This caramel apple cake is the epitome of fall - an impossibly moist spice cake, sun-ripened apples, nutty brown butter frosting and a rich swirl of caramel. Best of all, this easy snack cake is perfect for a quick weeknight bake to share or keep all to yourself. Shhhh, we won't tell.
Growing up in rural Oregon, one of my favorite signs of fall was the ripening of the apricots, plums and apples. But mostly, I looked forward to all the delicious bakes I knew would follow (hello cranberry apple crisp and Norwegian apple cake).
And while I'd tell you al of my apple recipes are delicious, this caramel apple cake may be my favorite.
What makes it so special? Three things:
- Moist apple-bespeckled cake
- BROWNED BUTTER FROSTING (Caps lock necessary)
- A generous swirl of caramel
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Ingredients
Below you'll find helpful tips as well as some of the baking science behind key ingredients. A full list of ingredients and their corresponding measurements is available in the recipe card.
Apple cake
- Milk: I use whole milk as it's what we tend to have on hand, but 2% or even 1% would produce a similarly good cake. I would avoid skim milk.
- Sour cream: This is one of my favorite cake hacks as it adds moisture, a subtle tang and creates a tender, fine crumb.
- Baking powder and baking soda: We're using both in this recipe because baking soda neutralizes the flavor of acids and we want to preserve some of that sour cream tang.
- Brown sugar: Adds moisture and caramel undertones that will complement the caramel on the frosting.
- Cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg: Give the cake a delicious, fall spice flavor.
- Oil: Adds moisture to the cake. I prefer oil over butter because it makes for a loftier cake with a more even crumb that lasts longer.
- Apple: Firm apples that won't break down during the baking process work best. We prefer a sweeter apple like a Honeycrisp or Braeburn.
Frosting
- Butter: A high-quality butter with a high percentage of fat will lead to a richer, deeper browned butter flavor. Be sure to let it solidify before making the frosting.
- Powdered sugar: Adds sweetness and makes for a velvety smooth frosting.
- Milk: Ensures the frosting is smooth and not too dense. Any milk (except skim) will work.
Working ahead
The cake can be baked, warped in plastic wrap and refrigerated for 2-3 days or frozen for up to three months. Thaw overnight or frost frozen.
The browned butter can be made and refrigerated in an air-tight container for 1-2 weeks.
The frosting can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days or frozen for up to three months. Bring to room temperature and whip for a few minutes before using.
Prefer to watch the process?
How to make this caramel apple cake
First, prepare the apple.
Peel, quarter and thinly slice your apple (about ¼" slices).
Since we'll be baking the apple, you don't need to worry if it browns slightly between this step and the oven.
Second, make the batter.
Whip the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add the dry ingredients in two parts alternating with the wet ingredients in one part.
Pour into an 8" x 8" pan, top with apple and bake at 350F for 40-45 minutes.
Third, make the frosting.
Place the butter in a large pot (something with plenty of room for stirring) and cook over low-medium heat until golden. Cool to room temperature.
Combine the powdered sugar and butter, beating until smooth. Add a few tablespoons of milk to thin as needed.
Finally, assemble the cake.
Once the cake has cooled completely, remove it from the pan. Spread the browned butter frosting evenly over the top using an offset spatula.
Drizzle with caramel sauce, using an offset spatula or spoon to swirl it.
Expert tips
- Testing for doneness: Although tempting to wait until the toothpick comes out completely clean, doing so will likely lead to over-baking your cake. Instead, you want your toothpick to come out without any raw batter and with some cooked crumbs still clinging to it.
- Doneness of browned butter: You know your butter is adequately browned when it develops brown flecks and a nutty smell.
- Salvaging overcooked browned butter: Should you overcook your butter, you can pour it through a strainer to remove the burned flecks.
More cake sizes
Need this cake in another size? Here's how to scale this recipe:
- Round pan: Bake in a 9" round pan (preferably springform for easy removal) until a toothpick comes out most clean (40-45 minutes). This recipe does not need to be scaled for this pan size.
- Sheet cake: If you need more cake, simply double the recipe and bake it in a 9″x13″ at 350F adding 5-15 minutes to the bake time.
Storage
This cake can be kept in an air tight container in the refrigerator and is best when eaten within 2-3 days.
More fall cakes
Need more fall cakes in your life? Here are a few of my other favorites:
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below! I regularly update these posts and feedback from wonderful readers like you help me make them better.
Recipe
Caramel Apple Snack Cake with Browned Butter Frosting
This caramel apple cake is the epitome of fall - an impossibly moist spice cake, sun-ripened apples, nutty brown butter frosting and a rich swirl of caramel.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 12
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 medium apple, peeled and sliced
- 2 eggs
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup oil
- ⅓ cup milk
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ⅓ cup all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ginger
For the frosting:
- 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoon milk
- ¼ cup caramel sauce
Instructions
- Peel and thinly slice one apple.
- In a bowl, whip the eggs, brown sugar and granulated sugar on high until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes).
- Combine the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another.
- Starting with the dry ingredients and alternating between wet and dry, add your ingredients to the egg/sugar mixture, whisking until just incorporated for each addition.
- Pour the batter into a parchment paper lined 8"x8" square cake pan.
- Layer the apple slices on top of the batter.
- Bake at 350F for 40-45 minutes.
- In a small pan, cook the butter on low-medium until it browns.
- Pour into a bowl and allow to cool to room temperature.
- Add the powdered sugar to the browned butter and beat on high until smooth.
- If the frosting is too thick, add 2-3 tablespoons of milk to the frosting to thin it out.
- Spoon the frosting onto the top of the cooled cake and spread into an even layer.
- Drizzle caramel sauce over the frosting and swirl.
Notes
- Testing for doneness: Although tempting to wait until the toothpick comes out completely clean, doing so will likely lead to over-baking your cake. Instead, you want your toothpick to come out without any raw batter and with some cooked crumbs still clinging to it.
- Doneness of browned butter: You know your butter is adequately browned when it develops brown flecks and a nutty smell.
- Salvaging overcooked browned butter: Should you overcook your butter, you can pour it through a strainer to remove the burned flecks.
- Storage: This cake can be kept in an air tight container in the refrigerator and is best when eaten within 2-3 days.
- Making this cake for a crowd: If you need more cake, simply double the recipe and bake it in a 9″x13″ at 350F adding 5-15 minutes to the bake time.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 317
- Sugar: 19.7g
- Sodium: 174mg
- Fat: 18.8g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Carbohydrates: 35.6g
- Fiber: 0.6g
- Protein: 2.9g
- Cholesterol: 50mg
Sue says
This sounds perfect!