You Put the Lime in the Coconut...

There are many margaritas in my near future. This afternoon I'm leaving work a smidge early to trek to Winston-Salem to fete my uncle's 50th birthday with a Fajitas & Margaritas party. Before my departure, though, we're having an office fiesta complete with original, mango and strawberry 'ritas. Yum! Are you a frozen or on the rocks kind of girl?

I don't have much to share today, but I realized that I have never contributed a recipe to Polka Dots & Protein Bars, which saddens me greatly. I am an avid baker, and I want to be Paula Deen when I grow up, so why I have never shared my plethora of favorite dishes is beyond me. To celebrate my first recipe posting, I wanted to start off with a bang... one of the easiest, richest, most sinful desserts... Caramel Apple Cake with Caramel Topping.

Paula Deen's Caramel Apple Cake with Caramel Topping
Cake:
2 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
3 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup chopped walnuts (I use pecans)
2 1/2 cup chopped apples (usually 1-2 large apples)

Topping:
3 sticks butter
2 cups brown sugar
1/4 cup milk

Lightly grease and flour 13 x 9 baking dish; Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together sugar, eggs and oil. Add flour; mix together until well blended; add vanilla, nuts and apples.
Spread into pan; bake for 45 to 60 minutes. Cake is done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
To make the topping, heat all ingredients together over medium heat; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Let boil for 3 minutes.
When cake is done, punch holes in the top with a knife and pour topping over warm cake.

Delicious!!!