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Caramel Apple Cake

Caramel apple cake with tender apple-studded layers and smooth caramel cream cheese frosting. Baked until a toothpick tests clean, then frosted between layers and finished with caramel drizzle.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the cake
  • 2.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp nutmeg
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 1 lb butter, softened
  • 1.5 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 2 cup apples, finely diced
For caramel cream cheese frosting
  • 8 oz cream cheese
  • 0.25 cup butter
  • 0.25 cup caramel sauce
  • 3 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
Extra caramel
  • 1 extra caramel for drizzling

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and bake the cake
  1. Preheat oven to 350F and grease two 9-inch round pans so the batter releases cleanly. Place one pan ready on a sheet pan for easier handling.
  2. Whisk all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a bowl until evenly combined, with no visible spice clumps. Keep the mixture at room temperature.
  3. Beat butter and brown sugar until very fluffy, then beat in eggs one at a time and mix in vanilla. Stop to scrape the sides for an even batter.
  4. Alternate adding the flour mixture and sour cream to the batter, mixing just until incorporated. Fold in diced apples until the pieces are evenly distributed.
  5. Divide the batter between the two prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake at 350F for 50-55 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool and frost
  1. Cool the cakes completely before frosting so the layers don’t melt the filling. Aim for room temperature throughout.
  2. Beat cream cheese until smooth, then beat in butter, caramel sauce, powdered sugar, and vanilla until the frosting is creamy. Stop when it spreads easily with no lumps.
  3. Frost between the cake layers and spread frosting over the top. Drizzle extra caramel across the top for a glossy finish.

Notes

Pro tip: dice the apples finely and fold them in gently to keep the crumb moist without overmixing. Store assembled cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; let it come to room temperature before serving. Freezing is not recommended because the frosting texture can change after thawing. For a lighter swap, use reduced-fat cream cheese in the frosting while keeping the caramel sauce quantity the same.