Desserts: Apple Cake with HOT Caramel Sauce

1/2 cup pecans
5 medium apples to yield 2 1/2 cups chopped  (firm cooking apples)
1/2 cup butter at room temp
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 t bs
1/2 t salt
1 t ground cinnamon
1 scant t ground nutmet
1 cup all-purpose flour
 Hot Caramel Sauce:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 t salt
1 t vanilla
1/2 cup evaporated milk
Garnish:
Sweetened whipped cream, fresh unpeeled apple slices
Cake:  preheat oven to 350 F.  Place pecans in food processor and process unti fine.  Set aside.  Peel, core, and quarter apples and place in processor, process until they are in medium-coarse shards, about the size of almonds.  Set aside.
Place butter in large mixer bowl, add sugar and beat until fluffy.  Add egg and beat until blended.  Add soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg - mix quickly.  Add flour and just blend.  Add apples and nuts.  Pour mixture into greased 9" round cake pan and bake for 30 minutes, until top springs back.  Cool slightly.  Center may sink somewhat.
For sauce, melt butter, br sugar, salt in small saucepan over med heat.  Bring to boil, stirring with whisk.  Remove from heat and add vanilla and milk.  Stir again with whisk.
To serve, cut cake into eight wedges.  Ladle a large spoonful of sauce onto each of 8 dessert plates.  Place wedge of cake on top of sauce.  Garnish with dollop of whipped cream and two apple slices.
(Note:  Sauce may be made ahead of time and reheated over hot water.  Refrigerated cake will keep for a week.)