This Caramel Apple Layer Cake is made with layers of brown sugar cake soaked with caramel sauce and cinnamon apples. It’s insanely delicious and easy to put together!
If you missed my first Apple Week recipe, check out my Caramel Apple Blondie Cheesecake!
Cinnamon Apple Layer Cake Recipe
This cake is based on this Salted Caramel Cake. I made it a while ago and it was HUGE hit! I thought it’d be perfect with apples and I’ve been wanting to make this fun new version ever since.
This cake looks complicated, but there’s actually just a number of steps involved. The main three phases are making the cake layers, the caramel sauce and the cinnamon apples.
The cake layers are a tasty brown sugar cake with some apple pie spice mixed in. Pretty straight forward.
The caramel sauce is a different one than the Easy Caramel Sauce I posted a couple weeks ago. That one was the easy version of caramel sauce. This version is a little more fussy, but works better in this cake. I’ve tried the cake both ways and prefer it this way. The caramel flavor is stronger.
How to Make This Amazing Apple Cake
This caramel is made with granulated white sugar. The sugar cooks until it’s completely melted. It will clump, but eventually it will melt.
Once it’s melted, you want to keep whisking while it comes to 350 degrees. It will happen quickly, so watch it closely. It burns very quickly and that does not smell good. Trust me.
Once at temperature, you add the butter until melted, then the whipping cream.
To make the cinnamon apples, mix the apples, sugar and spices and cook until they are at the softness you prefer. I prefer them to be a little crunchy, but still soft, so I recommend about 25-30 minutes. I also recommend chopping the apples, rather than slicing them. With a layered cake like this, it’s hard to cut through sliced apples when you are cutting slices of cake to eat. Chopped is the way to go.
One of the great things about this layer cake is there’s no icing to worry about. No sides and edges to perfect. It’s all stacking, then leaving the cake naked. It’s a great look and perfect for this cake – it allows you to see the beautiful apples!
As the cakes are stacked, caramel is spread onto each one. It soaks into the layers and makes each one even more tasty and caramel flavored. You definitely don’t want to skip that step!
Once it’s made, I’d recommend letting it sit for a couple hours to let all the caramel soak into the layers. Then do your best not to face plant in it. 🙂
Craving More Caramel Apples?
Caramel Apple Cupcakes
Easy Caramel Apple Cheesecake
Caramel Apple Blondie Cheesecake
Caramel Apple Cookie Cups
Caramel Apple Dip
Shop the recipe
PrintCaramel Apple Layer Cake
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 12-14 slices
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
This Caramel Apple Layer Cake is made with layers of brown sugar cake soaked with caramel sauce and cinnamon apples. It’s insanely delicious and easy to put together!
Ingredients
APPLE SPICE CAKE
- 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp apple pie spice
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 cups flour
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE
- 1 cup sugar
- 6 tbsp salted butter, cubed, room temperature
- 1/2 cup heavy cream, room temperature
CINNAMON APPLES
- 5–6 large apples, chopped
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 3 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2–3/4 cup brown sugar
Instructions
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Slice
- Calories: 462
- Sugar: 58.7 g
- Sodium: 134.8 mg
- Fat: 16.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 77 g
- Protein: 4.5 g
- Cholesterol: 81.9 mg
Keywords: caramel apple cake, apple cake, apple cake recipe, easy apple cake recipe, caramel cake recipe, caramel apple recipe, cinnamon apple recipe, cinnamon apple cake, layer cake recipe
Filed Under:
Enjoy!
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Hi! I made this as a sheet cake the other night and it was AMAZING! But does it translate to cupcakes?
I’m glad you enjoyed it! I haven’t ever tried it as cupcakes, but I’d think it’d be fine.
Looks amazing! How much butter did you use for the apples?
you didn’t mention it in the ingredients.
I didn’t use butter, but you could add a tablespoon or two, if you like.
I have just discovered your blog and – oh my god, never have I ever seen anything that looked this delicious! Love from the Netherlands x
Man have I expressed my love for autumn accurately yet?! Because it’s all due to cakes like this and all this apple amazingness. The layers are gorgeous, Lindsay!
Thanks so much Jess! I’m digging all the fall recipes from everyone too!
I’m loving all the apple recipes you’ve posted lately! The caramel soaked into each layer… Could this be more tempting? No frosting could ever top the deliciousness of those cinnamon apples. Absolute perfection!
Thanks Heather! The caramel soaked layers are the best! 🙂
I am LOVING every thing about this cake Lindsay – pinned!
Thanks so much Trish! 🙂