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Apple Gingerbread Spoon Cake with Apple Cider Caramel

Apple Gingerbread Spoon Cake with Apple Cider Caramel

This Apple Gingerbread Spoon Cake features a saucy bed of baked apples topped with a gooey, molasses-heavy gingerbread cake topped with vanilla ice cream and golden Apple Cider Caramel.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 6
Course: Dessert
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Apple Cider Caramel
  • 2 cups apple cider
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp salt
Apple Filling
  • 6 Cortland apples peeled, cored, and cut into wedges
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • ½ lemon juiced
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
Gingerbread
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ cup fancy molasses
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground ginger
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ⅛ tsp ground cloves
  • ⅛ tsp nutmeg
  • ½ cup boiling water
  • 1 tsp baking soda
To Serve
  • 1 tub vanilla ice cream

Equipment

  • 1 oval 2.5 quart baking dish
  • 1 Large skillet

Method
 

For the Caramel
  1. Pour apple cider into a large skillet. Bring the cider to a boil and cook until reduced to a 1/4 cup.
    2 cups apple cider
  2. Add the granulated and light brown sugar to the skillet. Cook until the sugar melts and bubbles for 2 minutes. Stir in the cream and butter and cook for 5 minutes more. Take the caramel off of the heat and stir in the salt and vanilla extract. Pour into a heat-proof bowl and set aside to cool.
    ¾ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup light brown sugar, ½ cup heavy cream, 2 tbsp unsalted butter, ½ tsp vanilla extract, ½ tsp salt
For the Apples
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 2.5-quart casserole dish with butter and set it aside.
  2. Place the apples and all the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and toss to coat. Pour the apples into the prepared casserole dish and set it aside.
    6 Cortland apples, ¼ cup light brown sugar, 2 tbsp granulated sugar, 3 tbsp all-purpose flour, ½ lemon, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp ground ginger
For the Gingerbread
  1. Using a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl until fluffy. Add the egg and beat until fully incorporated. Pour in the molasses and beat until smooth.
    ¼ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup unsalted butter, 1 large egg, ½ cup fancy molasses
  2. Sift the flour, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg. Whisk to combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir to combine. Set aside.
    1 cup all-purpose flour, ½ tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp ground ginger, ¼ tsp salt, ⅛ tsp ground cloves, ⅛ tsp nutmeg
  3. Whisk the baking Soda into the recently boiled water and add the mixture to the batter. Stir to combine. ** Pour the batter over the apples and place the cake in the oven. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the center of the cake is just set. Let the cake sit for 10 minutes before serving. 
    ½ cup boiling water, 1 tsp baking soda
  4. When you’re ready to serve, place the caramel in the microwave and heat it in 30-second intervals until it reaches a pourable consistency. Spoon the cake into bowls and top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a generous drizzle of apple cider caramel. Serve immediately.
    1 tub vanilla ice cream

Notes

** The batter will appear quite runny at this point. That is normal, don't be concerned.