Apple Pecan Skillet Cake with Dulce de Leche Glaze
This may look like an apple pie, but it resembles the flavor and texture of a pineapple upside down cake. A flaky piecrust topped with slices of brown sugar glazed apples layered with a moist pecan and Kahlua flavored buttery cake,topped with additional apple slices, then drizzled with a rich dulce de leche apple glaze. It's what your autumn dreams are made of!
For the cake:
6 large Granny Smith apples
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar, divided
1 cup butter, divided
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp table salt
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 Tbsp Kahlúa
¾ cup pecans, coarsely chopped
1 refrigerated piecrust
For the glaze:
1 (13.4 ounce) can Dulce de Leche
¼ cup apple juice
For the cake:
Peel apples, and cut into ¼-inch-thick wedges. Toss with 2 tablespoons flour and ½ cup brown sugar in a large bowl.
Melt ¼ cup butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add apple mixture, and sauté 15 minutes or until apples are tender and liquid is thickened. Remove from heat; cool completely (about 30 minutes).
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F. Melt remaining ¾ cup butter. Stir together 1½ cups flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add eggs, Kahlúa, melted butter, and remaining 1½ cups brown sugar, stirring until blended. Stir in pecans.
Fit piecrust into a 10-inch cast-iron skillet, gently pressing piecrust all the way up the sides of skillet. Spoon two-thirds of apple mixture over bottom of piecrust, spreading and gently pressing apple slices into an even layer using the back of a spoon. Spoon batter over apple mixture; top with remaining apple mixture.
Place pie on lower oven rack, and bake at 350° for 1 hour and 10 minutes to 1 hour and 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Remove from oven; cool pie completely on a wire rack.
For the glaze:
Place the dulce de leche and apple juice in a saucepan and heat over a low flame, stirring constantly, until hot. Remove from heat. Drizzle ⅓ cup warm glaze over the cake. Serve with remaining sauce.
