Super Moist Caramel Apple Cake
This easy Super Moist Caramel Apple Cake recipe makes the most moist, tender, and deliciously dense cake dripping with caramel sauce.
It’s the perfect Autumn treat when craving something made with fresh apples and a caramel glaze.
Caramel Apple Cake Recipe
It’s Fall, ya’ll, and it’s time for the perfect apple cake with caramel.
This cake has an amazing moist base with an ooey gooey topping that will leave your guest returning for more.
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Even better? This recipe is so simple, and you probably have all the ingredients on hand already.
Ingredients for Caramel Apple Cake
For the cake
- Apples: I like to use a tart apple for this cake since it’s is so sweet. Tart apples really complement the caramel flavors in the cake, too. Tart apples would be Granny Smith, Jonathon, Honey Crisp, McIntosh, and Pink Lady. You can use a combination of any type of apple, too.
- All-purpose flour
- Eggs
- Granulated sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Kosher salt
- Vegetable oil
- Baking soda
For the caramel sauce
- Butter
- Dark brown sugar
- Kosher salt
- Cream
How to make Moist and Easy Apple Cake in just a few easy steps
Begin by making the cake batter in a large mixing bowl. Mix together the oil, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until well combined.
Add the combined dry ingredients, stirring until just incorporated. I like using a mixer, but you can use a spoon if that is what is available.
The batter will be very thick – don’t over-mix!
Then, fold in the chopped apples.
Transfer the cake batter to a greased 9×13 cake pan, spreading it out evenly.
Bake the cake, uncovered, on the center oven rack for 45-55 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
After removing it from the oven, immediately cover the cake with foil and let it cool completely.
I sometimes even lay a dish towel over the top of the foil, too.
And don’t add the sauce quite yet. The sauce for this cake isn’t added until the cake is fully cooled.
To make the topping, combine the butter, brown sugar, salt, and cream in a saucepan over medium heat.
Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture boils. Let the sauce boil gently for 3 minutes without stirring. Remove the sauce from the heat.
When the cake has completely cooled, pour the warm sauce over the top. Let the cake rest for an hour before serving to absorb the sauce.
Slice the cake into serving pieces and serve topped with a squirt of whipped topping.
Over mixing the batter
When we stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients, liquids activate gluten proteins; over-mixing can cause baked goods to have a less-than-tender texture.
Once the ingredients are incorporated, stop stirring.
Covering cakes with foil while still hot
Trapping the heat with foil creates condensation that makes it way into the cake, making it very moist.
My mom and grandmothers always used this technique, so now I follow suit – it makes a difference.
Can I add nuts to this apple cake recipe
Yes! When my sons were younger, they preferred this cake without added nuts. Now that they are older, I’ve added chopped pecans and walnuts to the batter.
The added crunch gives a nice texture to the cake, and sometimes I even sprinkle a few nuts over the sauce.
Can I freeze this cake
Totally – it freezes really well. Just thaw the cake, then slice as usual. Warm each serving in the microwave, if desired, before serving.
Which types of apples are best for making caramel apple cake?
Because this cake is pretty sweet, I really like to use a more tart type of apple, such as Granny Smith, Jonathon, Honey Crisp, Pink Lady, or McIntosh. I also think the tart apples compliment the caramel and brown sugar flavors of this cake well, too!
More favorite recipes to enjoy
Old Fashioned Apple Dumplings with Warm Cinnamon Sauce are best served right from the oven, topped with your favorite vanilla ice cream.
This recipe for Instant Pot Apple Cake is quick and easy, making a cake that’s moist, dense, and flat delicious.
Caramel Apple French Toast is the perfect caramel apple combination in this breakfast or brunch bake is a delicious and decadent treat.
Super Moist Caramel Apple Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 cup vegetable or canola oil
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 eggs
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 3 cups peeled and diced apples (3-4 large tart or semi-tart apples, such as Granny Smith, Jonathon, Honey Crisp, McIntosh, or Pink Lady)
For the Caramel Sauce
- 1/3 cup butter
- 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 3 Tbs. heavy cream or half-and-half
Instructions
Make the Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the oil, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until well combined. Place the flour, salt, and baking soda into a separate bowl; mix together.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring just until just incorporated; batter will be very thick. Do not over mix! Lastly, gently fold in the apples by hand. Transfer the cake batter into a greased 9×13 cake pan, spreading it out evenly.
- Bake the cake, uncovered, on the center oven rack for 45-55 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool completely before adding the topping.
Make the Caramel Sauce
- In a saucepan, over medium heat, combine the butter, brown sugar, salt. and cream. Cook, whisking constantly, just until the mixture boils; let the caramel sauce gently boil for 3 minutes without whisking. Remove the sauce from the heat, immediately pouring it over the top of the cooled cake. Let the sauced cake sit for an hour before serving.
Serve the Cake
- Slice the cake into serving pieces. Serve topped with a dollop or squirt of whipped topping, as desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published September 2021. Updated September 20, 2024.
Made this cake was absolutely delicious. Can this cake be flipped onto a tray before pouring on the caramel topping?
Hi Sally –
I don’t see why not, but I have not tried it so I can’t say for CERTAIN. Sure would be beautiful served from a platter instead of a pan, wow!!! If you try it, can you let me know the outcome and the steps you follow? That would be great. If have a chance to try it and it’s successful, I’ll add that step and the how-to to the recipe, for sure.
Thanks so much,
Chef Alli
What brand of apples is best for this cake?
Hi Joan –
Because this cake is pretty sweet, I prefer to use a more tart apple, such as Granny Smith, Jonathon, Honey Crisp, McIntosh, or Pink Lady. I’m so glad you asked this question! I have made adjustments within the recipe so that others wondering the same thing now have the answer too. Please let me know if you make this cake and what you think of it.
Sincerely,
Chef Alli
Delicious!!!!
This cake is absolutely wonderful! I know it will be a repeat dessert in my home this fall! I’m so glad I found this recipe!
Hi Brooke –
So glad this recipe was a winner for you. Thank you for letting me know.
Your fan,
Chef Alli
This cake is absolutely DELICIOUS! it filled my kitchen with such a wonderful aroma, I could not wait to dig in. The cake was so moist with just the right amount of sweetness. Very easy recipe. Would definitely recommend.
Hi Sally –
I’m so glad to know that you made this cake and enjoyed it, too! Thank you for letting me know.
Your fan,
Chef Alli
I was looking for a moist apple caramel cake and this was an excellent find. tried two others previously one was not moist and the other one had an inside that did not fully bake. Be sure to cover to retain moisture and don’t skip the caramel topping. I bake often and will add this to my dessert rotation.
Hi Cindy –
I’m excited that this cake made it into your dessert recipe rotation – what a huge compliment…thank you!!
I appreciate the 5 star rating and the comment here – it really does make a difference.
Let’s Keep Cookin’,
Chef Alli