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Caramel Apple Pecan Tornado Cake

Caramel Apple Pecan Tornado Cake - featured image
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This Caramel Apple Pecan Tornado Cake is a show-stopping, easy fall dessert featuring gooey caramel, tart apples, and crunchy pecans swirled through a moist, tender cake. Perfect for gatherings, it’s as impressive as it is comforting, with cozy autumn flavors in every bite.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups (300g) granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 cup (240ml) vegetable oil (canola or sunflower)
  • 1/4 cup (60ml) buttermilk (or regular milk + 1 tsp lemon juice)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 medium tart apples, peeled and diced (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp)
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 3/4 cup (90g) chopped pecans (toasted optional)
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) thick caramel sauce (plus 2–3 tbsp extra for drizzling)
  • Optional: flaky sea salt, powdered sugar, vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for serving

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan or line with parchment paper.
  2. Toast pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-5 minutes until fragrant. Let cool.
  3. Peel, core, and dice apples into 1/2-inch chunks. Toss with lemon juice and cinnamon.
  4. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
  5. In a separate bowl, beat eggs, then whisk in oil, buttermilk, and vanilla until smooth.
  6. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined.
  7. Fold in diced apples (with juices) and cooled pecans.
  8. Spread half the batter in the prepared pan. Drizzle half the caramel sauce over and swirl gently with a knife. Repeat with remaining batter and caramel, swirling again.
  9. Bake for 40-50 minutes, until golden and a toothpick comes out clean (a little caramel on the tester is fine). Tent with foil if browning too quickly.
  10. Cool in the pan for at least 20 minutes. Drizzle with extra caramel and sprinkle with sea salt before serving, if desired.

Notes

For gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. For dairy-free, substitute buttermilk with almond or oat milk plus lemon juice and use vegan caramel. Walnuts can replace pecans, or omit nuts for allergies. Don’t overmix the batter for best texture. Cake can be made ahead and freezes well. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream for extra indulgence.

Nutrition

Keywords: caramel apple cake, tornado cake, fall dessert, pecan cake, easy apple cake, autumn baking, potluck dessert, caramel swirl cake

Find it online: https://jodierecipes.com/caramel-apple-pecan-tornado-cake-recipe-easy-fall-dessert-to-impress/