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.

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?

❤️ 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

The following are affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

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.

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.

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

🥫 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.

🍽 More Recipes

Do you enjoy apples? Then try these delicious recipes:

• Baked Apple Cinnamon Donuts
• Apple Rose Tart Puff Pastry
• Double Crumble Apple Crisp

📌 PIN IT!!

🧾Recipe Card

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

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 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes 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.

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