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Thursday, April 19, 2012

Apple Spice Cake w/ Roasted Garlic + Honey-Poached Garlic Sauce {National Garlic Day 2012}

The day has arrived.  It is finally here.  The day when sing praises on high.  Praises to the stinkingest rose around.  Pungent and bold.  Mellow and sweet.  Garlic in all of its glory.  HOORAY GARLIC!  Are you with me?  Give me a G...

But anyhoo...while I share my love for garlic year-round, I really do like to give it the props it deserves on its very own day.  Happy National Garlic Day.  I'll admit that often I forget until the last minute.  I'm either scrambling the day before to make something and get it post-ready in time.  Or I'm smackin' myself in the head day-of and scouring my many drafts for something garlicky enough to qualify for an actual garlic day posting.  But last year?  I made a note.  And so now I've been looking at that reminder for an entire year. I don't think I'll be forgetting any more.
And I don't know what happened.  I knew...like absolutely KNEW...that I was making one of two things to share today. Either Roasted Garlic Ice Cream or Pineapple-Garlic Upside Down Cake (the first of which I've always wanted to make and the second I have made and always meant to share).  Yet, here I am without either.  And with two completely different things.  But I will share both of those one of these days.  And hopefully I won't wait a whole 'nother year to do so.  Goal summer: garlic ice cream.

But I don't want to detract from the beauty of the two garlicky goodies that I actually am sharing today.  The first is a beautifully rustic apple spice cake...but what makes it so unique is that it contains two whole roasted heads of garlic.  It's sweet and savory all at the same time.  It's not fancy - it's more along the lines of beautiful peasant-fare.  I'm fairly positive that you could eat a slice as a remedy to ward off an oncoming cold.  Or perhaps the mosquitoes before going out at night.  Or vampires for that matter.  The garlic is pleasant - but only if you're a garlic fan.  It is present.  And waving it's hands around in your face trying to be noticed.  The tart apples and oily nuts along with the spices are a fantastic foils for the antics of the garlic, though.  And I think that a cool, creamy scoop of vanilla ice cream suits it perfectly.

This is a fun cake to present in celebration of National Garlic Day...or when you just want to have a bit of fun with your guests.
The Honey-Poached Garlic Sauce, however?  It's captured my heart.  Golden, sweet, chewy cloves of garlic suspended in a thick, spoonable honey sauce that is tinged with hints of cinnamon and citrus?  Oh yeah.  It does tend to seize up a little when you drizzle it over your ice cream.  And stick in your teeth.  But I don't mind one little bit.  I just put my tongue to work.  It's the gift that keeps on giving.

But I think it is so much more than a sauce to top ice cream.  I want to get a tangy log of goat cheese and drape ribbons of this sauce over it and then set a pepper grinder loose over the whole thing.  It'd be enough to make your crackers dance in anticipation.  Or maybe warm a round of brie in the oven until it is gooey in the center?  Mmm hmmm.  Slather it with some of this sauce studded with fat, golden cloves of garlic.  And then use crisp apple slices to dig in and transport the whole glorious mess to my mouth.  That's happening.  Soon.

Apple Spice Cake w/ Roasted Garlic + Honey-Poached Garlic Sauce
by Heather Schmitt-GonzƔlez
Prep Time: 15 (plus time to roast garlic)
Cook Time: 55-75 minutes
Keywords: bake simmer condiment dessert vegetarian garlic honey apples spice National Garlic Day cake

Ingredients (serves 10-12)
    cake
    • 1½ c. + 2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
    • 1 tsp. baking soda
    • ¼ tsp. salt
    • ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
    • ¼ tsp. ground ginger
    • grated zest & juice of 1 large lemon
    • 2-3 tart apples, peeled, cored and chopped medium-fine
    • 4 oz. unsalted butter, at room temp.
    • ⅔ c. sugar
    • flesh from 2 heads of roasted garlic
    • 2 Tbs. brandy
    • 1 large egg
    • ½ c. milk
    • ⅔ c. finely chopped pecans
    • confectioners' sugar
    sauce
    • 1 c. honey
    • 1 c. water, plus more as needed
    • 10 plump garlic cloves, peeled
    • 1 long strip of lemon peel (no white)
    • 1 cinnamon stick
    Instructions
    Apple Spice Cake w/ Caramelized Garlic:
    Preheat oven to 350° F. Butter a 9" round cake pan very well.

    Sift the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices together into a small bowl and set aside. Combine apples with lemon zest and lemon juice and set aside.

    Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in garlic and brandy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add egg and beat until smooth.

    Add flour mixture gradually, alternating with the milk, on low speed until just combined. Fold in the apples and pecans.

    Pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Slide into preheated oven and bake for 55-75 minutes (check at the lowest time) or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

    Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before turning cake out of pan. Flip back over (right side up) onto a serving plate. Sift confectioners' sugar over the top of the cake. Serve plain, with whipped cream or ice cream, or with Honey-Poached Garlic Sauce.

    Honey-Poached Garlic Sauce (yield: ~1 c.):
    Combine all of the ingredients in a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and let bubble slowly until water has evaporated and garlic is tender and golden, 30-45 minutes. If the water boils away before the garlic has caramelized, add 1 Tbs. of water at a time until garlic is ready.

    Remove from heat and let cool. Discard lemon peel and cinnamon stick, if you wish. Keep the garlic cloves whole or mash them up a bit. Serve (and keep) at room temperature.

    notes:
    I'm not going to lie and tell you that you can't even taste the garlic. You totally can. The cake is a fabulous, rustic treat which you may want to serve for special occasions. I think maybe using a single head of roasted garlic instead of two may be just as good...and not quite so strong.

    The honey-poached garlic sauce, however? Rockin'! Sweet and garlicky. Perfect for serving with desserts such as cake or ice cream or try serving it with fruit (think crisp apples or pears) and I'm thinking it would be amazing drizzled over a log of tangy goat cheese with a smattering of cracked black pepper over the whole thing. Or maybe with a wedge of brie...

    both recipes adapted from Garlic Garlic Garlic
    Powered by Recipage
    So how will YOU be celebrating National Garlic Day this year?  And who wants to send me some Black Garlic?  I need to try some.  If you have a post up today in honor of National Garlic Day 2012, add a link back to this post and then send it my way (you can see details here).  Por favor!?  I'll be gathering up all of the gloriously garlic-loving posts and sharing them with everybody this weekend.  I want yours to be in the mix!

    And if by chance you didn't get a chance to post for NGD on NGD this year, please feel free to link up any older garlicky posts in the linky on this post!  You can never really have to many garlic recipes.  That's what I always say.
    National Garlic Day 2012 Button
    I am also sharing this post with:

    Miz- Helen-Badge-ALT5 10p6820 foodfriday ss button sweet treats SweetToothFriday sweets for a saturday weekend cooking

    Would you like to comment?

    1. holy garlic!  i will be making both of these as soon as possible, swoon . . . 

      can garlic day be once a week?

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    2. Wow  both cake and roasted garlic looks stunning;

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    3. The apple cake looks yummy and I love garlic but would never have dared to serve the two together!   Well done!

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    4. Oh....I am with you!  Just ready to pop my post in and link to you. G - to the A - to the R.....LIC!!!

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    5. What an amazing combination! I never would have thought...super awesome - go GARLIC!

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    6. How interesting to combine garlic for desserts.  This cake looks beautiful Heather!  I'm especially intrigued with that roasted garlic ice cream.  

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    7. Garlic is so sweet and mellow when roster how can it not be good in dessert.To this day I still talk about the garlic peanut butter cup that I had in an Italian restaurant near Seattle. As for the sauce I really have to try it!!!!

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    8. Oooooo! A garlic peanut butter cup? I want to know more - that sounds SO good.

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    9. wowee! i haven never seen garlic in a dessert before! this is incredible! holy garlic!

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    10. It all looks so yummy ~thanks for sharing, namaste, ^_^

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    11. From Cupcakes, With LoveApril 19, 2012 at 9:21 AM

      these look yum...will have to try them out!
      follow back if you get a chance :) From Cupcakes, With love x

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    12. Heather, Ooh this sounds so delish and unique. A must try recipe!!

      Came over from Katherine's..

      I have a $100 Giveaway from Soft Surroundings on my site if you would like to enter!!

      Xoxo
      Karena
      Art by Karena

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    13. Garlic and cake together! I have never tried this before! And in honey sauce too! Sounds so special and I can see that the taste must be really special! I love garlic and I would love to have a slice! Yum!

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    14. Wow!! atrevida eh? me encanta tu blog!! pero nohe tenido tiempo de venir mucho y Ć©ste blog me pesa no visitarlo :( !!!
      Saludos 

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    15. ¡Hola Pily! Es bien, entiendo. ¡La vida estĆ” ocupada! Siempre soy contento de tener noticias de usted cuando usted visita. ¡Y gracias por sus palabras amables (siempre)! =)

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    16. wow...awesome shots! my family and I love garlic...i sure wish I could give this a try!

      thanks so much for sharing over at Food Friday, Heather

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    17. That sauce is getting made in my kitchen ASAP! I'd love to try the cake... can't quite imagine what it would taste like. Beautiful pics!

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    18. OMG that sauce sounds insanely good! As soon as I read it, I imagined goat cheese, crusty bread and some sauteed greens.  Love it!

