Try this Caramel Apple Cobbler Cake recipe, or contribute your own.
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/2 c. water
- 1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
- 2/3 c. granulated sugar
- 2 tsp. apple pie spice
- 1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce
- 1/4 c. milk
- 1/4 c. vegetable oil
- 1/2 c. granulated sugar
- 1/2 c. brown sugar ( packed)
- 1 c. apple cider
- toasted pecans ( optional)
- Carbohydrate 1.17532958134921 g
- Cholesterol 0.81666666500978 mg
- Fat 0.181996666302152 g
- Fiber 0.0862874975204468 g
- Protein 0.682590415295593 g
- Saturated Fat 0.11249645810634 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (21g)
- Sodium 21.5028749565067 mg
- Sugar 1.08904208382876 g
- Trans Fat 0.01032062498136 g
- Calories 10 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and spice. Set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together applesauce, milk, oil, and vanilla together until well-combined.
- Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients, and stir to combine.
- Pour batter into an 8x11-inch, or similarly sized, baking dish.
- In a separate bowl, stir sugars and cinnamon together.
- Sprinkle topping evenly over the batter.
- Pour apple cider and water over the topping. DO NOT STIR!
- Bake for 40 minutes, or until middle is set.
- Cool 5-10 minutes before serving.
- Top with toasted pecans, if desired.
Unlike a standard butter cake that relies solely on creamed fat to trap air for leavening, this dessert operates on self-saucing principles similar to a traditional pudding cake. Baking this pastry requires precise temperature control and specific pouring techniques that separate amateur attempts from professional results. Placing the baking dish on a lined sheet pan before it enters the 350 F oven prevents sticky overflow from smoking on heating elements.
The Dangers of Stirring
Many home bakers mistakenly incorporate the liquid directly into the batter out of habit. Pouring the apple cider and water mixture directly over the dry sugar topping without stirring is chemically mandatory for success. During thermal transfer, the unmixed liquids migrate downward through the flour matrix while the granulated and brown sugars dissolve on the surface. This gravitational separation forms a dense, bubbling caramel base at the bottom of the pan while the cake rises above it. Disturbing this delicate stratification prevents the distinct layers from developing properly during the 40-minute baking window.
Cooling and Structural Setting
Removing the pan from the oven exposes the internal starches to cooling temperatures necessary for gelatinization to finish. Allowing the dessert to rest undisturbed for five to ten minutes lets the boiling sugar syrup cool enough to thicken into a pourable consistency. Cutting into the portions too early yields a runny, soup-like presentation because residual heat keeps the liquid phase fluid. Toasting optional pecans in a dry skillet for three to four minutes adds necessary crunch to balance the soft crumb and viscous sauce.
