Description
A moist and flavorful Apple Spice Cake with warm spices and tender apples, topped with a rich caramel icing or frosting. Perfect for fall gatherings and dessert lovers who enjoy a classic, comforting cake infused with cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Ingredients
- 3 cups cake flour sifted and then measured
- 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)
- 1¼ cups powdered sugar sifted
Instructions
- Prepare Pans and Oven: Preheat 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 mixing bowl. Add white sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt, then whisk to combine.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In an electric mixer bowl, combine brown sugar, butter, applesauce, and buttermilk. Beat for 2 minutes until well blended.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Add eggs and vanilla to the wet mixture and beat for 2 more minutes until smooth.
- Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix until the batter is smooth.
- Fold in Apples: Gently fold the diced apples into the batter by hand to distribute evenly.
- Bake the Cake: Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 25 to 30 minutes for round pans or 30 to 40 minutes for a 9×13 pan, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool the Cake: Cool round pans for at least 15 minutes, then run a knife around the edges and turn cake onto a cooling rack. Cool completely before icing.
- Prepare Caramel Icing: Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Add brown sugar and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil exactly 2 minutes. Add milk and bring back to a boil, then remove from heat. Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth.
- Ice the Cake: Spread caramel icing over the cooled cake. For frosting, let icing cool, then beat with additional powdered sugar in an electric mixer until spreadable. Add milk if needed. Frost the cake evenly.
- Storage: Store cake covered at room temperature up to 3 days or refrigerate if using frosting.
Notes
- Use either two 8 or 9 inch round pans for layered cake or a single 9×13 inch pan for a sheet cake.
- Bring eggs and butter to room temperature for easier mixing.
- Sift cake flour before measuring to ensure the proper volume and light texture.
- Sift powdered sugar for the icing to avoid lumps and make blending easier.
- Make caramel icing immediately after removing cake from oven so it’s ready by the time cake cools.
- If caramel icing becomes too thick to spread, warm slightly or add a small amount of milk.
- Caramel frosting can be prepared ahead and refrigerated until ready to use.
- If using round pans, 8 inch pans create taller layers, while 9 inch pans give slightly thinner layers.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/15th of cake)
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 27 g
- Sodium: 150 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: 75 mg
