Caramel Apple Spice Cake

5 from 2 votes

Caramel Apple Spice Cake

If you’re in the market for a dense, moist, fall-flavored dessert, look no further than my Salted Caramel Apple Spice Cake! Deeply spiced with cardamom and nutmeg, topped with a caramel cream cheese frosting, and drizzled with a homemade salted caramel sauce, this ridiculously decadent cake recipe is the perfect way to usher in sweater weather.

Prep Time1

Cook Time35

Total Time1 35

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: Slices

Calories: 586kcal

Author: Emily Laurae

Equipment

Ingredients

Salted Caramel

1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
¾ cups heavy cream
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
½ teaspoon sea salt

Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting

¼ Cup unsalted butter room temperature
¼ Cup cream cheese room temperature
2 Cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ Cup salted caramel room temperature

Apple Spice cake

½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
¾ cup brown sugar
¼ cup honey
2 eggs large
¼ teaspoon vanilla paste or vanilla extract
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon allspice
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon cardamom
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups chopped apples into cubes about one apple
whole spices & dried citrus and apples to garnish

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Salted Caramel

Pour the sugar into a saucepan, and over medium-high heat allow the sugar to slowly melt and eventually shift in color to a deep amber-brown color. Make sure you continue to stir the sugar every minute or so in order to prevent it from burning!
1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
Add the cream and butter to the sugar – expect the ingredients to bubble and foam for about 30 seconds or so. Then, over low heat, continue to melt down any large bits of caramel. Do this until the mixture is completely fluid and smooth before removing it from heat and adding salt.
¾ cups heavy cream , 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, ½ teaspoon sea salt
Pour caramel into a glass container and allow to cool before adding to buttercream.

Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip the butter and cream cheese on high until light and fluffy, about 5-6 minutes, scraping down the bowl and paddle every couple minutes. Turn the mixer to low and add the powdered sugar, scraping down the bowl while adding the vanilla.
¼ Cup unsalted butter, ¼ Cup cream cheese, 2 Cups powdered sugar , 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
With the mixer still on low, add the salted caramel, mixing until fully combined.
¼ Cup salted caramel

Apple Spice Cake

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease/line an 8inch cake pan with parchment paper
Combine and sift all your dry ingredients - flour, baking soda, baking powder, ground cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, ground cardamom and salt in a medium-sized bowl and set aside.
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon allspice, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, ½ teaspoon cardamom, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking powder
Add the butter and sugar into a large bowl and beat together until light in color and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes, scraping down the sides twice during this process.
½ cup unsalted butter, ¾ cup brown sugar
Add the eggs one at a time, then the honey and vanilla while scraping the bowl making sure ingredients are mixed well.
2 eggs, ¼ cup honey
Add the eggs one at a time, then the honey and vanilla while scraping the bowl making sure ingredients are mixed well.
¼ cup honey, 2 eggs, ¼ teaspoon vanilla paste
Add dry ingredients into the wets, and mix until just combined. Finally add chopped apples, gently stirring to incorporate.
1 ½ cups chopped apples into cubes
Pour batter into the greased 8-inch cake pan and bake for 40-45 minutes. If the cake starts to brown too quickly, cover the top of the cake with foil! Make sure to check that the cake is fully baked with a toothpick before removing it from the oven and allowing it to cool completely before assembling.

Assembly

Add as much of your caramel cream cheese frosting on top of the cake and spread evenly. Utilizing a spoon or an offset spatula, create swirls and swoops to your liking into the buttercream!
Add the decoration of your liking on top! I added a couple different layers of toppings, starting with dried layered fruits along with whole spices for a pleasing aesthetic.
whole spices & dried citrus and apples to garnish

Notes

Expert Tips

Allow the caramel to cool completely before making the cream cheese frosting. If you have ever broken a sauce or a salad dressing before, you know what a bummer it is. Don’t waste your hard work - just give the caramel time to cool to room temp before working it into the (meltable) butter and cream cheese frosting.

Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting it. Frosting a warm cake is recipe for disaster; give your spice cake ample time to cool before assembling your show stopper. To make the process move along faster, allow the cake to cool in the tin for about 10 minutes before inverting it onto a cooling rack. It should be good to go in about 30-40 minutes after removing from the oven.

Feel free to break it into smaller tasks. Baking is supposed to be fun and therapeutic, not stressful! If you’re feeling overwhelmed, break the recipe down into smaller tasks ahead of time. The salted caramel can easily be made up to about 10 days in advance, and the cake can be made and frozen up to a month ahead of time.
Add a round of parchment as extra protection. Yes, I know that you have already greased the pan. Adding parchment will add extra insurance that none of the good bits get stuck to the pan and ensure that your final product looks professional.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this cake in advance? You sure can! Salted caramel sauce will refrigerate beautifully for well over a week. The spiced apple cake can also be made, cooled, wrapped well in plastic and a ziptop bag and frozen for up to a month.
Can I turn this recipe into cupcakes? I love this idea, especially for potlucks and buffets. No knives = less mess! That said, you will need to adjust your baking time *down*; I’d start checking for doneness around the 16 minute mark. I also suggest that you use cupcake liners to keep the apples from sticking to the pan. Otherwise, follow the recipe as written! This 8in cake recipe should yield between 10-12 cupcakes.
Can I make this dairy free? Absolutely! Swap coconut cream for the heavy cream, and use your favorite plant based butter and cream cheese substitutes.
Are there any shortcuts I can use? If you’re short on time, feel free to start with store-bought salted caramel. You can also opt to use either pumpkin pie or apple pie spice in place of the 4 separate spices listed. Finally, feel free to reach for a bag of apple chips as a lovely garnish - that way you can avoid the step of drying out your own apple and citrus slices.
What should I do with leftover frosting and/or caramel sauce? Friends, I can tell you with all honesty that there is very rarely any frosting or caramel left in my house after making this cake. However, if you show more restraint than me, then kudos to you - you have more tastiness in store! The cream cheese frosting makes for a tasty fruit dip (best served with graham crackers, of course), and the salted caramel can be drizzled over everything from ice cream sundaes and breakfast waffles or stirred into your morning cup of coffee.

Nutrition