Caramel Apple Spice Cake Recipe
This homemade Caramel Apple Cake is a heavenly combination of apples, cinnamon, nuts, caramel & all around coziness! I wish I had a big slice right now.
It is one of our favorite cakes no matter what time of year but we especially love it for fall celebrations!
It is so moist, and the cream cheese frosting drizzled with caramel takes it to another level.
Not only will you get big apple flavor from the two cups of grated Granny Smith apples in the recipe, but the addition of applesauce adds flavor as well as additional moistness!
Table of Contents
Frostings that taste Great with Spice Cakes
This Caramel Apple Spice Cake has so much flavor on it's own, but ohhh the filling and frosting takes it to a whole new level!
I always find cream cheese-based frostings to be a PERFECT complement to spiced desserts.
There's just something so wonderful about the pairing of spice with the tanginess of a silky smooth cream cheese frosting.
*We used our classic cream cheese frosting for this recipe but we also love our Apple Spice Cream Cheese Frosting.
(The Apple Spice cream cheese frosting is pictured in the photo below for our cake mix version of apple spice cake.) Both of these recipes are so simple to make and taste fantastic!
Cream Cheese Frosting Consistency
If your cream cheese frosting is too soft, you can add additional confectioners sugar to thicken it.
However, if the frosting is too warm, (whether from the temperature of your room or from the heat of your hands while piping) you should pop it in the refrigerator for a few minutes . This will firm it up so that it can hold its shape.
Apple Spice Cake from Cake Mix
For those of you who love to work with doctored cake mix recipes, this simple Apple Spice Cake {Doctored Cake Mix} Recipe is amazing! All of the apple spiced flavor that you love in a scratch recipe. In fact, nobody would guess that it started from a mix!
I highly recommend printing both of these Apple Spice recipes, it's good to have options!
More Apple Cakes to Love
We've made several apple cakes over the years! In addition to today's Apple Spice Cake, make sure to add these delicious favorites to your list Applesauce Cake, Apple Cinnamon Cake, Apple Toffee Caramel Cake, and Apple Cinnamon Layer Cake!
If you're looking for more favorite fall and Thanksgiving cake ideas and tutorials, don't miss our Roundup of Fall and Thanksgiving Cake Recipes, Tutorials, and Ideas!
Have you made this? We would LOVE for you to leave a ⭐️ rating as well as a comment and photo below! We really appreciate your feedback!
Caramel Apple Spice Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 stick unsalted butter, softened (113g)
- ½ cup vegetable oil (107g)
- 2 cups granulated sugar (400g)
- 3 large eggs, room temperature (if in a hurry, place in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (6g)
- 1 cup applesauce (unsweetened) (252g)
- 3 cups all purpose flour (342g)
- ½ teaspoon salt (3g)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda (5g)
- 1 Tablespoon cinnamon (9g)
- 2 cups grated or finely chopped apples (peel first) (250g) We used Granny Smith (3 large apples or 4 medium) If grating the apples be sure to use the large holes so as not to produce apple juice.
- 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (100g)
- Zest of 1 small lemon optional
- 1 Jar of Caramel Sauce/topping for spreading on layers and drizzling
- Cream Cheese Frosting or your filling/frosting of choice. see our Recipes section!
- *Makes approximately 6 ½ cups of batter
For the Cream Cheese Frosting (We also like Apple Spice Cream Cheese frosting with this recipe)
- 2 sticks 1 cup, (226g) unsalted butter, slightly softened
- 16 oz cream cheese (452g total) We use two 8 oz packages of "full fat" cream cheese.
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (8g)
- ½ teaspoon salt 2g optional
- 6 to 6 ½ cups powdered sugar (690g to 747g)
Instructions
For the Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
- Grease and flour three 8 inch pans A WAXED PAPER circle should be put in the bottom of each pan (grease and flour also) there tends to be more of a sticking problem when recipes have fruit.
- Cream the butter, add oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla and applesauce. Mix well.
- Put the dry ingredients in a separate bowl and whisk to mix.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix to blend.
- Fold in the grated apples, lemon zest and nuts.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Let cool in pans 10 minutes then turn out.
- As I assembled my cake layers, I added another layer of flavor with a very thinly spread coating of caramel. I used store bought. I spread the top of each layer with a very thin layer before spreading my cream cheese filling. After assembling, I frosted the cake with cream cheese frosting and drizzled with additional caramel sauce. *I have also made this cake as a bundt cake, and as cupcakes with great results!
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cut the butter into slices and add to the bowl of your mixer. Beat on low to medium speed until the butter is softened and smooth.
- Cut the cold cream cheese into pieces and add to the butter, beating at low to medium speed until incorporated. If you are using a hand mixer you may need to soften the cream cheese a bit more.
- Add the vanilla. Gradually add the powdered sugar beating on low speed until blended. Cover the bowl with a towel to keep down the cloud of powdered sugar.
- Increase mixing speed and beat until fluffy. Don't over beat or it will become too soft. If it becomes too soft, just refrigerate a short while to firm it up a bit.
- This frosting will pipe best if used while still chilled. You can make it in advance, refrigerate and when ready to use let it soften slightly (do not microwave) and remix.
Can I fondant this cake?.
Looks beautiful and sounds delicious,can't wait to try it! Thanks for sharing.
Hi Peggy, yes, I think it will be fine to use fondant
Hi LeAnne, thanks for posting your comment.
Sounds YUMMY!
My mom turned 88 on November, 6th,the day you posted the recipe. I was out of town on her birthday, and she told me that all she wanted from me was a homemade spice cake, when I returned. I have been searching for the perfect recipe, while I've been away, and I have found it in this one. I am going to the store, now, for a couple Granny Smith's. Can't wait for her to try it! Thanks so much!
Hi Laura, Wonderful, I hope she loves it. Happy Birthday to your mom!!
I am planning to make the turkey cake for Thanksgiving. Would this recipe be suitable for carving? Looks delicious and I was thinking of serving carmel sauce"gravy" on the side.
Hi Sharon, I love the idea of the caramel "gravy"! :0)
This recipe should work fine for a roasted turkey cake since there is not a huge amount of carving involved, although I would still carve while the layers are partially frozen to simplify things. Let us know how it goes!
Hello,
very nice ingredients and recipe to make a very fantastic cake. I totally liked it. Awesome..!!
Designer birthday cakes pune
Thanks!!
manish
Hi Manish, Thank you for your review of the recipe, we are happy that you like it.
This looks absolutely delicious. I'm sure to make this one.
Mellissa can I make this cake ahead of time and freeze it? I have Thanksgiving at my house and wanted to make this cake but with everything else I am doing I just am not sure if I would have the energy. So can I bake the layers about 3 weeks before Thanksgiving and freeze them? Than take it out of the freezer and prepare for decorating just a couple days before Thanksgiving? Just wasn't sure how the apples would react to the freezing. Also (maybe a silly question) peel the apples first? Thank you
Marlene