Christmas Apple Cake

Ingredients:

Butter- 1/2 cup softened

Sugar- 2 cups

Eggs- 2 large

Granny Smith Apples- 2 apples grated, unpeeled

Flour- 2 cups

Baking Soda- 1.5 tsp

Cinnamon- 2 tsp

Ground Cloves- 1.5 tsp

Salt- 1/4 tsp

Chopped Pecans (optional )- 1 cup

Whipped cream for serving

Homemade Carmel Sauce:

Brown Sugar- 1 cup

Half and Half- 1/2 cup

Butter- 4 Tbs

Salt- pinch

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease 13x9 baking pan.

2. Beat butter with a mixer at medium speed until fluffy. Add sugar. Add eggs, 1 at a time. Then add apple and beat until just blended.

3. Whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Add to the butter mixture. Add nuts, if desired.

4. Pour into baking pan. Bake 30-35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cook on wire rack 10 minutes.

5. Make Carmel Sauce: Cook sugar, half and half, butter, and salt in a small saucepan over medium-low for 5-7 minutes, whisking slowly until thickened. Remove from heat and let cool. 

Option: poke holes in cake and pour caramel sauce over cake and serve.

Recipe from foodnetwork.com