted into the cake (bars) comes out clean and the puffed up top is golden, your cake (bars) is done. Remove from the oven and transfer the pan to a cooling rack. Let cool completely before slathering on the cream cheese icing. Note: The cake can be make early in the day, left uncovered, and iced just before you are ready to serve.

Once you make and taste this easy version of a salted caramel sauce you will think twice before buying a store bought caramel sauce. In addition to using it on this chunky apple cake (bars), you can drizzle it over ice cream, brownies, apple pie, apple dutch babies, and an endless list of desserts. For this caramel sauce you do not need a candy thermometer! After the sugar and water have been combined in a heavy bottomed saucepan and the sugar dissolves, the butter is added. For the smoothes caramel sauce ever, you will need to keep the mixture at a steady boil for 12-15 minutes (or until it becomes a deep amber color) and not stir it. But don't walk away. As soon as sauce reaches the desired color (the darker the color the deeper the flavor), remove from the heat and whisk in the heavy cream. The mixture may splash up a bit, but keep whisking until the heavy cream is fully blended. Finish with whisking in the vanilla and flaky sea salt. The amount of flaky sea salt you add depends on 'salty' you want your sauce. After pouring the finished salted caramel sauce into a heatproof jar (I like using Weck canning jars) let the sauce cool before spooning on top of the cream cheese icing. Note: The sauce can be made the day ahead, covered and kept in the refrigerator until ready to use.

I couldn't decide whether to call this scrumptious dessert a Salted Caramel Cream Cheese Chunky Apple Cake or Salted Caramel Cream Cheese Chunky Apple Bars because it has elements of both cake and bars. I will let you decide to what to call them after you taste them. However, I am confident you will be calling them repetition worthy. 

This Salted Caramel Cream Cheese Chunky Apple Cake (Bars) is perfect for weekend gatherings, book club meetings, brunches, anytime you have a craving for an apple dessert, or long to have your house filled with the blissful aroma of cinnamon and baked apples. Happy fall apple season!

Recipe

Salted Caramel Cream Cheese Chunky Apple Cake (Bars)

Serves 12-18, depending on how you slice it

Ingredients

Salted Caramel Sauce

1 cup (200g) granulated sugar

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup (56g) unsalted butter

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon flaky sea salt

Cream Cheese Icing

8 ounces (256g) cream cheese, room temperature

1/4 cup (56g) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups (195g) confectionary sugar, sifted

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/8 teaspoon Kosher salt

Chunky Apple Cake (Bars)

2 cups (264g) all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

2 cups (400g) granulated sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 medium sized Granny Smith apples (289g), peeled, cored, cut into quarters and sliced horizontally into generous 1/8th inch thick slices

1 cup (100g) walnut halves, toasted, then chopped

Cream Cheese Icing

8 ounces (256g) cream cheese, room temperature

1/4 cup (56g) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups (195g) confectionary sugar, sifted

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/8 teaspoon Kosher salt

Directions

Salted Caramel Sauce

1. In a medium sized heavy bottomed saucepan, cook the sugar and water over medium heat until the sugar is completely dissolved.

2. Add in the butter, allowing it to melt (do not stir).

3. Bring the mixture to a boil and continue cooking (without stirring) for 12-15 minutes or until the mixture has a deep amber color.

4. Remove the saucepan from the heat and carefully pour in the heavy cream (it may splash up) whisking as you pour in the cream. 

5. When the cream is fully blended in, add in the vanilla and flaky sea salt. 

6. Allow the salted caramel sauce to rest several minutes before pouring into a heat proof jar. 

7. As the sauce cools it will thicken (it will seem thin when you pour it in the jar). 

8. Once cooled it is ready to use.

9. Store leftovers (and there will be leftovers!) covered in the refrigerator. It will be good for up to two weeks (but it won't last that long). 

Cream Cheese Icing

1. In a medium sized bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter together using a handheld mixer until smooth and creamy. 

2. Add in the sifted confectionary sugar, vanilla, and salt. Beat until creamy. 

3. Use immediately or cover and keep chilled in the refrigerator until ready to use. If the icing firms up too much in the refrigerator, give it a quick beating.

Chunky Apple Cake (Bars)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F). Line a 9"x13" or 9"x12" metal pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

2. Sift together the flour, baking soda, Kosher salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.

3. Using a handheld mixer, mix the melted butter, sugar, and eggs together until well blended.

4. Add the flour mixture to the batter. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to stir to blend.

5. Stir in the sliced apples and chopped walnuts. Batter will be very thick.

6. Spread the batter evenly in the pan.

7. Place the baking pan on a baking sheet and bake for 48-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. The finished cake should be slightly puffed and golden.

8. Remove from the oven and place the pan on a cooling rack. Allow the cake to cool completely before icing.

9. When the cake is cooled to room temperature, slather the cream cheese icing evenly over the top.

10. Drop spoonfuls of the salted caramel sauce over the cream cheese icing. Use a knife to swirl the caramel sauce into the icing.  Note: I dropped somewhere between 16-18 spoonfuls of the caramel sauce over the cream cheese icing, spacing them out to better create a swirled design.

