Calling all you caramel and apple lovers!  This is the delicious filling I made for my Caramel Apple Filled Spice Cake. It is such a wonderful Caramel Apple Filling & Topping, that it deserves a spot of it’s own.

Caramel Apple Filling is not only a terrific cake filling, it is also great to have around for an anytime topping or filling. Try it as a topping on ice cream (sooo good warm,  heaped over vanilla ice cream), cakes (yellow & angel food are yum) and cheesecake. It makes a fantastic and quick filling for cakes,  pies, crisps, or cobblers. You are truly only limited by your imagination.  Double the batch to have on hand in the fridge or freezer; freezer friendly and so convenient.
Let me know your creative uses for my Caramel Apple Filling & Topping in your dessert creations! I am always inspired by you, my zesty friends.

Let’s start with the apple part:

3 Granny Smith apples or apples of your choice, peeled and cut into ½ inch chunks, 2-3 Tablespoons Lemon juice, and 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon (*1/2 teaspoon cornstarch (optional), dissolved in ½ teaspoon COLD water)

Peel and cube the apples into ½ inch chunks.

In a medium bowl or saucepan, add the lemon juice and

and cinnamon.

Give the apples a good toss; coat ‘em real good with the lemon juice and cinnamon.

Cook the apples over medium heat

and bring the mixture to a boil; ** add the remaining lemon juice.
** If you notice a lot of liquid, do not add the lemon juice and follow the cornstarch instructions for thickening.

Cook the apples for about 5 minutes or until the apples have cooked down to your liking.  We like our apples still a bit crunchy. Turn off the heat, and set the cooked apples aside. These apples are beggin’ for some caramel action. I won’t let you down Mrs. Smith.

To the rescue – my homemade Caramel Sauce. YUMMMM!
REVERB ALERT! this sauce is featured in Chocolate Caramel Decadence Cake.

Ingredients: 4 Tablespoons butter, 1 cup brown sugar, ½ cups cream, ½ teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract.  (The powdered sugar is NOT needed)

Using a wire whisk, mix the butter

cream,

brown sugar,

and salt in a saucepan over medium low heat.

Cook and whisk for 7 minutes until bubbly.

Remove from heat and

add the vanilla extract.

Whisk until the vanilla is blended into the caramel goodness.

Now pour. It’s okay if a few drizzles happen to fall on your fingers.
Waste not, want not – right? Lick fingers, wash hands, and back to work!

Stir that creamy caramel goodness into the apples.

Pour the filling into a glass bowl.  Cover the filling by placing plastic wrap directly on the top of the filling, and refrigerate until you are ready to use. Caramel Apple Filling & Topping is freezer friendly; spoon the mixture into an appropriate container and freeze.

Ooey, gooey, caramel

apples, have a special spot in my heart mouth.

Say Ah.

 Printable Recipe

Caramel Apple Filling & Topping

3 Granny Smith apples or apples of your choice, peeled and cut into ½ inch chunks
2-3 Tablespoons Lemon juice
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
*1/2 teaspoon cornstarch (optional), dissolved in ½ teaspoon COLD water

In a medium bowl, toss together the cubed apples, two Tablespoons of the lemon juice and the cinnamon. In a medium saucepan, cook the apples over medium heat and bring the mixture to a boil; add the remaining lemon juice. Turn down the heat and let the apples simmer, stirring often. If you notice a lot of liquid follow the *instructions for adding cornstarch to thicken. Cook the apples for about 5 minutes until al dente. We like our apples still a bit crunchy. Set aside.

*Some apple varieties produce a lot of juices when they cook down. If there is a lot of liquid you will need to thicken it up by adding cornstarch. Mix ½ teaspoon cornstarch into ½ teaspoon COLD water until the cornstarch dissolves. Add the dissolved cornstarch into the apples. Stir and cook over med/high heat until the apple mixture is thickened. Set aside.

Caramel Sauce:

4 Tablespoons Butter
1 cup brown sugar
½ cups cream
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Vanilla extract

In a medium saucepan add the butter, brown sugar, cream and salt in a saucepan over medium low. Cook and whisk for 7 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Pour the caramel sauce over the cooked apples, stirring the mixture until is thoroughly combined. Spoon the filling into a glass bowl. To avoid moisture and condensation, cover the Caramel Apple mixture by placing plastic wrap directly on the top of the filling, and refrigerate. Caramel Apple Filling and Topping is freezer friendly; spoon the mixture into an appropriate container and freeze. A wonderful filling for cakes, pies, crisps, or cobblers; use it as a topping for ice cream, cakes, cheesecake and more…