apple spice cake with salted walnuts and caramel drizzle

some days are a real gift and you know it.
you feel it in your bones and in every breath you take.
other days - not so much.
on those days you burn your toast.
twice.
the honey jar smashes on the floor.
the fire doesnt seem to stay alight. once finally alight it goes out again because you forgot to top up the wood.
twice.
the computer has a nervous breakdown - causing you to begin to have one as well.

take a deep breath.

go out side and play in the garden with the little for a while.
wash the dirt from both your hands and the little's face, mouth and tongue.
go back inside and take another deep breath.
get your apples, chopping board and grater and begin to make the most delicious cake.
the sweet aroma of fresh apple will begin to sooth you as they leak their juice. shred and chop at them, working out the last of your issues, then, pour the excess juice from the chopping board into a cup and save it to sip with the little once the cake is in the oven.
out the music on.
feel her sticky hand holding your cheek as her other hand tries to puck your eyeball out with her thumb.
smell the apple and spice fill the kitchen as the cake starts to cook.
anything left of the anger will dissipate as you crack the walnuts.
hear the shell creak to crack inside the metal brace and crunch it until you have it just how you like it. prod and wriggle it apart, placing the old broken pieces of shell into the bowl as you work the nuts free, moving them to your right.
turn the music up.
crunch a few of the walnuts. 
laugh out loud as the little bangs on the kitchen window, scaring chester, the neighbors cat.

today is a gift.

this really is a bloody good bite.

moist and comforting - perfect for those not quiet right days and even better with yoghurt for a warm treat by the fire after dinner.

apple spice cake

75 grams butter, melted

1/2 cup white sugar

1  1/2 cups soft brown sugar

1 Tblsp cream cheese

2 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

1  1/2 cups finely diced apple

2  1/2 cups grated apple

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1  1/2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon

1  1/2 tsp mixed spice

1/2 tsp salt

put butter, sugars, cream cheese, vanilla and eggs into a bowl and cream until light.

mix the diced and grated apple into the butter sugar mixture.

add remaining ingredients and fold in until combined. 

place in to a greased cake tin and bake at 180'C for 60-75 minutes (you will know the cake is done when it begins to pull away from the sides of the pan.)

let cool slightly in the pan then, carefully turn out onto a cake rack to cool and top with salted walnuts and drizzle caramel sauce over top.

salted walnuts

1 - 2 dozen walnuts
1 Tblsp oil

ground rock salt

crack, de-shell and place walnuts. place in a roasting dish and toss with oil until evenly coated.
grate on salt to taste and roast in a pre heated oven at 200'C until golden.

caramel sauce

1/2 c melted butter
3/4 cup soft brown sugar

3/4 cup cream

place butter and sugar into a small saucepan and heat at a moderate to high heat untill it is boiling and begins to look like bubbling lava.
remove from heat and pour in cream, whisk frantically until well combined and smooth (if you fancy butterscotch now is the time to add vanilla aprox. 1 tsp)