Description
This Apple Spice Cake with Caramel Icing is a moist, flavorful dessert featuring diced apples and warming spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. It’s topped with a rich homemade caramel icing or frosting that perfectly complements the spiced cake. Ideal for fall gatherings or any time you crave a comforting sweet treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Ingredients
- 3 cups cake flour, sifted
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1½ tsp cinnamon
- ¾ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 10 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
- 3 cups diced apples
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 3 eggs, room temperature
Caramel Icing Ingredients
- ½ cup butter
- 1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
- ¼ cup milk, any variety
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
Caramel Frosting Ingredients
- Caramel Icing (prepared as above)
- 1¼ cups powdered sugar, sifted
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pans: Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Grease and flour two 8 or 9 inch round pans, or one 9×13-inch pan.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Sift the cake flour and measure 3 cups into a large bowl. Add the sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt, then whisk to combine evenly.
- Cream Wet Ingredients: In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the brown sugar, butter, applesauce, and buttermilk for 2 minutes until smooth.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Add the eggs and vanilla extract to the mixer bowl and beat for another 2 minutes.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix until the batter is smooth and well combined.
- Fold in Apples: Gently fold the diced apples into the batter by hand to distribute evenly.
- Bake the Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake round pans for 25 to 30 minutes, or a 9×13 pan for 30 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Cool the Cake: Let the round pans cool for at least 15 minutes, then run a knife around the edges and turn the cakes onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make Caramel Icing: In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Add brown sugar and bring to a boil, boiling for exactly 2 minutes while stirring continuously. Add milk and bring back to a boil. Remove from heat immediately. Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Spread on the cooled cake.
- Make Caramel Frosting (Optional): Once the caramel icing is cooled, transfer it to an electric mixer bowl and add 1¼ cups powdered sugar. Beat until spreading consistency is reached, adding a little milk if too thick. Frost the cooled cake or refrigerate covered until ready to use.
Notes
- Use either two 8-inch round pans for taller layers or one 9×13 pan for a single layer cake.
- Bring eggs and butter to room temperature before mixing to ensure smooth batter.
- Sift cake flour before measuring to aerate and prevent too dense a cake.
- Sift powdered sugar before making icing or frosting to avoid lumps.
- Make caramel icing as soon as cake is done; it will be ready to spread by the time cake cools (about 15–20 minutes).
- If icing cools too much and hardens, gently warm it to spread easily.
- Caramel frosting can be prepared ahead and refrigerated until needed; stir well before using.
- The cake can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days, covered.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 30 g
- Sodium: 220 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