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    19. I had to re-read the title a couple times to make sure garlic, apples and cake were really being put together. I'm so intrigued I have to try it. Sounds so odd it must be good.

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    20. National Garlic Day!!  How do we celebrate?  Should I dye bulbs of garlic in festive spring colors and hide them around the living room for the kiddies to find when they wake up?

      Seriously, your photos look SO GOOD!  I would have never thought of this combination, but now I am completely intrigued  :)

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    21. My gosh, I am so interested in trying this recipe.  I can't image garlic in a cake recipe!  I do like your ideas about serving the sauce over a cheese log or brie!

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    22. Oh yeah. We love garlic. I go through garlic like crazy in this house. Now I think I need to try this. The cake looks awesome. The sauce -- oh man.

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    23. Can I come to  your house??  This cake sounds fantastic!

      I roasted 3 heads of garlic to make something for today and then went to Brisbane all day to a photography masterclass.  (nobody needs it more than I do, I promise)  So I will use my garlic but not on the proper day, sorry!

       

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    24. Looks fantastic. i think I'd love that sauce, delicious and versatile! The cake looks amazing. Cool flavor combo's!

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    25. This sounds delicious in a new and different way! Thank you for sharing! Stopping by from Weekend Cooking :)

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    26. Cake and garlic - I would never have thought of that!

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    27. Garlic and cake? Wow, never would have dreamed this combo would work. Intriguing for sure. Not the best idea for a vampire wedding, but could work for other special occasions. :)

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    28. yummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm this looks so sweet and what treat to have :-) Thank for sharing the recipe too :-) Dropping by from FF

      http://www.homecookingwithjessy.com/egg-sandwich-for-lunch/

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    29. I'm not sure what excites me the most, the apple spice cake or the garlic sauce!! the sauce, plus goat cheese oh what a friday night treat with a great movie. but the spice cake with a giant scoop of ice cream is a drem for sunday evening.  love them... oh and garlic ice cream (yo quiero)

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    30. The idea of that honey sauce on cheese sounds like the most amazing thing ever. I might just have to make that right now! You have me all excited!

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    31. This looks very delicious!
      Maja Blanca

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    32. Gloriadelpilar_1994May 4, 2012 at 11:43 AM

      I love this  recipe Heather, sounds nice!!

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    33. You had me at garlic. HEHEHE Great recipe. Thanks for sharing with us.

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    34. Okay, I suck and missed garlic day. But I will live through you, my dear!! And I WANT that sauce. Wowsa. I would love it all of the ways you describe, and also I am thinking drizzled on a feta cheese pizza??? Mmmmm.

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    35. Good Morning Heather,
      I will give you a big "G", I just love garlic and use it in most everything I cook. I can't wait to try your Apple Spice Cake, it looks delicious, and so different, we will just love it!   Hope you have a fabulous week end and thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.

      Come Back Soon!

      Miz Helen

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    36. Woah, cake with garlic?! I'd never have thought of putting that together, but thinking about it, I bet it's really good!

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    37. You know, I don't often think of putting garlic in sweets, but I can totally see how this would work. 

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    38. You would not believe how much garlic is consumed in this house. Very anxious to try this cake;wow! and that sauce sounds wonderful,
      Rita

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    39. Pernilla HokansonMay 4, 2012 at 11:44 AM

      Sounds different, but delicious ;)

      Greetings from Australia♥
      ~Pernilla 

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    40. I am so so intrigued to make this ASAP!!!
      Trust me I read the title and then I read it again to make sure I was reading it right....
      WOW Apple + Garlic + Cake... This may sound different but I can totally bet this will taste good...

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    41. Gerry @ Foodness GraciousMay 4, 2012 at 11:44 AM

      This is very cool, I love trying to pair up foods that just dont seem to make sense at first but after tasting them you kinda go "whoa" I'd love to try a piece of this..
      Cheers...

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    42. We love garlic. I didn't know it was national garlic day. Black garlic is new to me too. Thank you for linking up to the Thursday Favorite Things Hop! xo

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    43. I know this makes me slightly weird but I absolutely love smelling like garlic.  I think it smells like home and love and all sorts of good things.  I just know I'd adore this cake! So edgy.

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    44. This recipe has been sitting in my Pinterest for years, so I decided to give it a go! I made a few changes out of necessity/availability: swapped 1/2C flour for whole wheat to make it "healthy", used Miyokos non-dairy butter and Ripple non-dairy milk due to allergy, found out I was out of brandy (too much sangria?) and used whiskey instead. I also don't have a 9in baking dish or one of similar volume, so I made these in a cupcake tin. That's not the best swap, but they baked and that's what mattered! So, the taste?! Great! Leads with the apple and spices, and then the roasted garlic comes at the end. Husband and friends enjoyed the flavor and with the honey sauce, too. Thanks for a great recipe!

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