GF Apple-Spice Cake with Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting sprinkled with Pecans

Cake:
1 1/2 cups butter (3 sticks) room temp
3 cups sugar
2 Tablespoons molasses
6 eggs
24 ounces white rice flour (one small bag) or about 3 cups flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup rice milk (or regular)
6 small apples, peeled and shredded
1 Tablespoon GF vanilla extract

Frosting:
14 ounce bag caramels
1 pint (reserve 5 Tablespoons) heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon GF vanilla extract
8 ounces cream cheese, room temp
1 cup pecan pieces

Prepare cake:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, then molasses, sour cream, vanilla and rice milk until combined. Slowly add half of the rice flour until combined. Add spices, baking soda, salt, and xanthan gum. Add remaining rice flour until combined. Add shredded apple. Pour in greased 9X11 pan or greased rounds for layers. Bake for an hour or until tooth pick in center comes out clean. Let cool.

Prepare frosting:
Combine unwrapped caramels and reserved 5 Tablespoons of whipping cream in a saucepan over low. Stir over low heat until caramels have melted. Add in cream cheese and whisk until combined. let cool.

Beat the remaining whipping cream in a seperate bowl until stiff peaks form. With mixer on high, slowly add caramel mixture to whipped cream. Whip until combined and thick (up to 15 minutes, depending on how cool your caramel is.) Frost the cake. Sprinkle with pecan pieces. Serve with spiced pumpkin ice cream or vanilla ice cream if desired.