Recipe Background
Apple Buckle combines tender apples and nutty crunch in a comforting dessert.
Apple Buckle is the kind of dessert that brings a cozy, heat-warmed aroma into your kitchen as it bakes. The sweet, familiar smell of cinnamon and apples mingles with hints of vanilla, creating a welcoming invitation to anyone nearby. As the buckle bakes, the apples soften, releasing their juices into the batter, giving it a lusciously moist texture that pairs wonderfully with the crisp topping of oats and pecans.
Every spoonful offers a delightful contrast in textures—tender apples nestled in a cake that 'buckles' under the rich, caramel drizzle. The warm, buttery crumb gives way to a nutty crunch and whispers of ginger, adding complexity to each bite. Balancing the sweetness of the Gala apples, a quick rest after baking allows the flavors to settle and makes slicing a breeze.
Sharing a slice, perhaps with a dollop of vanilla ice cream, is an experience in both taste and community. The gentle tug of caramel stretching from fork to plate adds a bit of fun to every serving. Enjoy this with friends on a chilly evening, letting the warmth of the skillet bring comfort and the simple pleasure of good food shared among good company.
Ingredients
For the buckle:
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
For the topping:
- 2/3 cup brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cold butter
- 3/4 cup pecans finely chopped
- 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
- 6 cups Gala or other sweet apples thinly sliced
- 18 caramels unwrapped
- 1 tablespoon buttermilk
Optional, for topping:
- ground cinnamon to taste
- pecans to taste, finely chopped
- vanilla ice cream or whipped cream to taste
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Grease a 12-inch cast-iron skillet or another oven-proof skillet.
- In a large bowl, add 1/2 cup of the softened butter and the sugar and cream them together until light and fluffy, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add the eggs, 1 at a time, to the butter mixture and beat well after each addition.
- Add the vanilla to the butter mixture and beat to combine.
- In a separate bowl, add 2 cups of the flour, the baking powder, 1 3/4 teaspoons of the cinnamon, the ginger, and the salt and whisk to combine.
- In small portions, add the flour mixture and 1 1/2 cups of the buttermilk to the butter mixture, alternating between the two and beating well after each addition.
- Pour the batter into the prepared skillet.
- In a small bowl, add the brown sugar and the remaining flour and mix to combine.
- Add the remaining cold butter into the flour mixture and mix until crumbly.
- Add 3/4 cup of the pecans and the oats and stir to combine.
- Sprinkle the oat mixture over the batter in the skillet.
- Top the oat mixture with the apples.
- Bake until the apples are golden-brown, about 1 hour-1 hour 10 minutes.
- Allow the skillet to cool on a wire rack.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, add the caramels and the remaining buttermilk and microwave until the caramels are melted.
- Stir the caramels and the buttermilk together until smooth.
- Drizzle the caramel over the buckle.
- Let the buckle stand until set.
- Serve topped with the extra cinnamon, the extra pecans, and the ice cream.
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