Caramel Apple Cake

Last fall I had a bunch of girlfriends over to eat ourselves stupid on fall comfort foods while watching college football and carving pumpkins.  Included on the day's menu was a Caramel Apple Cake, the recipe for which hails from the Food Network, that got rave reviews.  In honor of my office's "Fall Treat Day" this year, I decided to reprise the cake and share it with my office mates.  Again, to rave reviews (so much so that by the time I thought about snapping a picture the cake was already demolished).  The recipe is a little bit cumbersome, but stick with it, the results are worth it!

Ingredients

For the Caramel and Apples:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the pan
3 cups sugar
5 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 cup heavy cream
5 large Golden Delicious apples, peeled 

For the Batter:
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup sour cream
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
Directions

Butter a 9-by-13-inch cake pan. Make the caramel. Cook the sugar and corn syrup in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is dark amber, 7 to 10 minutes.

Reduce the heat to medium. Carefully add the cream and 4 tablespoons butter (it will splatter) and cook, stirring, until combined, about 3 minutes.

Remove the skillet from the heat and let sit 1 minute. Pour 1 1/2 cups caramel into a glass measuring cup and set aside. Pour the remaining caramel into the prepared pan and set aside until set, about 30 minutes.

Cut 4 of the peeled apples into quarters and cut out the cores with a paring knife. Arrange the pieces in the pan (overlapping them slightly). Save any pieces that do not fit for later.

Chop the bottom and any of the leftover quartered apples into pieces; set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Make the batter. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, whisk the sour cream, orange juice and vanilla.

Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

Crack the eggs into a small bowl. Slip them into the mixer bowl, one at a time, and beat until the mixture is pale and creamy, about 5 more minutes. Scrape down the bowl and beater with a rubber spatula.

With the mixer on low speed, add half of the sour cream mixture, then half of the flour mixture. Repeat. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula; finish combining the batter by hand.

Spread the batter over the apples in the pan. Top with the chopped apple. Bake on the middle oven rack until the cake is brown on top and springs back when pressed, 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes (don't worry if the top is dark).

Cool in the pan on a rack for 20 minutes. Carefully run a sharp knife around the inside of the pan several times. Invert a plate on top of the cake, then flip over the cake and plate. Using pot holders or a towel, wriggle the pan off. Soften the reserved 1 1/2 cups caramel in the microwave, about 2 minutes. Drizzle the cake with some of the caramel. Slice and serve with the rest.