Caramel Apple Layer Cake

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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!

Caramel Apple Layer Cake slice on a plate

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.

Caramel Apple Layer Cake on a plate with a slice removed

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.

Caramel Apple Layer Cake on a white plate

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!

Caramel Apple Layer Cake slice on a plate

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

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Caramel Apple Layer Cake on white stand
Recipe

Caramel Apple Layer Cake

  • Author: Lindsay
  • 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

  • 56 large apples, chopped
  • 2 tsp lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 3 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/23/4 cup brown sugar

Instructions

1. Line the bottoms of four 8 inch cake pans with parchment paper and grease the sides. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cream together butter and sugars for about 2-3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
3. Add eggs one at a time and mix until incorporated.
4. Add vanilla, apple pie spice and cinnamon and mix until incorporated.
5. Alternate adding the flour and buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour, mixing until combined.
6. In another bowl, mix together baking soda and vinegar. Add mixture to batter and mix just until incorporated.
7. Spread batter evenly between the 4 pans and bake for 15-17 minutes.
8. Remove pans from oven when done and allow to cool for 2-3 minutes, then remove to cooling rack to finish cooling.
9. While the cakes cool, make the caramel. Add the sugar in an even layer to the bottom of a large saucepan.
10. Heat sugar on medium-high and whisk until the sugar has melted, about 5 minutes. The sugar will lump together, but eventually melt.
11. Continue whisking until the temperature reaches 350 degrees or the sugar has turned an amber color. It will reach 350 degrees very quickly after all the sugar has melted. Watch it very closely. It goes from nice caramel to burned very quickly.
12. Remove caramel from heat and add butter. Whisk until melted and combined. Mixture might bubble a bit.
13. Add the heavy cream and whisk until incorporated.
14. Cool caramel to room temperature.
15. When caramel and cakes are cool, cook apples. Combine apples, lemon, nutmeg, cinnamon and brown sugar in a medium pan and toss to coat.
16. Add butter and cook apples for about 25-30 minutes, stirring often, or until at preferred softness.
17. Remove from heat and allow to cool for about 30-40 minutes. I recommend putting the apples into another bowl to stop them from cooking more.
18. Once apples are cooled, it’s time to stack the cake. Place the first cake layer on your cake plate.
19. Spread about 4-5 tbsp of caramel sauce over the top of the cake layer and allow it to soak in.
20. Spread 1/4 of the apples in an even layer on top of the layer of cake.
21. Repeat steps 18-20 with the remaining layers of cake and apples.
22. Drizzle more caramel over the top of the cake.

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

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Enjoy!

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37 Comments
  1. Lisan Spiegelaar

    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

  2. Jess+@+On+Sugar+Mountain

    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!

  3. Heather+@+Shards+of+Lavender

    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!

  4. Beth @ bethcakes

    This cake makes me so happy. Caramel apple is my favorite fall flavor combo! This looks similar to one that’s on the cover of Southern Living’s September issue, but yours looks a looot easier to cut and serve. 🙂

    1. lifeloveandsugar@gmail.com

      You’re right – I was getting ready to make this, when I saw the Southern Living one. They beat me to it! Oh well, this isn’t the same recipe at all! 🙂

  5. Julia+@+Sprinkled+With+Jules

    This is beautiful! It’s like apple pie in a cake. And caramel soaked layers? You’re killing me with all this delicousness!

  6. Liz+@+Floating+Kitchen

    Look gorgeous. I love naked cakes, since I’m not that much of a skilled decorated. Can’t wait to try this out!

    1. lifeloveandsugar@gmail.com

      You could just replace it with cinnamon. There’s still plenty of apple in the recipe to make up for it. 🙂

  7. Kathi+@+Deliciously+Yum!

    It never gets old to see drippy caramel on a delicious cake. I love all the layers with the apples peeking through. Looks amazing!

  8. Rachel+@+Bakerita

    Girl….all your cakes and cheesecakes are KILLING me lately!! This looks beyond amazing – al those apples inside?! Dyinnnggg!! Love it! Pinned 🙂

  9. Bourbon Apple Pie Ice Cream

    […] will leave you asking for more! Did you know it was Apple week? The second day of Apple Week with Lindsay sure doesn’t disappoint. She is sharing a Caramel Apple Layer cake today! Be sure to check out […]

  10. Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom

    oh my GAWD!!! love this apple spice caramel apple layer cake!!! Amazing!! you are seriously the cake baking, cheesecake making. . dessert/sweet treats queen. Beautiful!

  11. Renee@Two in the Kitchen

    I just can’t get enough caramel and apples in my life right now so this is right up my alley!! Beautiful cake Lindsay!

  12. Mir

    I need to learn how you get your caramel sauce to drip down perfectly. Like, it’s perfect. How do you do that?!
    And it looks so good taste-wise as well. More apple recipes! Yay!

Lindsay
About Lindsay

I'm a wife and a mom to twin boys and a baby girl! And I've got a serious sweets addiction! Bring on the treats!

Scripture I’m Loving

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28-29