Caramel Apple Cake

This amazing Caramel Apple Cake is the ultimate fall treat! With layers of spiced apple cake, topped with creamy frosting and a salted caramel drizzle, it’s a decadent dessert that’s perfect for any occasion.

Caramel Apple Cake Recipe

If you love fall recipes, you’re going to fall head over heels with flavors of this Caramel Apple Layer Cake. The perfect blend of warm spices, fresh, juicy apples and a rich cream cheese frosting, it’s practically impossible to resist going back for seconds.

But what I love most about this mouthwatering cake is the gorgeous drizzle of gooey salted caramel that oozes down the sides. It’s seriously almost too pretty to eat, but trust me, that didn’t stop my family. Filled with sweet, apple goodness, this fall cake tastes every bit as good as it looks!

Looking for other recipes to add to your fall dessert lineup? Check out my Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake, easy Pumpkin Cheesecake Parfait or this classic Pumpkin Spice Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting.

Ingredients

For the Apple Cake:

• All-purpose flour
• Cinnamon
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Nutmeg
• Salt
• Ginger
• Vegetable oil
• Butter, room temperature
• Brown sugar
• Large eggs, room temperature
• Vanilla extract
• Full-fat sour cream
• Unsweetened applesauce
• Fresh apples, peeled and chopped
• Chopped pecans, optional

Cream Cheese Frosting

• Full-fat cream cheese
• Butter, room temperature
• Confectioners sugar
• Vanilla extract
• Salt

For the Caramel Drizzle

• Brown sugar
• Heavy cream
• Unsalted butter
• Light corn syrup
• Vanilla extract
• Salt

How to Make This Caramel Apple Cake

For The Cake

Step 1. Heat your oven to 350°. Line two 9-inch round pans with parchment paper and spray well with cooking spray.

Step 2. In a bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, ginger, and salt.

Step 3. In a separate large bowl, beat the butter and oil together until smooth.

Step 4. Next, add the brown sugar and beat until combined.

Step 5. Add half the flour and combine.

Step 6. Add your eggs and the vanilla extract and beat well.

Step 7. Mix in the the sour cream and applesauce, followed by the remaining flour and beat just until mixed.

Step 8. Fold in the apples and pecans.

Step 9. Spread half of the cake batter in each pan. Bake the cake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

Step 10. Remove and let cool for 10 minutes.  Then, gently loosen the edges of the cake from the cake pan.

Step 11. Place one cake on your cake stand or serving plate, and the other on a cooling rack. You want to let the cakes cool completely before icing.

For The Frosting

Step 1. As the cake bakes, make the frosting by beating the cream cheese and the butter together until smooth and fluffy.

Step 2. Add the confectioners sugar a cup at a time, beating until smooth.

Step 3. Add vanilla extract and salt and mix well.

For The Salted Caramel Sauce

Step 1. To make the caramel, add brown sugar, heavy cream, butter and corn syrup to a saucepan.

Step 2. Cook over medium low heat and bring to a low boil, stirring often. 

Step 3. Continue cooking until the caramel begins to thicken. If using a candy thermometer, don’t cook it past 220° or it may get too hard. It will also thicken as it cools.

Step 4. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract and salt. Let cool until you can touch it. You want to be sure it’s not too hot or it could melt the icing.

Assembling The Cake

Step 1. Add a thick layer of frosting over the top of the cooled cake that’s sitting on the cake stand or serving platter, then smooth it out.

Step 2. Add the second cake layer, then add the remainder of the icing to the top and sides of the cake.

Step 3. Pour the cooled caramel sauce over the top of the cake.  Use a knife to push some of the caramel glaze over the edges to get the pretty drip effect.

Step 4. Decorate with caramel apples or dipped apple slices.

How to Store

Refrigerate the cake covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container. It should stay fresh for up to 3-4 days. Because of the different toppings and textures, I don’t recommend freezing it.

Variations and Add-ins

• Apple-pear cake: Mix in some finely chopped pears along with the apple pieces for a mix of flavors and textures.
• Salted caramel buttercream: Feel free to use your favorite buttercream recipe instead of cream cheese frosting for a different twist.
• Maple frosting: Substitute some of the applesauce with pumpkin puree, then add pumpkin spice in the cake batter to create a pumpkin apple cake.
• Chocolate chips: Before garnishing with the caramel apples, sprinkle some mini chocolate chips over the top.
• Cake mix: If you’re in a pinch for time, you can use a spiced cake mix and fold in some chopped apples.
• Caramel: Homemade caramel glaze is worth the extra little bit of time. But, if you have a store-bought type that you like, feel free to use it.  
• Apple extract: Want even more apple flavor? Try swapping the vanilla for apple extract.

Top Tips for Caramel Apple Cake

• Ensure butter, eggs, and sour cream are at room temperature before mixing for a smoother batter and better texture.
• Don’t overmix the batter. Mix just until everything is combined to help prevent a dense cake.
• Start checking the cake a few minutes before the timer goes off. It’s done when golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• When making the caramel, a heavy-bottomed pan helps distribute heat evenly and prevents burning. Stir constantly to avoid sticking and burning.
• If you end up with a domed top on the baked cakes, you can use a long-serrated knife or a cake leveler to level them. This gives the finished cake a professional look. Just turn the top cake “bottoms up” so that it’s easier to frost.
• When you slice the cake, dip the knife in hot water and wipe it dry before each cut. This helps the knife glide through the cake more smoothly.

Recipe FAQ’s

More Delicious Apple-Inspired Treats and Drinks

• Easy Apple Pie Bites
• Halloween Poison Apples
• Poison Apple Cocktail
• Mini Apple Pies
• Caramel Apple Cider
• Green Apple Martini

5 from 1 vote

Caramel Apple Cake

Course Cakes & Cupcakes, Desserts & Sweets

Cuisine American

Prep Time 45 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings 12

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This decadent Caramel Apple Cake, with layers of spiced apple cake, creamy frosting and a salted caramel drizzle, is the perfect dessert for all your fall gatherings!

Equipment

• 2 9" round pans
• parchment paper

Ingredients

 

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For The Cake

• ▢ 3 cups all-purpose flour
• ▢ 2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• ▢ 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1/2 cup butter room temp
• ▢ 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• ▢ 1 3/4 cups brown sugar
• ▢ 4 large eggs room temp
• ▢ 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 cup sour cream full fat
• ▢ 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• ▢ 2 cups apples peeled and chopped
• ▢ 1 cup chopped pecans optional

For The Cream Cheese Frosting

• ▢ 16 ounces cream cheese full-fat
• ▢ 1/2 cup butter room temp
• ▢ 4 cups confectioners sugar
• ▢ 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon salt

For The Caramel Drizzle

• ▢ 1 cup brown sugar
• ▢ 1 cup heavy cream
• ▢ 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ▢ 4 tablespoons light corn syrup
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 1/8 teaspoon salt

Instructions

For The Cake

• Heat your oven to 350°. Line two 9-inch round pans with parchment paper and spray well with cooking spray.
• In a bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, ginger, and salt.
  3 cups all-purpose flour, 2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, 1/2 teaspoon salt
• In a separate large bowl, beat the butter and oil together until smooth.
  3/4 cup vegetable oil, 1/2 cup butter
• Next, add the brown sugar and beat until combined.
  1 3/4 cups brown sugar
• Add half the flour mixture and combine.
• Add your eggs and the vanilla extract and beat well.
  4 large eggs, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• Mix in the the sour cream and applesauce, followed by the remaining flour and beat just until mixed.
  1 cup sour cream, 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• Fold in the apples and pecans.
  2 cups apples, 1 cup chopped pecans
• Spread half of the cake batter in each pan. Bake the cake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
• Remove and let cool for 10 minutes.  Gently loosen the edges of the cake from the cake pan.
• Place one cake on your cake stand or serving plate, and the other on a cooling rack. You want to let the cakes cool completely before icing.

For The Frosting

• As the cake bakes, make the frosting by beating the cream cheese and the butter together until smooth and fluffy.
  16 ounces cream cheese, 1/2 cup butter
• Add the confectioners sugar a cup at a time, beating until smooth.
  4 cups confectioners sugar
• Add vanilla extract and salt. Mix well.
  1 tablespoon vanilla extract, 1/4 teaspoon salt

For The Salted Caramel Sauce

• To make the caramel, add brown sugar, heavy cream, butter and corn syrup to a saucepan.
  1 cup brown sugar, 1 cup heavy cream, 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, 4 tablespoons light corn syrup
• Cook over medium low heat and bring to a low boil, stirring often.
• Continue cooking until the caramel begins to thicken. If using a candy thermometer, don't cook it past 220° or it may get too hard. It will also thicken as it cools.
• Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract and salt. Let cool until you can touch it. You want to be sure it’s not too hot or it could melt the icing.
  1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/8 teaspoon salt

Assembling The Cake

• Add a thick layer of frosting over the top of the cooled cake that’s sitting on the cake stand or serving platter. Smooth it out.
• Add the second cake layer, then add the remainder of the icing to the top and sides of the cake.
• Pour the cooled caramel sauce over the top of the cake.  Use a knife to push some of the caramel glaze over the edges to get the pretty drip effect.
• Decorate with caramel apples or dipped apple slices.

Notes

• If your caramel gets too thick, you can thin it with a spoonful of heavy cream. Add just a little at a time until you get the consistency you want.
• If you don’t have time to make your own caramel apples, you can decorate your cake with store-bought caramel apples instead.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 1001kcal | Carbohydrates: 130g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 51g | Saturated Fat: 27g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 177mg | Sodium: 555mg | Potassium: 368mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 101g | Vitamin A: 1611IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 173mg | Iron: 3mg

The nutrition information provided is an estimate and can vary based on cooking methods and ingredients used.

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