Say hello to apple season with this moist and soft apple cake with caramel cream cheese frosting! This spice cake is filled with grated apples and buttermilk, keeping it extra moist and tender. The cake is filled with homemade salted caramel sauce and then covered in the best caramel cream cheese frosting. This simple apple cake is one you'll make over and over every fall!
As a certified fall lover, you know I love an apple recipe. While I love a classic homemade apple pie, I knew I needed a simple and easy apple cake recipe.
When testing this recipe, I decided to use my tried-and-true vanilla cake recipe. The buttermilk in this cake keeps it super soft and moist, but I slightly decreased it so the cake wouldn't end up too gummy and added grated apples.
During my first cake test, I found the cake was too wet, so I squeezed out the extra water from the grated apples!
I love a cream cheese frosting (don't we all), but I don't love a super runny buttercream. So I used a whipped cream-based cream cheese frosting and added my all-time favorite salted caramel sauce, though you could swap that out for store-bought caramel.
Simple Fall Ingredients
- Neutral oil will keep the cake extra moist and soft! Think vegetable oil or canola oil, you don't want anything with a strong taste or smell.
- Ground spices like cinnamon will give us all the fall flavors.
- I've tested this recipe with Braeburn apples, but you could also use Pink Lady apples.
Pro tip
Grating Apples
Have no fear, you don't need to drag out the food processor to grate your apples! I used the largest holes on my box grater and carefully grated them. I then placed the grated apples on a paper towel and squeeze out excess liquid into the sink.
Combine butter, sugars, and oil until light and fluffy.
Add eggs one at a time along with vanilla.
Add the dry ingredients and buttermilk.
Stir in the grated apples.
Bake in the oven.
Once cool, fill the cake with cream cheese frosting and salted caramel sauce.
Decorating Your Apple Cake
Here are a few tips for decorating your apple layer cake!
- I recommend creating a barrier between the salted caramel sauce and the outer edges of the cake; otherwise, it will leak out (especially if your kitchen is on the warm side!). You can pipe out a circle of cream cheese frosting on the edge of the cake, then add in your caramel sauce.
- Want to decorate with apple slices? Thinly slice apples, then place in a bowl of water with 1 teaspoon of salt. Stir the water so the salt dissolves and leave the apple slices in there for 5 minutes.
Made This Recipe?
Make sure to leave a ⭐️ rating and review below! You can tag me on Instagram @alpineella or follow along on Pinterest, Facebook and TikTok!
Thank you!
Ella
Recipe
Moist Apple Cake with Caramel Frosting
Ingredients
Apple Cake
- ⅓ cup (75 grams) unsalted butter room temperature
- ¼ cup (50 ml) neutral oil
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons (225 grams) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100 grams) packed light brown sugar
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 2¼ cups (270 grams) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup + 1 tablespoon (130 ml) buttermilk room temperature
- 2 ½ cups (250 grams) apple grated
Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting
- ⅔ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup (200 grams) heavy cream cold
- 1 ½ cups (340 grams) cream cheese cold
- ¾ cup (180 grams) caramel sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease and line two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and oil. Beat on medium-high for 3-5 minutes, until light and fluffy.⅓ cup (75 grams) unsalted butter, ¼ cup (50 ml) neutral oil, 1 cup + 2 tablespoons (225 grams) granulated sugar, ½ cup (100 grams) packed light brown sugar
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla.4 large eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, 2¼ cups (270 grams) all-purpose flour, 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- With the mixer on low, add third of the dry ingredients, followed by half of the buttermilk, repeat once more and finish with the remaining dry ingredients. Mix just until combined.½ cup + 1 tablespoon (130 ml) buttermilk
- Grate the apples on the largest hole on your box grated. Measure them out, then wring out excess moisture with a paper towel. Fold in the grated apples by hand using a rubber spatula.2 ½ cups (250 grams) apple
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
- In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, or a large bowl with a handheld mixer, whisk the heavy cream, salt, sugar and vanilla on medium-low for 2 minutes. The sugar needs to have completely dissolved.⅔ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, 1 cup (200 grams) heavy cream
- Increase the speed to high and whisk for 2 minutes, until it looks very thick like Greek yogurt.
- While the mixer is running on a low speed, add the cream cheese a tablespoon at a time. Turn off the mixer, and scrape the entire bowl to make sure no cream cheese is left on the side. Add ½ cup of caramel sauce (the remaining caramel will be used to fill the cake!) Turn the speed to high, and whip for 3 minutes until smooth.1 ½ cups (340 grams) cream cheese , 0.5 cup (118.98 grams) caramel sauce
- Place one cake layer down on your cake plate. Spread some of the cream cheese frosting on top to make a thin layer. Fill a piping bag with frosting and pipe a 'dam' around the edge of the cake - this will stop the caramel from leaking out! Spread the remaining ¼ cup of caramel on top.0.25 cup (61.02 grams) caramel sauce
- Place the second cake layer on top. Cover with the remaining frosting and enjoy!
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