Apple Spice Cake with Boiled Caramel Frosting

The perfect dessert for football games or fall picnics, this apple spice cake is ultra moist and delicious. Fresh apples, plenty of fall spices…all topped with a caramel frosting you pour right on top.

Vegetable oil and plenty of eggs are my favorite method for the best sheet cake. And it makes it easier since you don’t have to cream any butter. 😊

Ingredients and Tools You’ll Need

The type of apple doesn’t matter. Really. I usually use Honeycrisp or Granny Smith because those are our favorites for eating fresh, and there’s no difference. Pick your favorite apple to eat, which will be great in this cake. You can also add some chopped pecans to the batter and on top of the icing. They taste great!

This will make 20 slices. If you’d like to double or triple this recipe, you can make adjustments in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Equipment

• 9×13 pan or a 10×15 rimmed jelly roll pan
• 2 quart saucepan
• Hand mixer

Ingredients

Apple Cake Batter

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon ground allspice
• ¼ teaspoon cloves
• 3 large eggs lightly beaten
• ¾ cup vegetable oil
• ¾ cup applesauce
• 3 cups peeled and chopped apples about 2 large apples

Caramel Frosting

• ½ cup packed light brown sugar
• ¼ cup butter
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1 cup powdered sugar

How to Make Apple Spice Cake

I now make this recipe in a 9 x13 pan because it holds all the batter and frosting more safely. For a thinner cake, you can use a 10 x 15 jelly roll pan but you’ll risk some icing overflow.

Step One: Get Ready

Heat your oven to 350°F and grab your pan.

Step Two: Make the Batter

Mix all your dry ingredients together in a big bowl – flour, sugars, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and all those lovely spices. Add the eggs, oil, and applesauce, then beat it with your hand mixer until it’s smooth. Fold in those chopped apples by hand.

Step Three: Bake the Cake

Pour it into your pan.

Bake for 18-22 minutes until it’s golden and a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs.

Step Four: Cool Completely

Let it cool completely, at least 2 hours.

Step Five: Make the Caramel Frosting

Put brown sugar, butter, and milk in your saucepan. Bring it to a boil over medium heat, whisking the whole time. Let it boil for exactly 1 minute – keep whisking!

Step Six: Finish and Frost

Take it off the heat and immediately start beating in the powdered sugar with your hand mixer. As soon as you see it start to thicken even a tiny bit, test it by drizzling a small amount on the cake. If it runs off, beat a little more. If it stays put? Pour it all over that cake RIGHT NOW.

Step Seven: Let It Set

The frosting sets up fast, so don’t mess around. Let it cool for about 20 minutes and you’re ready to cut and serve.

Storing & Serving

I prefer to store any leftovers in the fridge, tightly covered. You can leave it out on the counter for a day or so, though.

For an autumn get-together, you’ll love this cake with these other favorites.

• Red potato salad has a secret ingredient that makes it my BEST potato salad ever.
• Classic macaroni salad is the one you grew up with but with an update.
• Apple pear sangria makes a lot and is great for a party.

More Apple Recipes To Make This Fall

There’s nothing better than the smell of apples baking.

• Enjoy this delicious sourdough apple coffee cake with its crumbly topping.
• This caramel apple cobbler has warm spices and a cookie topping that’s easy.
• Country apple cinnamon quick bread is just like you’d get at a bakery (except mine is better).
• These soft apple cookies with icing taste like what fall baking is all about.

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