Caramel Apple Cake

This easy caramel apple cake is packed with cinnamon-spiced apples and topped with a buttery caramel glaze that soaks into every scrumptious bite!

Hi there, fellow apple lovers, and welcome to the rich, tender apple cake of my dreams!

This is what I like to call a knife and fork cake, meaning (unless you are the Southern husband) you will want the nearest possible utensil. It’s gooey and sticky in all the best ways, thanks to an easy homemade caramel glaze.

And here’s my favorite part: before you pour that warm glaze over the cake, you poke little holes all over the top. So the caramel doesn’t just sit there looking delicious…it sinks right down into the cinnamon-spiced apple cake.

I KNOW. Grab those apples and let’s make this baby! (And if you love a pretty drizzle over your apple cake, our apple cinnamon Bundt cake has a sweet apple cider glaze that drips down every lovely curve!)

(Looking for a quicker way to satisfy that apple-dessert craving? These easy mini apple pies are warm, flaky and ready in just 30 minutes.)

Jump to:

• 🔎 A quick look at this recipe
• ⭐️ Why this recipe works
• 🍎 Ingredients you need
• 📝 Ingredient notes
• 💡 Ingredient substitution ideas
• 👩🏻‍🍳 How to make this recipe
• 🤔 Recipe FAQs
• 🥰 Other apple recipes we love
• Caramel Apple Cake
• 💫 A few delicious variations

🔎 A quick look at this recipe

⭐️ Why this recipe works

• 🍎 Apples in every bite: Plenty of chopped apples keep this cake moist, while their tartness balances the sweet caramel.
• 🍂 Cozy fall flavor: Cinnamon and nutmeg give the cake that warm, freshly baked apple dessert magic.
• 🥄 Caramel all the way through: Little holes in the top let the warm glaze soak down into the cake.
• 🍰 No layers or frosting fuss: Bake it in a 9×13-inch pan, pour on the glaze and get ready to share!

🍎 Ingredients you need

📝 Ingredient notes

• Apples: Granny Smith apples are our favorite here because their tart flavor balances the sweet caramel glaze. Honeycrisp or Braeburn apples also work well. Peel, core and chop them into roughly 1-inch pieces—you’re aiming for about 5 cups, since apple sizes vary.
• Flour: Use regular all-purpose flour for this cake.
• Brown sugar: Light brown sugar works beautifully in both the cake and glaze. Pack it into your measuring cup.
• Cream: Use heavy cream for a rich caramel glaze with just the right consistency.
• Oil: Canola or vegetable oil keeps the cake tender and lets the apple and spice flavors shine.
• Walnuts: Chopped walnuts add a little crunch. You can substitute pecans or leave the nuts out altogether.
• Spices: Cinnamon and nutmeg give this cake its cozy fall flavor.

💡 Ingredient substitution ideas

Missing something or want to swap in something different? Check out the links below to find more ingredient substitution ideas. 👇🏻

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities and nu

👩🏻‍🍳 How to make this recipe

STEP 1: Preheat oven to 350 and butter and flour a 13×9 inch baking pan.

STEP 2: In a large mixing bowl, beat together 1 cup of brown sugar, 1 cup of white sugar and a cup and a half canola oil.  Beat in three eggs one at a time.

STEP 3: In a separate bowl, whisk together 3 cups of flour, with a teaspoon of baking soda, 2 teaspoons of cinnamon, a half teaspoon of nutmeg and a half teaspoon of salt.  

Pro Tip: Mixing dry ingredients with a whisk (instead of a spoon) ensures that everything gets mixed up thoroughly. No whisk? A fork works well too!

STEP 4: Mix the flour mixture into the sugar mixture.

STEP 5: Stir in about 5 cups of peeled, chopped apples, 1 cup of chopped walnuts and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract. The batter will be thick and packed with apples—that’s exactly what we want! You can leave out the walnuts if you prefer.

STEP 6: Spoon into the prepared pan. It’s going to look like a whole lot of apples and not enough batter, but I promise it’s going to be fine!

STEP 7: Bake for one hour or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.  Cool while you prepare the glaze.

STEP 8: Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a small pot over medium low heat.  Add 1/4 cup each of brown and white sugar along with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and stir for two minutes.

STEP 9: Slowly stir in 1/2 cup of heavy cream, then increase the heat as needed to bring the glaze to a simmer. Simmer for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. The mixture will bubble up, so use a saucepan with plenty of room.

STEP 10: Poke holes all over the top of the warm cake with a skewer or toothpick, then slowly pour the warm caramel glaze over the top. Let the cake cool for about an hour so the glaze can soak in and the slices are easier to serve. I know…the waiting is the hardest part!

You’re going to want to give this an hour or so to cool (I know! So hard!) before you serve it up.

🥰 Other apple recipes we love

Let’s bake up this sticky, caramel-soaked taste of fall!

💫 A few delicious variations

• Make it with pecans: Swap the walnuts for the same amount of chopped pecans for a little Southern flair.
• Go nut-free: Leave out the walnuts—there’s still plenty of apple goodness in every slice!
• Try an apple mix: Use a combination of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp apples for a mix of tart and sweet. Keep the total at about 5 cups.
• Add a salty finish: Sprinkle a little flaky sea salt over the glazed cake for a salted caramel twist.

Looking for even more cake inspiration? You can find our complete collection of cake recipes here.

If you try this recipe, we would love to hear how it came out for you! I’d be super grateful if you could leave a star rating (you pick how many stars! 🌟 ) and your thoughts in the Comments section.