Apple Cake with Caramel Icing

Apple Cake with Caramel Icing is everything you’ve ever wanted in an apple dessert and then some. It’s loaded with apple and cinnamon flavors and topped with rich, sweet cream cheese frosting.

slice of apple cake with caramel icing on a white plate

It’s fall, y’all! Woo hoo! We’ve shared our fair share of pumpkin recipes already, but let’s not forget the other big star of this time of year. That’s right, apples. This delicious recipe puts apples front and center in a recipe that’s rich, tender, sweet, and just overflowing with, uh… fallness, we guess?

slice of apple cake with caramel icing on a white plate

❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • It features a tender, moist cake made with shredded apples and homemade cream cheese frosting.
  • It’s an easy, from-scratch recipe that’s full of fall goodness.
  • It has the perfect combination of sweet and tangy flavors.

🛒Ingredients

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This recipe uses simple ingredients that you can easily find at your local grocery store – if they’re not in your pantry already. You’ll find the full ingredient list with the boring stuff like flour and sugar in the recipe card below. But here’s where we want to highlight what really makes this apple cake pop.

  • Ground cinnamon
  • Shredded peeled apples
  • Cream cheese
  • Powdered sugar
  • Caramel sauce

🔪 How to Make Apple Cake with Caramel Icing

Making this recipe is super easy. It’s an incredibly simple recipe that only takes a few minutes and a few simple steps.

Step 1: Prep

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray an 8×8 or 9×9 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

Step 2: Combine the Dry Cake Ingredients

Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt together in a large bowl.

Step 3: Combine the Wet Cake Ingredients

Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy in a separate mixing bowl. Then, beat in the eggs and vanilla until incorporated.

Step 4: Make the Batter

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until smooth and combined. Then, fold in the shredded apples.

batter in a square glass baking pan

Step 5: Bake and Cool

Pour the batter into the dish and bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely before frosting.

Step 6: Make the Frosting

Beat the cream cheese, butter, and caramel sauce together until smooth. Then, add the powdered sugar and beat until well-mixed.

frosted dessert in a square glass baking pan

Step 7: Frost and Enjoy

Spread the frosting over the cooled cake, slice, and enjoy!

📝Variations

Do you want to change up this recipe and make it your own? Here are some ways that you can do that!

  • Buttercream Frosting – Buttercream is a great frosting for a sweeter version of this cake.
  • Nutmeg: Add a little nutmeg to the cake for even more classic fall flavor.
  • Apple Chunks: Add diced apple instead of shredded for a chunky version of this cake.

If you love the flavors of this cake, then we think you’ll enjoy this caramel apple upside down cake.

🥄 Equipment

It only takes a few basic pieces of kitchen equipment to make this recipe.

  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Whisk
  • Baking dish
  • Knife
  • Cutting board
  • Spatula
slice of apple cake with caramel icing on a white plate

🥫 Storage

Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an air-tight container for up to 3 days. For longer storage, you can freeze this cake for up to a month.

💭 Tips

This recipe is so easy, we don’t have many tips for you. The ones we do have are very simple, but they can make a big difference.

  • Be sure your butter is fully softened for both the cake and the frosting. The softened butter will combine better in the cake. If your butter isn’t fully softened for the frosting, you’ll end up with bits of raw butter in it.
  • Be sure your cake completely and totally cool before frosting. Otherwise, the frosting will get thin and runny.

⁉️ FAQ

Do you have questions about this recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions.

Why does warm cake make frosting runny?

The heat causes the ingredients to melt and cook rather than stay solid and in frosting form.

How do you freeze this cake?

Cut it into slices and open-air freeze it until the frosting is hard. Then, wrap each slice in a double layer of plastic wrap and place them in an air-tight, freezer-safe container.

What are the best apples for baking?

Apples that are commonly used in baking are Jonagold, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, Mutsu, Winesap, Pink Lady, Cortland, and Granny Smith.

