Caramel Apple Cake

*If you are new here, WELCOME! For this post, I provide you with a delicious recipe for Caramel Apple Cake!

Caramel Apple Cake - The Perfect Fall Dessert
Caramel Apple Cake – The Perfect Fall Dessert

Whether it’s fall, winter, or the middle of summer, nothing beats a slice of spice cake, a warm cup of coffee, and good discussion with your closest friends. That includes your book club!

This spice cake made with apples, cinnamon, nutmeg, and pecans is comforting and delicious.

The addition of the caramel icing on the cake adds a depth of flavor and a sweetness that compliments the spice nicely and brings out the tartness of the Granny Smith apples (just like a caramel apple).

Cooked in a Bundt pan, the cake forms a nice crust on the outside while remaining soft on the inside—my favorite.

Fall is my favorite time to curl up with a good book, a cozy blanket, and a special treat. This Caramel Apple Cake is the perfect compliment to my reading time. Indulgent, full of apples, and drizzled with caramel, there’s nothing that says “It’s Fall!” like this dessert.

Caramel Apple Cake - The Perfect Fall Dessert
Caramel Apple Cake – The Perfect Fall Dessert

Here’s what you’ll need for the recipe:

A quick list of equipment –

Tips for Apple Cake with Honey Bourbon Glaze:

The good news about this cake is that it’s fairly simple to create.

When shopping for apples for this cake, I recommend buying Granny Smiths (green apples). They are tart in flavor and the perfect balance to the cake’s spice and the sweet caramel icing. Dice the apples small enough for them to be in every bite of the cake.

The most important thing about making this cake is to cook it until it is completely done so that it doesn’t fall in once cooled. (See my failed attempt tips below!)

Check doneness by inserting a toothpick into the middle of the cake and removing from the oven only when the toothpick comes out clean. The outside will be golden brown, but it may not be done so be sure to test with the toothpick.

When the cake is done, allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a cake stand or serving dish to continue cooling.

Drizzle the caramel on once the cake is cooled, but not before. If the cake is too warm, the glaze will thin too much from the heat.  

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Caramel Apple Cake - The Perfect Fall Dessert
Caramel Apple Cake – The Perfect Fall Dessert

Bundt Cake Failure:

Alright, I hate to admit it, but I’ve had my share of bundt cake and tube pan cake disasters. My oven is about 25 degrees off, so I have to get things just right to avoid said disasters.

More cakes than I’d like to admit have been undercooked or fallen in or STUCK to the pan. SIGH.

If you’re cooking in a bundt or tube pan, be sure to thoroughly grease and flour the pan. Pam makes a spray specific for baking, as does Baker’s Joy. These always help tremendously.

Pam for Baking
Baker’s Joy

Sometimes things just stick though.

There’s nothing worse than taking the time to bake a cake and then realizing the result is a mess of a thing that you couldn’t possible show up to any party with.

My first attempt at this cake stuck to the pan, resulting in the cake looking like a two-year-old had clawed it to pieces. It still tasted delicious though.

For cakes like these with icing, don’t throw them out. Crumble up the mess of cake and place it into a 9 X 13 baking pan. If it’s underdone, bake it for 15 more minutes in the new pan. Then proceed with the recipe–topping with icing and nuts.

It still tastes great and now everyone will think it’s a crumble cake.

Day saved. Sanity in check.

Caramel Apple Cake - The Perfect Fall Dessert
Caramel Apple Cake – The Perfect Fall Dessert
Caramel Apple Cake - The Perfect Fall Dessert

Caramel Apple Cake

The perfect fall dessert, this caramel apple cake is all the deliciousness of the treat baked into a beautiful cake! Made with cinnamon, nutmeg, apples, pecans and a spot-on caramel, you'll love this one!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12
Calories 667 kcal

Equipment

  • Bundt pan

Ingredients
  

For the cake:

  • 1 ½ cups vegetable oil
  • 1 ½ cups sugar
  • ½ cup brown sugar packed
  • 3 eggs
  • 3 cups flour
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 3 ½ cups apples diced (about 4-5 medium apples)
  • 1 cup pecans chopped
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract

For the caramel icing:

  • ½ cup brown sugar packed
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream
  • ¼ cup butter
  • 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • ½ cup pecans chopped (optional)

Instructions
 

For the cake:

  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
  • Mix the oil and the sugars together in a large bowl.
  • Add the eggs, one at a time to the sugar mix. Stirring after each.
  • In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Mix well.
  • Add the dry mix to the batter and mix well until the flour is completely incorporated.
  • Fold in the diced apples (peeled and core removed), chopped pecans, and vanilla.
  • Grease and flour (or use a baker’s spray) a Bundt pan.
  • Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes, then check with toothpick. Add an additional 15 minutes if needed.
  • Remove from oven and cool for 15 minutes, then turn out onto prepared surface.

For the caramel:

  • In a glass bowl, microwave the butter for about 30 seconds until partially melted.
  • Add the heavy cream and the brown sugar and stir well.
  • Microwave the mix for about 1 minute more, stopping after each 30 second interval to stir. Stop when all is melted and begins to resemble caramel.
  • Cool the mix.
  • Add in the confectioners’ sugar, mixing until completely dissolved.
  • Drizzle over cooled cake.
  • Sprinkle additional pecans on top. (optional)
Keyword Cake, caramel apple cake, caramel apple dessert, caramel apple fall cake, fall cake with apples, fall cake with caramel

I hope you enjoy this fall treat! Let me know what you think of this delicious Apple Caramel Cake!

Until next time, Happy Eating and Reading!

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