Apple Cake with Salted Caramel Frosting
Tender apple-studded layers meet rich, buttery salted caramel frosting in this irresistible fall dessert. It’s a cozy, crowd-pleasing cake that captures everything you love about apple season—warm spices, sweet-tart fruit, and a hint of indulgence.
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 35 mins
- Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins
- Yield: 24 slices 1x
Ingredients
Apple Cake:
6 cups cake flour or 5 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour + ⅔ cup cornstarch
3 tsp baking powder
1 ½ tsp baking soda
2 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
3 cups unsalted butter, softened
4 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 tbsp vanilla extract
2 cups whole milk
3 cups diced green apple (from 4 large peeled Granny Smiths)
Salted Caramel Frosting:
1 cup brown sugar
4 tbsp water
⅔ cup heavy cream
2 tbsp vanilla extract
2 ½ tsp salt
2 cups unsalted butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
Preheat Oven: 350°F (175°C). Grease and line two 9×13-inch pans or four 9-inch rounds.
Make Cake Batter: Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Alternate adding flour mixture and milk until combined. Fold in diced apples.
Bake: Divide batter evenly between pans. Bake for 30–35 mins or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.
Make Caramel Base: In a saucepan, simmer brown sugar and water until dissolved. Stir in cream, vanilla, and salt. Cool slightly.
Make Frosting: Beat butter until fluffy. Gradually beat in cooled caramel, then powdered sugar until smooth.
Assemble: Frost cooled cakes and serve.
Nutrition
- Calories: ~450
- Sugar: 38g
- Fat: 25g
- Carbohydrates: 52g
- Protein: 3g