Apple Spice Cake with Caramel Frosting

2 from 1 vote

A super moist spice cake with plenty of fresh apples and topped with a smooth caramel icing. You'll love this sheet cake for serving a crowd at your next fall get-together.

Prep Time30

Cook Time25

Total Time55

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: apple spice cake, caramel apple cake, Fall

Servings: slices

Calories: 229kcal

Author: Katie

Equipment

Rimmed jelly roll pan or 13 x 9 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

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350° with the rack in the center.
Make the cake batter. Stir together flour, spices, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and spices in a large mixing bowl. Add the sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, and apple sauce and beat with a hand mixer until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula if needed. Add chopped apples and stir by hand,
Bake. Pour batter into a 10 x 15-inch jelly roll pan or a 13 x 9 baking dish. Bake for 18-22 minutes, until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Cool in the pan for at least 2 hours before making the frosting.
Cool. Cool in the pan for at least 2 hours before making the frosting.
Make the caramel frosting. Bring ½ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup butter, and 3 tablespoons of milk to a boil in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly. Boil for 1 minute, continuing to whisk. Remove from the heat, and using a hand mixer, gradually beat in powdered sugar until smooth, until the icing begins to cool and thickens slightly. Pour immediately over the cooled cake.
Cool and serve. Let the frosting cool and harden for at least 20 minutes. It should set up very quickly to form a firm layer. Cut into squares and serve.

Notes

If you've never made caramel frosting before, it can be hard to know when to stop beating. As soon as you see any thickening, pour a very small amount on top of the cake. If it runs off, it needs a little more time. If it flattens and stays put, it's ready! Work quickly.

The batter will seem very thick when you pour it into the pan, but don't add any additional liquid. As the apples bake, they will add liquid to the cake.

Nutrition