Most of my vivid memories are related to things that heighten the senses: a smell, a song, a season, a flavor. Fall in particular is associated with early childhood flashbacks. Bright yellow leaves contrasting the blacktop at my elementary school. The hem of my pants wet with morning dew. Long blades of grass sparkling in the sun. Fast-forward to adult life, and the season marks important milestones. Joe’s birthday. My birthday. The day he proposed. And our wedding day, 6 weeks later. A different kind of sweet. I still remember how crisp the air smelled the morning we got married.

At the risk of sounding “basic” (not that I care in the slightest) I’m proud to proclaim this, the fall, as my season. To celebrate embracing your season with open arms, we teamed up with a brand that brings back all kinds of nostalgia. I like to call Werther’s Original the OG of hard candies because so many people have memories tied to the little gold package. Even more, the brand was recently named ‘American’s Most Recommended Caramels’ by the Women’s Choice Awards, so I’m certainly not alone in my love for their caramel goodness.

Two Ways to Taste The Sweeter Side of Fall

One: Salted Caramel White Russians

I found Kate’s recipe on Pinterest a while ago and saved it for a future movie night with friends. We essentially followed her recipe but added a heavy dose of melted caramel in there for good measure. Because why not?

Recipe c/o Kate La Vie

Ingredients

• Salted caramel sauce (melt down Salted Caramel Werther’s)
• Ice
• Salt flakes
• One Shot Salted Caramel Irish Cream
• One Shot Amaretto
• Three Shots of Half and Half

Directions

Melt the Werther’s Original Salted Caramels into a slightly thinned sauce. Drizzle into a glass filled with ice.

Add liquids into your cocktail shaker, plop in a couple of ice cubes. Shake, shake, shake, then strain into the glass.

Garnish with a nice earthy sprig of rosemary.

Two: Apple and Olive Oil Cake… With Melted Caramel Topping

What better way to pay homage to the season than with apples and caramel. But this is totally for adults. Subtle and sophisticated. I was first introduced to this recipe way back in 2014. We had just moved into our house and I was trying bake with a very old oven that was on its last legs. Still, the cake was incredibly memorable. Moist, light, and mild enough to make a great breakfast with a hot cup of Earl Grey. I decided to make it again for my family and studio mates, only this time, we added a heavy-handed drizzle of caramel to the top.

Recipe: Sunday Suppers

Ingredients

• Butter, for the baking dish
• 3 large eggs
• 2 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for the baking dish
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 2 medium apples

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 10-inch springform pan, or line a round cake pan with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar. Stir in the olive oil, milk, and lemon zest.

In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry, stirring until just blended. Do not overmix. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan.

Place the lemon juice in a large bowl. Peel the apples, and using a mandoline, thinly slice them, dropping the slices into the lemon juice to prevent browning. Arrange the apple slices on top of the cake batter.

Bake for 1 to 1 1/4 hours, until the cake is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. (The bake time may vary. If the cake needs more time but is browning too quickly, tent it with foil and continue baking.) Cool in the pan before unmolding.

Along with sweaters and boots and warm and cozy hats, I hope these two recipes make it on your bucket list this fall. I’m heading to upstate New York to enjoy all things fall this weekend. Old farm house, apple orchards, great company, good food. Slow down and enjoy it while it last, dear readers!

Ed. note: This post was sponsored by Werther’s. The compensation received in exchange for placement on Wit & Delight is used to purchase props, hire a photographer and videographer, write/edit the blog post and support the larger team behind Wit & Delight.

While compensation was received in exchange for coverage, all thoughts and opinions are always my own. Sponsored posts like these allow for development of additional dynamic content to be produced, unsponsored. Thank you for supporting our partners!

Kate Arends

Kate is the founder of Wit & Delight. She is currently learning how to play tennis and is forever testing the boundaries of her creative muscle. Follow her on Instagram at @witanddelight_.