Caramel Apple Cake

Nothing says fall like the delightful combination of apples and caramel! This moist, spiced caramel apple cake topped with a smooth caramel buttercream and drizzled with homemade salted caramel sauce is the perfect dessert to welcome the season. The best part? It’s super easy to make, perfect for gatherings or a cozy night in. Let’s get baking!

Ingredients You’ll Need for the Caramel Apple Cake:

For the Apple Cake:

• Vegetable Oil: Adds moisture to the cake.
• Light brown sugar: Adds sweetness with a hint of molasses flavor, complementing the apple.
• Granulated sugar: Gives the bars additional sweetness and helps create a slightly crisp edge.
• Egg, room temperature: Adds structure and binds the ingredients together.
• Grated Apples: Give the cake its signature apple flavor and moisture.
• Vanilla extract: Enhances the flavors of both the apple cake.
• All-purpose flour: The base of the cake, providing structure.
• Ground cinnamon & Nutmeg: Adds warmth and depth to the apple flavor.
• Sour Cream: Adds moisture to the cake.
• Baking powder & Baking soda: Helps the bars rise and become fluffy.
• Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the other flavors.

For the Caramel Buttercream:

• Butter & cream cheese: Form the creamy base of the buttercream.
• Caramel & vanilla extract: Add rich flavor to the buttercream for a sweet, buttery finish.

For making the Caramel Apple Cake, you’ll need the following tools:

• Mixing Bowls: You’ll need a few mixing bowls in different sizes to combine the dry ingredients and wet ingredients.
• Whisk: A whisk is essential for blending the dry ingredients and whisking the wet ingredients until smooth.
• Electric Mixer: An electric hand mixer or Stand Mixer will help you cream all of the ingredients, ensuring a smooth texture.
• Grater: For grating the apples.
• Spatula: A silicone spatula is perfect for folding the wet and dry ingredients together without over-mixing.
• Measuring Scale: To accurately measure all your ingredients in grams.
• Baking Pan: To bake the Caramel Apple Cake.
• Parchment Paper or Butter: To grease to pan and prevent the cake from sticking to the pan.
• Toothpicks: Toothpicks are handy for checking if the cake is done.
• Cooling Rack: To let the cake cool down.

Here is the full Recipe:

Ingredients:

For the Apple Cake:

• 240 g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
• 1 ¼ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• 70 g (⅓ cup) granulated sugar
• 70 g (⅓ cup) dark brown sugar
• 200 g (about 2 medium-sized) grated apples
• 110 g (½ cup) vegetable oil, room temperature
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 140 g (⅔ cup) sour cream (14-18% fat), room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Caramel Buttercream:

• 50 g (¼ cup) butter, room temperature
• 50 g (¼ cup) cream cheese, room temperature
• 2-3 tsp caramel sauce (store-bought or homemade)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Caramel Sauce:

• Find the caramel sauce recipe on my blog, or feel free to use a good-quality store-bought caramel. You’ll need it for drizzling over the buttercream!

Directions:

Prepare the Apple Cake

1. Preheat your oven to 170ºC/340ºF (conventional oven) and line your 22×22 cm baking pan with parchment paper.
2. Grate the apples: Grate the apples and set them aside after weighing to ensure the correct amount. These apples will provide both flavor and moisture to the cake.
3. Mix the dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, granulated sugar, and dark brown sugar. The spices will infuse the cake with a warm, autumnal flavor, while the sugars add sweetness and moisture.
4. Mix the wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, eggs, sour cream, and vanilla extract until smooth. This mixture will bind the cake and ensure a tender crumb.
5. Combine the wet and dry mixtures: Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and gently stir with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix, as this could make the cake tough. Fold in the grated apples at this point.
6. Pour the batter into the pan: Transfer the batter to your prepared baking pan and smooth the top.
7. Bake the cake: Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The cake should be golden brown on top. Avoid overbaking, as this can dry out the cake.
8. Cool the cake: Once the cake is baked, let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the Caramel Buttercream

1. Cream the butter and cream cheese: Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or a hand mixer), beat the butter and cream cheese on medium-high speed for about 4 minutes until light and fluffy. Cream cheese adds a tangy balance to the sweetness of the buttercream.
2. Add the caramel and vanilla: Gradually add the caramel sauce and vanilla extract in two parts, beating between each addition. This will infuse the buttercream with a rich caramel flavor.
3. Final mix: Scrape down the sides of the bowl and give the buttercream one final mix on low speed for about 1 minute to ensure everything is fully combined.

Assemble the Cake

1. Frost the cake: Place the cooled cake on a serving dish and generously spread the caramel buttercream on top. Use a spatula to smooth it evenly across the surface.
2. Drizzle with salted caramel: Now for the fun part! Drizzle as much salted caramel as you like over the buttercream. For an extra special touch, use the back of a spoon or an offset spatula to swirl the caramel into the buttercream for a beautiful marbled effect.
3. Serve and enjoy: This cake is best enjoyed the same day, but it can also be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days. If you have any leftover caramel, store it in the fridge for up to a month—perfect for drizzling over ice cream or pancakes later!

Tips & Tricks:

Tips for the Caramel Apple Cake:

• Grating the apples: Use a fine grater for the apples to ensure they evenly incorporate into the batter. If you prefer a chunkier texture, you can use a medium grater, but make sure to avoid big apple chunks that might make the cake uneven.
• Room temperature ingredients: It’s important that your eggs, sour cream, and oil are at room temperature. This ensures they mix more smoothly into the batter, resulting in a light, fluffy cake.
• Don’t overmix the batter: Overmixing can result in a dense cake. Stir until just combined and there are no visible pockets of flour.
• Caramel variations: If you’re pressed for time, store-bought caramel works perfectly fine, but making your own homemade caramel sauce really adds a personal touch to this cake.
• Storage: This cake can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. The caramel buttercream and cake freeze well, too—just wrap them tightly before freezing for up to 1 month.

More Baking Ideas:

• Flower Brownies – Fudgy brownies topped with colorful “flowers” that are as fun to look at as they are to eat – perfect for a playful twist on a classic treat!
• Frosted Oreo Cookies – Soft, chewy cookies crowned with creamy Oreo frosting—perfect for anyone who loves a cookies-and-cream dream!
• Tiramisu Cookies – Espresso and mascarpone come together in these elegant Tiramisu Cookies, delivering the flavors of the classic Italian dessert in every bite.
• Chocolate Banana Bread – Rich, moist, and studded with chocolate chips, this Chocolate Banana Bread is a heavenly treat for chocolate and banana lovers alike.

Watch the recipe video here. Let’s get to baking! Here is the full recipe: