The Warm Apple Butter Cake isn’t always on the menu at Steakhouse 55, but it’s an old-fashioned sweet ending that’s perfect in the Old Hollywood ambiance of the restaurant, and the perfect sort of dessert after a satisfying steak dinner (though the King salmon is top-notch too).

You don’t have to share – everyone gets their own buttery cake topped with tart, caramelized Granny Smith apples and a drizzle of caramel glaze. And we think vanilla ice cream is non-negotiable.

Warm Apple Butter Cake
Makes 15 individual cakes

Caramelized Apples

  • 2 whole Granny Smith apples, peeled and cored
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon sugar

Jack Daniels Caramel Glaze

  • 3/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/2 tablespoon Jack Daniels bourbon
  • 1 cups heavy cream

Apple Butter Cake

  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 3/4 cups sugar
  • 8 eggs
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1 cup butter, melted
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
  • 1 1/2 cups plus 1 teaspoon buttermilk
  • Vanilla ice cream, for serving
  • Dried apple slices, for garnish (optional)

For caramelized apples:

  1. Cut apples into thin slices.
  2. Melt butter in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat; add apples and sugar.
  3. Cook apples until golden and softened. Set aside to cool.

For Jack Daniels caramel glaze:

  1. Combine brown sugar and butter in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir continuously until sugar dissolves.
  2. Simmer over medium heat without stirring or touching pan, until mixture is thick and dark amber in color, about 10 minutes.
  3. Remove pan from heat. Carefully whisk in bourbon and heavy cream. Mixture will bubble vigorously and release very hot steam.
  4. Pour caramel into a bowl to cool; set aside.

For cake:

    1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 15 (3/4-cup-capacity) ramekins; set aside.
    2. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
    3. Whisk together sugar, eggs and egg yolks, and melted butter in a separate large bowl, until well combined.
    4. Combine buttermilk and almond extract in a small bowl; set aside.
    5. Fold a third of flour mixture into egg mixture. Stir in half of buttermilk mixture. Fold in another third of flour mixture, then add remaining buttermilk mixture. Fold in remaining flour mixture.
    6. Ladle 1/2 cup cake batter into prepared ramekins. Bake 20 to 22 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center of cakes comes out clean

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To serve:

  1. While cakes are warm, carefully remove from ramekins onto a serving plate.
  2. Divide caramelized apples among tops of cakes. Spoon Jack Daniels Glaze over top of apples and cake.
  3. Serve with vanilla ice cream and garnish with dried apple slices, if desired.