Caramel Apple Layer Cake with Caramel Frosting

overhead shot of caramel apple cake with two slices on white plates

Caramel Apple Layer Cake with Caramel Frosting

The ultimate Caramel Apple Layer Cake! This cake is moist, perfectly sweet, and absolutely delicious. Every bite is genuinely like eating a caramel apple! SO. GOOD.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 45

Total Time: 1 15

Servings: slices

Calories: 858kcal

Ingredients

Apple Cake

3 cups grated apple patted dry
3 Tablespoons corn starch
3 cups all purpose flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
1 cup brown sugar packed
½ cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs room temperature
1 cup buttermilk room temperature
½ cup applesauce
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

Caramel Sauce

1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup heavy cream
⅓ cup corn syrup
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ cup boiled apple cider
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt

Caramel Buttercream

2¼ cups salted butter room temperature
6 cups powdered sugar sifted
⅛ cup caramel sauce
2 Tablespoons heavy cream

Instructions

Apple Cake

Heat oven to 350℉/177℃.
Spray 3 eight-inch cake pans with baking spray. Set aside.
Toss apples with corn starch. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk buttermilk, applesauce, and vanilla together. Set aside.
With an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. (You may need to scrape the sides of the bowl down occasionally.)
Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
Stir cornstarch-coated grated apples into the batter until evenly distributed.
Divide batter evenly among the three prepared cake pans.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a cake tester (or toothpick) inserted in the center comes out clean and the sides start to pull away from the pan.

Caramel Sauce

In a heavy saucepan, combine sugar, cream, corn syrup, butter, and boiled cider.
Cook over medium heat, stirring continually, until sugar melts.
Brush the sides of the saucepan with a pastry brush dipped in warm water to keep the sugar from crystalizing on the sides of the pot.
Continue cooking until mixture reaches 235℉/113℃ on a candy thermometer.
Remove from heat.
Stir in cinnamon.

Caramel Buttercream

Beat butter with an electric mixer until creamy.
Add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each.
Beat until fluffy and smooth, about 1-2 minutes.
Mix in caramel sauce.
Stir in cream in small amounts until desired spreading consistency.

Assembly

Place one cake layer on cake plate.
Spread with a layer of frosting.
Top with second layer.
Frost.
Add third layer.
Spread remaining frosting over entire cake.
Top with remaining caramel sauce.
Decorate as desired.

Notes

Best Apples to Use

Fresh, firm apples are ideal for baking! Avoid any apples that feel soft or mealy. For the best flavor, use a mix of tart and sweet apples. We usually reach for Granny Smith, but we’ve also made this cake with a blend of varieties and it’s equally delicious.

Tart apples we love for baking: Granny Smith, Gala, and Macintosh
Sweet apples we love for baking: Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, and Fuji

How To Store

Once assembled, this cake should be refrigerated. It’s a very moist cake, so it won’t keep long at room temperature. To freeze, place the whole cake in the freezer until solid (a few hours or overnight). Once firm, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store on a freezer-safe tray.

You can also freeze individual slices—wrap each in plastic and store in a freezer-safe bag.

If you’d like to bake ahead, the cake layers freeze beautifully! Just wrap them well and freeze until you’re ready to assemble.

Can I use a different oil or reduce the amount?
We found that vegetable oil gives this cake the best texture and crumb. You can swap it for another neutral oil, like canola, if you prefer. Melted refined coconut oil also works well (refined has very little coconut flavor), but make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature—otherwise, the coconut oil can start to solidify. We don’t recommend using melted butter or reducing the oil, as this cake is specifically formulated for the use of oil and the amount of oil listed in the recipe card
A note on Boiled Cider: If you don’t have any, it is a very simple thing to make. You just need to reduce a gallon (or jug, whatever you have) down by half. If you would like a full recipe and guide, you can check out our boiled cider recipe!
Can I make this as a bundt cake?: Try our recipe for spiced apple bundt cake with caramel drizzle instead!
What about cupcakes?: Check out our apple cupcakes instead. Finish them with a drizzle of caramel for that delicious caramel-apple flavor!

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