Apple Spice Cake

Apple Spice Cake
from my cousin in law Stacy E., and I don't know where she got it from

Cake:
3 C. all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. allspice
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 C. granulated sugar
1/2 C. packed brown sugar
1 1/2 C. vegetalge oil (Stacy only uses 1 C.)
3 large eggs, at room temperature (who remembers to take them out before to get to room temperature. I'm just asking.)
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 C. chopped Granny Smith apples, from about 2 1/2 apples. Or any kind of apple you might have.
2 C. walnut halves, coarsely chopped. (Again, you have my permission to omit any and all nuts and no one will think any less of you.)

Caramel glaze:
1/2 C. packed dark brown sugar
1/4 C. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 c. heavy cream

1. Make the apple spice cake. Preheat the oven to 325 F. Grease and flour a 10-inch Bundt pan. (Stacy used a 9x13 pan and so did I when I made this for some church thing a year ago.) Chop apples and walnuts.

2. In a medium bowl, whick together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, nuteg, and salt. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, preferably the bowl of a standing electric mixer, beat together the granulated and brown sugars and the oil until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula. Beat in the vanilla. On Low speed, add the flour mixture in 3 additions. Using a large wooden sppon, stir in the apples and walnuts. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.

4. Bake the cake for 65 to 70 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes, then remove the cake from the pan and let cool completely. (If you used the 9x13 pan for this, adjust to less cooking time. I don't remember how long it took in the 9x13).

5. In a small heavy saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter and cream. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Boil, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and let cool for 10 minutes, or until the glaze thickens slightly but is still pourable.

6. Set the cake, still on the wire rack, on a baking sheet. Drizzle the glaze slowly over the top, letting some of it run down the side. Trasfer the cake to a serving plate and let the glaze set before serving.

NOTE: when I made this cake for the church thing, I was stressed out. I didn't make homemade caramel sauce/glaze to go over it. Because I was making a crazy amount of cakes for the church thing or having people help me make a crazy amount of cakes for it, I crumbled under the pressure and bought the caramel topping. The world did not come to a screeching halt as we know it and no one cared that I had purchased it. I used Mrs. Richardson's caramel/butterscotch topping, you can find it with the ice cream toppings. It is my favorite. It won't solidify on the cake. It will be ooey gooey and rich and wonderful though. I think that I put a spoonful on each cake piece after it was cut and put on the plate to serve. So, you will know which strategy is best for you, just be aware of your options.