🍽 More Recipes

Do you enjoy apples? Then try these delicious recipes:

📌 PIN IT!!

slice of apple cake with caramel icing on a white plate

🧾Recipe Card

Want to make this recipe? Print the recipe card below, or pin this recipe, so you can find it later.

slice of apple cake with caramel icing on a white plate

Apple Cake with Caramel Icing

This apple cake with caramel icing is full of delicious apple flavor, shredded apples, and topped with rich, cream cheese frosting.
4.63 from 16 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 9 Servings
Calories: 373kcal

Equipment

  • Measuring Cups and Spoons
  • Whisk
  • Baking dish
  • Knife
  • Cutting board
  • Spatula

Ingredients

  • 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup butter softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 ½ cups shredded peeled apples

For the Frosting:

  • 4 ounces cream cheese softened
  • 2 tablespoons butter softened
  • ¼ cup caramel sauce
  • 2 ½ cups powdered sugar sifted

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease an 8×8 or 9×9 inch pan with nonstick cooking spray.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
  • In separate bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
  • Beat in the eggs and vanilla until incorporated.
  • Add the flour mixture and beat until smooth and well combined.
  • Fold in the shredded apples.
  • Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean.
  • Allow the cake to cool completely, then top with frosting. To make the caramel frosting, beat together the cream cheese, butter, and caramel sauce until smooth.
  • Add the powdered sugar and beat until well mixed. Spread the mixture over the top of the cooled cake before serving.

Disclaimer

Any nutritional data I provide is an approximation and actual dietary information can vary based on ingredients and proportion sizes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Serving | Calories: 373kcal | Carbohydrates: 77g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 327mg | Potassium: 100mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 62g | Vitamin A: 267IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 73mg | Iron: 1mg
4.63 from 16 votes (6 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




31 Comments

  1. Stephanie says:

    5 stars
    Apples, caramel and spices – my favorite dessert to make for my family. This is an excellent recipe.
    Thank you for sharing all the tips as mine was perfect.

    1. Thank you! We love this recipe also. So easy and so much flavor!

  2. 5 stars
    if this isn’t the most perfect thing for the fall I don’t know what is. I can’t wait to try this. It has everything I love!

    1. Thanks so much Beth! I hope you love it as much as we do!

  3. 5 stars
    I love cream cheese frosting but never thought to add caramel to it! What a great addition to this delicious apple cake.

    1. Thanks Stephanie! We really enjoy this cake with or with out frosting but the frosting is extra delicious with the caramel

    1. Thank you! It has become a favorite recipe for our family!

  4. 5 stars
    A perfect dessert for the cozy days round the corner. And it is really very easy to make with very few ingredients..will try it soon. Thanks for sharing!!

    1. It is super easy! I hope you enjoy!

  5. Mmmm yum! This has to be the perfect Autumnual treat. The caramel icing really is the icing on the cake there!

    1. It definitely is a delicious icing. We have made it without also for a breakfast cake and it is super yummy also

    1. I hope you love it as much as we do!

  6. Dominique says:

    5 stars
    I just stumbled upon this and it was the best recipe for fall! Will definitely be making again!

    1. Thank you Dominique. I’m so happy you enjoyed. We love this easy recipe also!

  7. I am not a huge fan of apples, however, this cake looks amazing and is a must-try because of the caramel icing.

    1. Sonia we have also made this with pears if you like that better. But the caramel is delicious with both

  8. Rose Ann Sales says:

    Wow! My kids would really gonna love this for sure! It looks absolutely delicious and tasty!

    1. Thank you I hope you and the kids enjoy!

  9. Melanie E says:

    5 stars
    That sounds like such a lovely recipe. Caramel and apple go together so well together.

    1. Thanks Melanie! We love this recipe. It’s easy and so delicious

  10. 5 stars
    Wow this recipe turned out so delicious! I never thought of topping an apple cake with caramel icing before. Very easy and simple yet delicious recipe!

    1. Thanks Kat! So glad you enjoyed it!

  11. Thinking of what to try over for Halloween and I guess this is perfect to try out. I will just add some Halloween designs on it. Thank you, I am so happy I was able to stumble upon here.

    1. That’s a great idea! I’m sure it will go over big!

  12. Can this be turned into cupcakes?

    1. Sure you can. We have never made the cake into cupcakes just be careful on the baking time.

  13. philomela arias says:

    5 stars
    delicious and yummy

  14. Can this be made in a 9×13 pan
    Thank you