Salted Caramel Apple Spice Cake
This salted caramel apple spice cake is soft, moist, and loaded with fresh apples and cozy spices. Finished with cream cheese frosting and a drizzle of salted caramel, it’s the ultimate fall dessert for family gatherings, parties, or the holidays!
FAQs About Salted Caramel Apple Spice Cake
What apples are best for apple spice cake?
Honeycrisp or Gala apples are ideal because they hold their shape and add natural sweetness, but Granny Smith works well if you prefer a tart balance. Sometimes I do a mix of both!
Can I make this cake ahead of time?
Yes! Bake the cake up to two days in advance and store it tightly wrapped at room temperature. Frost and drizzle with caramel just before serving for the freshest flavor.
Can I freeze apple spice cake?
Absolutely. Freeze the unfrosted cake for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then frost and drizzle with salted caramel before serving.
Can I make this recipe into cupcakes?
Yes. Divide the batter into lined muffin tins and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 20–25 minutes. Frost and drizzle with caramel once cooled.
How do I keep the cake moist?
Using sour cream and melted butter in the batter helps to lock in moisture. Be sure not to overbake, and store the cake covered once cooled.
Salted Caramel Apple Spice Cake
Ingredients
Cake
3 cups all-purpose flour (360 g)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (4.6 g)
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger (0.9 g)
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg (1 g)
1/2 teaspoon allspice (1 g)
Pinch of ground cloves
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (4.9 mL)
1 teaspoon baking soda (4.6 g)
1 teaspoon salt (6.3 g)
1 cup melted unsalted butter, cooled (236 mL)
1/4 cup vegetable oil (59 mL)
1/4 cup sour cream (59 mL)
1 cup granulated sugar (200 g)
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed (100 g)
3 large eggs
4 apples, about 3 cups cored and cut into 1/2-inch pieces — Honeycrisp or Gala work best
Cream Cheese Frosting
8 ounces cream cheese, softened (226 g)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (113 g)
4 cups confectioner’s sugar (454 g)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (10 mL)
2 to 3 tablespoons heavy cream or milk, as needed for consistency
Store-bought salted caramel sauce or homemade
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and lightly flour an 8-inch or 9-inch square baking pan, and line with parchment paper for easy removal.
Prepare the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
Add the wet ingredients to a separate bowl: the melted (cooled) butter, vegetable oil, sour cream, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla. Add the eggs while beating with a hand held mixer or whisk and beat just until smooth.
Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined. Do not overmix. ** In my video on IG I tried to make it all in one bowl this time around to see if there was a big difference in texture and I did think it was more airy when I separated as described above!
Fold in your apples. Gently fold in the finely chopped apples (or shredded apples) until evenly distributed through the batter. ** If grating your apples do not remove all the juice. I did a combination of shredded apples and cubed apples in my IG video to keep the moisture.
Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 30-40 minutes depending on your pan size. If using a 9” it’s closer to 30 minutes. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
Make the frosting: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy. Gradually add confectioner’s sugar, then beat in vanilla and 2 tablespoons of milk or cream. Add more cream as needed to reach a smooth, spreadable consistency.
Frost the cake. Once the cake has cooled, spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the top. Drizzle store-bought salted caramel (or homemade, if preferred) over the frosted cake. Swirl lightly with a knife or leave in ribbons on top. Slice into squares and serve as-is.
