Caramel Apple Cake
User Reviews
4.5
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Prep Time
25 mins
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Cook Time
40 mins
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Total Time
1 hr 5 mins
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Servings
18
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Course
Cake
Caramel Apple Cake
Description
The Caramel Apple Cake combines classic autumn spices like cinnamon and nutmeg with fresh peeled and diced apples folded into a moist batter made from either all-purpose or gluten-free flour blends. The batter includes brown sugar, granulated sugar, canola oil, eggs, and vanilla extract, creating a balanced sweetness and tender crumb.
Baked in a 9x13 pan, the cake cooks until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, resulting in a soft interior studded with tender apples that are coated in cinnamon sugar before folding in. This provides bursts of sweet spice and moisture throughout each bite.
The signature caramel frosting melts together butter, brown sugar, whipping cream, vanilla, and powdered sugar to create a creamy, sweet topping that complements the apple and spice flavors. The frosting adds a rich texture contrast to the soft cake base.
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour blend
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon divided, + 1 teaspoon, ground
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ¾ cup granulated sugar divided, + 1 tablespoon
- 1 cup canola oil or another mild tasting vegetable oil
- 3 egg room temperature, large
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract pure
- 3 ⅓ cups apple from about 3 1/2 medium apples, peeled and diced
* For the gluten-free flour blend:
- 1 cup rice flour 140 grams
- ⅓ cup potato flour 51 grams
- 2 tablespoons tapioca flour 20 grams, + 2 teaspoons
- ½ teaspoon xanthan gum
For the caramel frosting:
- ½ cup butter unsalted
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ⅔ cup whipping cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract pure
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F.
- Line a 9" x 13" baking pan with a piece of parchment paper or alternatively spray the pan with baking spray.
- In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the flour, 1 tablespoon cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla until thoroughly combined.
- Add in the flour mixture and mix just until well combined.
- Place the apples in a small bowl and sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon over the apples. Stir to coat the apples in the cinnamon sugar. Fold the apples into the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 33-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let cool completely before frosting.
Make the frosting:
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Stir in the brown sugar and whipping cream. Once the mixture starts bubbling, stop stirring.
- Let the mixture come to a full boil and boil for 1 minute without stirring. Remove the pan from the heat.
- Stir in the vanilla, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and gradually add the powdered sugar.
- Whisk until the powdered sugar is fully incorporated and no lumps of sugar remain. Frosting will get thicker as it starts to cool, but will still seem more like a sauce than a traditional frosting.
- Add the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, if desired.
- Once the cake has cooled, pour the frosting over the top. Let the frosting cool completely before serving.
- Refrigerate any leftovers for up to 4 days. Let come to room temperature before serving.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.5
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