11. Cut the Salted Caramel Cream Cheese Chunky Apple Cake (Bars) into squares or bars. 

12. Store leftovers in the refrigerator. 

Notes: (1) Three medium sized granny smith apples will weigh slightly under a pound. Weigh your apples before you peel and core them.

Whipped Ricotta, Basil Pesto & Tomato Jam Crostini

For the past few weeks I have been deliberating on whether or not there should be a post for this Whipped Ricotta, Basil Pesto & Tomato Jam Crostini. Not because I think it's seriously one of the best, easiest, most impressive, beyond delicious, slightly addictive, gorgeous appetizers ever to come out of my kitchen, but because I fear the lack of specificity in the 'recipe' will have you wondering if I was day drinking when I composed this post. For the record, I wasn't. And as far as calling this a 'recipe', well I may be using a rather broad sweep definition of the concept. While there is some degree of specificity here, there are also some suggested 'guidelines'. It may be first time I tell you to use 'approximately two to three tablespoons', or it may be the start of a trend. Sometimes recipes are more 'art' than 'science'. And this would be one of them.

If you are still with me (fingers crossed you are), I could go on endlessly singing the praises of this Whipped Ricotta, Basil Pesto & Tomato Jam Crostini. In all honesty, it's one of those appetizers likely to have your friends and family calling you (or at least thinking) the real hostess with the mostest. It's an appetizer that checks off all right boxes. Not only is it intensively flavorful, it's food at it's most beautiful.

This is one of those appetizers best served in 'individual' portions rather than a dish where everyone dives in. Small wine glasses (like the ones shown here) or small canning jars (ones with a wide mouth) make for the perfect vessel as you want everyone to see the layers of the whipped ricotta, basil pesto and tomato jam. When assembling the appetizer you are going to go slightly heavier on the whipped ricotta, easier on the basil pesto (so as not to overpower a bite with basil pesto), and moderately heavy on the tomato jam. Think 'the three bears' when you are putting it all together.

In full disclosure I used one of my favorite jarred Italian imported basil pestos here. Find one that you love and use it. You do not need to make your own pesto. Nor do you need to make a homemade ricotta (although you can if you want). A good quality whole-milk ricotta whipped with some extra-virgin olive oil and a pinch of Kosher salt will make an incredibly luscious creamy whipped ricotta. Pick up a baguette from the Farmer's Market or the grocery to make the crostini. However, you need to make the tomato jam. It's easy, it really is. And we are in the midst of cherry tomato season so you should find them in abundance at the grocery store, at Farmer's Markets, or in the tomato gardens of your friends willing to share their bounty with you.

If you are looking for the perfect, restaurant worthy, impressive, big flavored appetizer to serve, this Whipped Ricotta, Basil Pesto & Tomato Jam Crostini is the one!

Recipe
Whipped Ricotta, Basil Pesto & Tomato Jam Crostini

Serves 2-8

Ingredients

16 ounce baguette, cut into 1/4"slices on the diagonal

Extra-virgin oil for brushing the baguette slices

Cherry Tomato Jam (my favorite recipe)

6.35 oz (180g) jar of imported Italian Basil Pesto, like this one, (or homemade basil pesto)

16 ounces (453g) whole milk ricotta

2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Pinch of Kosher salt

Directions

1. Make the Cherry Tomato Jam the night before to give the flavors a chance to further deepen.

2. To make the crostini, preheat the oven to 400 degrees (F). Place the 1/4" cut slices of the baguette on a heavy bottomed rimmed baking pan. Brush both of the slices with olive oil. Bake for 9-11 minutes, turning the slices over at the halfway point. The crostini is done when the edges of the bread are golden in color. Remove the pan from the oven and transfer the crostini to a cooling rack.

3. In a medium sized bowl (or in a food processor) add in the whole milk ricotta, 2 Tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil, and pinch of Kosher salt. Whip (or process) until smooth and creamy.

4. In your stemless wine glasses (or canning jars), dollop about 3 tablespoons of the whipped ricotta on the bottom and smooth slightly with a spoon. Then spread a generous tablespoon of the basil pesto over the top of the whipped ricotta. Finish with 2-3 rounded tablespoons of the tomato jam.

5. Place the glasses on small appetizer plates, surround with 3-4 pieces of the crostini and serve. Note: You can assemble the glasses containing the whipped ricotta, basil pesto and tomato jam early in the day or several hours ahead. Cover each tightly with plastic wrap and keep chilled in the refrigerator.

Important Notes: (1) Well covered and chilled, the whipped ricotta will be good for 4-5 days (you may need to give it a good whisk if it's been in the refrigerator for more than two days). Which means you can make as many of these appetizers as you need for a gathering. If you need just two, make two. If you need four, make four. You should have enough of the individual ingredients to make up to 8 appetizers. (2) I generally buy my imported basil pesto from my local Italian grocery store, but there are many good options at food speciality and grocery stores. 

Sprague Lake, Rocky Mountain National Park (August 2022)