Salted Caramel Dutch Apple Pie Cake

Ingredients

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease three 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
2. Whisk together the sugar, oil, yogurt, milk, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla bean paste until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in two additions, whisking gently just until combined.
3. Divide the batter evenly among the pans. Bake for 22-26 minutes, until a tester comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Cool in the pans for 10-15 minutes, then turn out and cool completely.
4. Make the apple filling. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. I use an Anolon EverLast Tri-Ply Clad Stainless Steel frying pan.
5. Add the apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and lemon juice. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples are only slightly softened and still crisp when bitten. Taste before removing them from the burner and cook longer only if you prefer a softer filling.
6. Stir the cornstarch and water together until smooth. Pour over the apples and cook for 1-2 minutes, until the juices are glossy and lightly thickened. If needed, mix another 4 g cornstarch with a little water and add it gradually. Remove from the heat, stir in the vanilla bean paste, and cool completely.
7. Make the caramel. Combine the brown sugar, butter, heavy cream, and corn syrup, if using, in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until smooth. Bring to a gentle boil and cook for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the salt and vanilla bean paste, and cool completely.
8. Make the streusel. Line a sheet pan with parchment. Whisk together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Mix in the melted butter with a fork, then fold in the pecans. Spread over the pan and bake for 12 minutes, tossing gently at 6 minutes. Cool completely.
9. Make the buttercream. Beat the butter for 3-4 minutes until pale and fluffy. Mix in the salt and vanilla bean paste, then add the powdered sugar in three or four additions. Add 30 g cream, then add more only as needed, stopping while the buttercream is sturdy enough to pipe a tall dam. It will thicken slightly as it rests.
10. Before assembling, set aside some cooled apples and pecan streusel for the top. Divide the remaining apples and streusel evenly between the two filling layers. Place the first cooled cake layer on a board. Spread on a very thin layer of buttercream, then pipe a tall, sturdy dam around the outer edge. Add the first portion of apples, a restrained drizzle of caramel, and the first portion of streusel, keeping everything below the dam.
11. Add the second layer and repeat the thin buttercream layer, tall dam, and fillings. If you are a beginner, keep the caramel especially light and save the extra for serving.
12. Add the final cake layer. Apply a thin crumb coat and chill until firm, then cover the cake with the thinnest practical layer of buttercream. Finish with the reserved apples and streusel, then drizzle with caramel. Chill until structurally firm, then soften slightly at room temperature before slicing.