Name: Moist Caramel Apple Cake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 1¾ cups all-purpose flour; 3 tbsps cornstarch; 1¼ tsps baking powder; ¼ tsp baking soda; ¼ tsp salt; 1¾ tsps ground cinnamon; 1 tsp ground ginger (powdered not fresh); ⅛ tsp ground cloves; ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg; 1½ cups finely shredded apples (About 1½ to 2 medium apples. Any baking apple will work (Royal Gala, Jazz, Honey Crisp, etc.)); 1 cup soft light brown sugar (firmly packed (see note 1)); 2 large eggs (room temperature); ¾ cup unflavoured vegetable oil (I use canola); ¼ cup whole milk (room temperature); 1½ tsps vanilla extract/essence; 2 medium apples; ¼ cup unsalted butter; 3 tbsps white granulated sugar; 3 tbsps soft light brown sugar; ½ cup heavy cream; ½ tsp vanilla extract/essence; ⅛ tsp salt (omit if using salted butter)

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If you love cozy fall desserts, you NEED to try this simple caramel apple cake! It’s SO moist and tender, packed with fresh apples, warm cinnamon, ginger, and a hint of nutmeg. The cake is topped with sliced apples and finished with a generous drizzle of warm caramel sauce, making every bite sweet, spiced, and SO delicious.

Developing This Recipe

This recipe ended up looking pretty different from my original idea! When I first tested it, I used chopped apples mixed into the batter (like my Apple Muffins) and drizzled the caramel sauce over the top. It tasted great, but I wasn’t completely sold on how it looked (my cake testers thought it looked a little interesting too 😅). I can be a little pedantic about how my desserts look (even though taste always comes first!), but I do think presentation adds to the whole experience.

So I decided to switch things up and arrange thinly sliced apples over the top of the cake instead (which is now my favorite thing about this cake!). I wanted something similar to the pretty fruit patterns you see on upside-down cakes, but without actually making an upside-down cake. Since the caramel is meant to be drizzled over the cake rather than baked into it, I wanted those beautiful apples to be front and centre. I also love that you can look at this cake and immediately know it’s an apple cake!

For the base, I used the same recipe as my Layered Spiced Apple Cake, which uses finely shredded apples in the batter. This keeps the cake SO moist while giving it a lovely, even crumb that’s easy to slice without big chunks of apple getting in the way.

Baking Tip 🍎

For the best texture, finely shred the apples rather than chopping them into chunks. They blend into the batter beautifully, keeping the cake SO moist while giving it an even crumb that’s easy to slice!

And of course, we NEED the caramel! I took inspiration from the sauces in my Sticky Toffee Pudding and Molasses Cake recipes. Rather than covering the whole cake in caramel, I decided to serve it over individual slices. You can absolutely drizzle it over the entire cake if you prefer, but I love keeping the apple pattern visible and letting everyone add as much or as little caramel as they like!

A quick note on the caramel: This sauce contains brown sugar, so technically, it sits somewhere between a caramel and a butterscotch sauce. However, most caramel apple cake recipes use the term caramel, as that’s what people associate with this type of dessert! These days, caramel is often used to describe a ‘caramel flavor’ rather than the specific technique used to make the sauce. You might even hear pastry chefs call this type of sauce a shortcut caramel or cheat caramel!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

SO moist and tender: The shredded apples in the cake batter keep it incredibly moist without making the cake heavy.

Packed with warm spices: Cinnamon, ginger, cloves and a hint of nutmeg give this cake that cozy fall flavor.

Beautiful but still simple: The sliced apples on top make the cake look extra special without adding any complicated decorating.

That caramel sauce! The warm caramel takes this apple cake to the next level and is drizzled over each slice just before serving.

Easy to customize: Add as much or as little caramel as you like, serve with fresh cream, or add chopped pecans or walnuts to the batter or sprinkle them over the top for a little extra texture!

For more apple recipes, check out my spiced apple cake, apple pie and apple crisp!

