Description
A moist, tender apple cake infused with sweet cherry wood smoke and topped with a rich caramel glaze. This easy-to-make dessert is perfect for outdoor gatherings and requires minimal cleanup.
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups (315g) All-Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp (5g) Baking Powder
- ½ tsp (2.5g) Baking Soda
- 1 tsp (6g) Fine Sea Salt
- 1 cup (226g) Unsalted Butter, softened
- 1 cup (200g) Granulated Sugar
- 1 cup (220g) Brown Sugar, packed
- 3 large Eggs, room temperature
- 2 tsp (10ml) Vanilla Extract
- 1 cup (240ml) Apple Juice
- 3 medium Fresh Apples (mix of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp), peeled and diced into ½-inch cubes
- 1 cup (240ml) Caramel Sauce
- 1 cup (100g) Cherry Wood Chips, soaked in water for 30 minutes
Instructions
- Soak cherry wood chips in water for at least 30 minutes. Preheat smoker to 225°F (107°C). Place wood chips in a smoke box or foil pouch over the heat source.
- Peel and dice apples into ½-inch cubes. Toss with a little lemon juice to prevent browning.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a separate large bowl, beat softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light, fluffy, and pale (3-4 minutes).
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract.
- Reduce mixer speed to low. Add dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with apple juice in two additions. Start and end with dry ingredients. Mix just until combined.
- Gently fold in diced apples with a spatula.
- Grease a 9×13 disposable aluminum pan. Pour batter into pan and smooth top.
- Place pan on smoker grate away from direct heat. Smoke for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
- Check doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center; it should come out clean or with moist crumbs.
- Remove cake from smoker. While still hot, drizzle caramel sauce evenly over the top.
- Let cake cool in pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
[‘Do not over-smoke the cake; keep smoker at 225°F to avoid bitterness.’, ‘Use a water pan in the smoker to maintain humidity and prevent drying.’, ‘Apply caramel glaze while the cake is warm, not piping hot, to ensure it adheres.’, ‘For gluten-free option, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.’, ‘For dairy-free option, substitute butter with coconut oil or vegan butter.’, ‘For vegan option, use flax eggs and vegan butter.’, ‘Cake can be made ahead; refrigerate batter overnight and add 10-15 minutes to smoking time.’]
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12 of the
- Calories: 320
- Sodium: 280
- Fat: 14
- Carbohydrates: 48
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 4
Keywords: smoked dessert, apple cake, caramel glaze, smoker recipes, outdoor baking, fall dessert, cherry wood smoked cake