Apple Cider-Caramel Cake, Gluten-Free

Walking all over the internet for pumpkin recipes, I came across this one. It didn't have any reviews but how could apple cider and caramel be wrong?

It is supposed to be a light recipe but I fattened it up, substituting butter for margarine, regular buttermilk and cream cheese instead of low-fat. The idea of using breadcrumbs to prepare the pan was a little disturbing to me, and since I was making this gluten-free anyway, used gluten-free flour.

Apple Cider-Caramel Cake
from My Recipes

2 1/4 c apple cider, divided
2 1/4 c granulated sugar, divided
1 tbsp butter
3 c sliced peeled cooking apple (such as Braeburn, Rome, or McIntosh)
1/2 c butter, softened
1 tbsp grated lemon rind
1 (8-oz) pkg. cream cheese
3 large eggs
6 tbsp fresh lemon juice, divided
3 c gluten-free all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 c buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp powdered sugar

Bring 2 cups cider to a boil in a large, heavy saucepan over high heat. Cook until reduced to 1/2 cup (about 20 minutes).

Full saucepan at the on-set, after 7 minutes, and then after 24 minutes. I considered measuring the final volume but I didn't.

Reduce heat to medium-high; stir in 1/2 cup granulated sugar.


Cook 5 minutes or until sugar dissolves and cider is thick and dark-colored, stirring occasionally.

This is the change after four minutes. And then I let it cook another couple of minutes because I wasn't sure if I really saw a color change after staring at it constantly.

Remove from heat; cool 1 minute. Stir in 1 tablespoon butter.


Stir in apple; cook 15 minutes over medium-high heat or until the liquid is absorbed, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; cool. (If apple mixture hardens, place it over low heat until softened).


Preheat oven to 325°. Coat a 12-cup Bundt pan with butter; dust with flour.

Combine 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 1/2 cup butter, lemon rind, and cream cheese in a large bowl; beat at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended (about 5 minutes).


I chose to do this in two steps: first combine the butter and cream cheese, then the sugar and zest.

Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.


Beat in 2 tablespoons lemon juice.


Combine flour, baking soda, and salt.


Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.




Fold in apple mixture.


Pour into prepared pan; bake at 325° for 60-90 hours or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Who knows if smoothing the batter makes a difference to a bundt, but I did it before baking the cake for 60 minutes.

Combine 1/4 cup cider, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup lemon juice, and vanilla; let stand until sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally.


Cool cake in pan 5 minutes, and pierce with a wooden skewer in several places. Pour cider mixture over cake in pan, and let stand 10 minutes.


Remove from pan, and cool completely on a wire rack.


Sift powdered sugar over top of cake.

I waited until the morning to sprinkle on the sugar. I didn't want this specimen-like thing to happen again.


I took this to work and the consensus was, "uh, nice try but don't do that again." The cake part was good, but the apples were bitter. The sugar was much too cooked, aka, burnt. I might've reduced the apple cider too much but I definitely went way too long and too hot after adding the sugar. Staring at the caramel sauce as it cooked was probably not the brightest thing I've ever done since the color change was indistinguishable over those few minutes. And the cook time after adding the apples was just way too long. If I do this again, I will heed these words.

Cost:

• apple cider: $0.70
• granulated sugar: $0.53
• butter: $0.45
• apples: $0.73
• lemons: $1.28
• cream cheese: $1.49
• eggs: $0.95
• gluten-free all-purpose flour: $2.90
• buttermilk: $0.26
• vanilla extract: $0.08
• powdered sugar: $0.02

Total: $9.39 or about $0.52 for each of 18 servings. Normally I'd laugh my head off - 18 servings in a bundt? In this case since the apples were gross 18 was probably on the low end.

Buttermilk-Parsley Mash with Bacon

What goes with some braised beef better than mashed potatoes? How about mashed potatoes with bacon, parsley and onions stirred in and baked like a casserole? I wasn't sure about that either but it sounded like something worth trying.

The original recipe said to use 2.5 lbs of potatoes but the bag I bought only had 2 pounds in it. I might've used a half-pound of bacon. And I'm not sure how much parsley I used but it was whatever a bunch yields.

Buttermilk-Parsley Mash with Bacon
slightly adapted from Cooking Club
click to print

2 - 2 1/2 lb. Yukon gold potatoes, peeled, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp kosher salt, divided
4 oz. bacon, diced
2 c lightly packed very coarsely chopped fresh parsley
1/2 c hot water
1 c chopped green onions
3/4 c buttermilk
1/4 c unsalted butter
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

Heat oven to 375°F. Butter shallow 2- to 3-quart glass or ceramic baking dish.

Place potatoes in large pot with enough cold water to cover; add 1 tablespoon of the salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; boil 15 minutes or until tender. Drain. Reserve pot.


Meanwhile, heat medium skillet over medium heat until hot. Add bacon; cook until nearly crisp, stirring frequently. Pour off half of the drippings.

I started with a cold skillet, threw the bacon in, and cooked it for 10 minutes.

Add parsley and hot water; cook 5 minutes or until liquid evaporates and parsley is tender. Add green onions; cook 30 seconds.


Place buttermilk, butter, remaining 1 teaspoon salt and pepper in same pot used to cook potatoes; bring to a simmer over medium heat. (Buttermilk will look curdled).


Add potatoes; mash with potato masher.


Stir in parsley mixture.


Spread potatoes in baking dish, leaving top uneven so potato peaks brown. (Potatoes can be prepared to this point up to 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Increase baking time 10 to 15 minutes.) Bake 30 minutes or until browned on edges and peaks.



The dish tasted good and went well with the beef. But I am not totally convinced that baking the potatoes after mashing them is a necessity. After all, all the ingredients were already cooked and hot when mixed together. I might short-cut this next time.

Being shy a half-pound on the potatoes didn't seem to make a big difference in the final outcome. More bacon wouldn't hurt, but when would it ever? As for the water added to the bacon with the parsley, a little less would've resulted in fresher looking cooked parsley. It took my water more than 5 minutes to evaporate and the parsley looked a little sickly by the time the water was off. One last thing...if I do this and bake the potatoes again, I'll do it in an 11x7" dish instead of an 8x8" square. It'll make portioning the servings a little simpler (if that is important).

Cost:

• Yukon gold potatoes: $3.99
• bacon: $1.88
• fresh parsley: $1.88
• green onions: $0.89
• buttermilk: $0.20
• unsalted butter: $0.20

Total: $9.04 or about $1.13 for each of eight little servings.