Lucy Rose Apple & Goat Cheese Frosted Cake

Cake

• 1 ¾ c All Purpose Flour
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp cardamom
• ½ c corn oil
• ½ c white sugar
• ½ c brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ½ c sour cream
• 1 c shredded Lucy Rose or Glo apples

Frosting

• ½ c butter softened
• 3 oz goat cheese, softened
• 3 c powdered sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp heavy cream

Infused Caramel Sauce

• 1 whole cinnamon stick
• ½ c heavy cream
• 2/3 c sugar
• 2 tbsp apple cider
• 1 tbsp corn syrup
• 1 tbsp butter
• Pinch of salt
• 3 cardamom pods

Honey Cinnamon Apples

• 4 Lucy Rose Apples sliced ¼ inch thick
• Squeeze of lemon juice
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1/3 c of honey
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp white pepper

Preheat your oven to 350F. Grease two round cake pans.

Trace out the cake pan on a piece of parchment paper, cut out the circle and place it into the bottom of the pan for added nonstick protection. Set these aside.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cardamom into a bowl and set aside. In a separate bowl, mix the oil and sugars together in an electric mixer. Add in the eggs and vanilla. Mix until well incorporated. Add in the sour cream and mix until combined.

With the mixer on low, slowly add in the dry ingredients. Scrape the bowl as needed. When combined, fold in the apples with a spatula. Pour evenly into the prepared cake pans and bake for 30 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool on a wire rack.

When the cakes have cooled completely, make the frosting. Beat butter until smooth. Add in the goat cheese and mix till combined. With the mixer on low, add in powdered sugar, vanilla, and heavy cream. Mix until no lumps remain.

Frost the cake: Starting with the bottom layer, spread on ½ c. frosting. Add the second layer and use the remaining frosting to give the outside a nice coating, but a rustic finish. Since we will be topping the cake with caramel and apples, it is not necessary to frost the top. Refrigerate left over frosting for touchups and refrigerate the cake. A cool cake will result in a better caramel sauce application.

Make the infused caramel sauce: In a heavy bottomed pot slowly bring the cream, cinnamon stick, and cardamom pods to a simmer. Remove from heat. Transfer to a heat safe bowl and steep in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Once steeped, discard the cinnamon stick and pods.

Place the sugar, apple cider, and corn syrup in a pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Continue to cook without stirring until it reaches an amber color.

Remove from heat and slowly whisk in the infused cream. Stir in butter and salt. Transfer to the heat safe bowl and set aside to cool to your desired thickness.

Make the honey cinnamon apples: Toss the sliced apples in lemon juice in a large bowl to keep them from browning. Melt butter in a large, high sided pan over medium heat. Add the apples and cook until they begin to soften, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the honey, cinnamon, and white pepper. Cook until apples are fork tender and honey begins to thicken. Transfer to a large heat safe bowl and let them cool enough to be handled.

To finish the cake: Remove the frosted cake from the refrigerator and spoon caramel sauce over the top, letting it drip down the sides. Arrange the apples decoratively on top.