Warm Caramel Apple Cake

Prep Time: 30 min.
Total Time: 1 hour 25 min.
Makes: 15 servings

Cake:
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 large cooking apples, peeled, cored and thinly
sliced (about 2 1/3 cups)
1 box Betty CrockerSuperMoist yellow cake mix
1 1/4 cups water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1/4 teaspoon apple pie spice

Topping:
2/3 cup Betty Crocker Whipped fluffy white frosting
(from 12-0z container)
1/2 cup frozen (thawed) whipped topping
Caramel topping, if desired

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. In 1-quart heavy saucepan, cook butter, whipping cream and brown sugar over low heat, stirring occasionally, just until butter is melted. Pour into 13x9-inch pan. Sprinkle with pecans; top with sliced apples.

2. In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil, eggs and apple pie spice with electric mixer on low speed until Beat on medium speed 2 minutes. Carefully spoon batter over apple mixture.

3. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Loosen sides of cake from pan. Place heatproof serving platter upside down on pan; carefully turn platter and pan over. Let pan remain over cake about 1 minute so caramel can drizzle over cake. Remove pan.

4. In small bowl, mix frosting and whipped topping. Serve warm cake topped with frosting mixture and drizzled with caramel topping.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Bake 45 to 50 minutes.

Substitution
You can use cinnamon for the apple pie spice for a slightly different flavor.

Success
Granny Smithy and Braeburn are good apple choices to use in this recipe.