Description
A comforting and easy-to-make Slow Cooker Caramel Apple Pudding Cake featuring tender apples baked into a moist whole wheat cake, topped with a rich homemade caramel sauce. Perfect for a cozy dessert with minimal prep and the magic of slow cooking.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Batter
- 1 cup whole wheat flour (or all purpose flour, about 125g)
- 3/4 cup brown sugar (about 150g)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup buttermilk (or regular milk)
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large baking apples (peeled and diced)
Caramel Sauce
- 1 cup brown sugar (about 200g)
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup hot water
Instructions
- Prepare Slow Cooker: Lightly grease a 3-4 quart slow cooker to prevent sticking. A wider base slow cooker like a 2.5 quart casserole style works well for even cooking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, stir together whole wheat flour, 3/4 cup brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon until fully combined for the cake batter base.
- Add Wet Ingredients to Batter: Stir in buttermilk, canola oil, and vanilla extract until smooth and thick. Then fold in the peeled and diced baking apples evenly throughout the batter.
- Layer Batter in Slow Cooker: Spread the apple batter mixture evenly in the bottom of the prepared slow cooker to form the cake layer.
- Prepare Caramel Topping: Whisk together 1 cup brown sugar and corn starch until fully combined. Sprinkle this sugar mixture evenly over the cake batter in the slow cooker.
- Add Butter and Hot Water: Melt butter into the hot water until combined, then carefully pour this mixture over the brown sugar topping in the slow cooker.
- Slow Cook Cake: Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 2 1/2 to 3 hours until the cake is set and moist on top. The sauce will be thin initially.
- Rest Before Serving: For a thicker caramel sauce, let the cake sit covered for 10-20 minutes after cooking before serving to allow sauce to thicken.
Notes
- This dessert is incredibly simple to prepare and requires minimal hands-on time thanks to the slow cooker.
- Using whole wheat flour adds a nutty flavor and increased fiber compared to all-purpose flour.
- The cake makes its own luscious caramel sauce as it cooks, creating a warm and gooey texture.
- The slow cooker method keeps the cake moist without drying it out like an oven might.
- Letting the cake rest after cooking helps the caramel sauce thicken nicely for serving.
- Serve warm by itself or with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for extra indulgence.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 405 kcal
- Sugar: 63 g
- Sodium: 174 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 79 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 12 mg