How to Make Caramel Apple Cake

You can find the full list of ingredients for this caramel apple cake recipe in the recipe card at the end of the blog post (for easy navigation, hit the ‘jump to recipe’ button at the top of the blog post). Here is just a quick visual breakdown of the recipe (recipe video is also provided in the recipe card below).

Caramel Apple Cake

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) conventional and lightly grease an 8×8-inch cake pan. Line the pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides to make it easier to remove the cake later. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, sift together all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg. Whisk until well combined and the spices are evenly distributed throughout the flour. Set aside.

In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together light brown sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, whole milk, vanilla, and finely shredded apple until smooth and well combined.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently fold together using a spatula until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and spread into an even layer. Tap the pan lightly on the counter once to remove any large air bubbles. Set aside.

Core and thinly slice the baking apples into wedges. There is no need to peel them. Arrange the apple slices over the top of the cake batter, fanning them out in different directions and slightly overlapping them to create a pattern (see video for visual demonstration).

Bake for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached.

Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan. Once cooled, carefully run a thin knife around the edges to release the cake, then carefully invert the cake onto a plate or cooling rack before inverting it again so it is right side up.

Once the cake has cooled completely, slice using a sharp knife in a gentle sawing motion. Avoid pressing down too firmly, as this can disturb the apple slices on top.

Maryam’s Tip 🍎

The apple pattern is the star of this cake, so you want to be a little careful when slicing to keep those beautiful apples in place! Allow the cake to cool completely, then use a sharp knife and a gentle sawing motion rather than pressing straight down onto the cake. Similar to when slicing a loaf of fresh, soft bread!

Caramel Sauce

While the cake cools, place a small saucepan over medium heat. Add unsalted butter, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, heavy cream, vanilla, and salt. Stir until well combined.

Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then continue boiling for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the caramel has thickened slightly. The caramel should still be relatively runny so it can easily be poured over the cake while warm.

Baking Tip 🍎

The caramel will thicken as it cools, so cook it until it has thickened slightly but is still easy to pour. If it becomes too thick while cooling, gently warm it again until it reaches your preferred consistency.

Pour the warm caramel sauce over individual slices before serving.

How to Store Caramel Apple Cake

Once the cake has cooled completely, store it in an airtight container or covered cake carrier for up to 2 days. For the best presentation, keep the caramel sauce separate and drizzle it warm over individual slices just before serving.

If you want to keep the cake for longer, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Allow the slices to come to room temperature before serving for the softest crumb, and warm the caramel sauce separately before drizzling.

How to Store the Caramel Sauce: Allow the caramel sauce to cool, then transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 week. It will thicken as it chills, so gently reheat it before serving until it’s smooth and pourable.

Commonly Asked Questions

What are the best apples to use for caramel apple cake?

Firm baking apples work best for this recipe. For this specific recipe I prefer using red apples like Royal Gala or Jazz simply for the ‘look’, though Granny Smith apples are a great option if you prefer a slightly tart flavour to balance the sweetness of the cake and caramel (it’s usually my go-to option for recipes like apple pie and apple crisp where tart apples work really well). I recommend choosing apples that hold their shape well when baked for the prettiest topping.

Do you need to peel apples for apple cake?

No! For this caramel apple cake, there’s no need to peel the apples used for the topping. The skin adds a lovely pop of colour and helps create that beautiful apple pattern. There’s no need to peel the shredded apples in the batter either!

Can I make caramel apple cake ahead of time?

Yes! You can bake the cake a day ahead and let it cool completely before covering and storing it at room temperature. If storing the cake in the fridge, allow it to come to room temperature before serving. I recommend keeping the caramel sauce separate and warming it just before serving. This keeps the apple pattern on top looking beautiful while letting you serve the cake with freshly warmed caramel.

Why is my caramel sauce too thick?

Caramel sauce naturally thickens as it cools. If yours becomes too thick to drizzle, gently reheat it over low heat until it reaches a pourable consistency. If needed, stir in a small splash of cream to loosen it.