This easy one-pan apple cake is the perfect autumn treat. Made from scratch, this moist cake makes the most of apple season by grating in a fresh Gala apple and coating the top with a thick salted caramel sauce. Great for dessert, an afternoon snack, or a decadent weekend brunch addition.
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This easy apple cake recipe has a short ingredients list, and only takes 25 minutes to bake. And if you've just been apple picking, this cake is a great way to use your fresh apples.
How to Make a Moist Sheet Pan Cake
The trick here to a moist cake is using enough sugar and butter, fresh apples, and buttermilk. Baking the cake for the right amount of time is also important so check your cake often.
To achieve a light and moist one pan apple cake make sure your ingredients are at room temperature. Room-temperature butter and eggs blend better, ensuring a smooth batter.
Butter should be at room temperature for creaming with the sugar. Cream them together for a few minutes to get a light and fluffy mix - this means the sugar has beaten air into the butter while it dissolves and evenly disperses, and you'll have a nice texture to your cake.
Try this spring-inspired carrot sheet cake next.
Ingredients
See the recipe card for exact amounts.
Substitutions
Instructions
Prep Tips
Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl and set aside. (The flour, salt, and baking soda.)
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together using the paddle attachment, until pale yellow and light in texture. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the edges occasionally.
- Add the eggs and mix well.
Mix the wet ingredients in a small bowl. (The buttermilk and vanilla extract.)
- Alternate adding the buttermilk mixture and flour mixture.
- Begin and end with dry ingredients.
- Mix just until incorporated.
- Gently mix the grated apple into the cake batter. You don't need to peel the apple.
- Pour mixture into the prepared pan, spreading it to the edges with an offset spatula.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until fully cooked.
Let cool and serve as is or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
- Or, let cool completely and pour salted caramel sauce over the top.
- Spread the caramel sauce over the entire cake.
Cut into slices and serve. Garnish with Fleur de Sel (optional).
Tips for making a One-Pan Apple Cake
What to serve with Caramel Apple Cake
Serve this simple apple cake with your favorite hot beverage like a cup of coffee, or a Gingerbread Latte. Or try it with a cold coffee like a Brown Sugar Oat Shaken Espresso, or use the Salted Caramel Sauce and make an Iced Caramel Latte. Apple lovers will also want to try a Dutch apple pie.
Want to try another cake recipe? Try this coconut Bundt cake recipe next.
More Recipes Using Caramel Sauce
Want even more caramel-ly goodness? Try these recipes!
Storage
Store this cake loosely covered with plastic wrap in the fridge for 3-4 days. If you top the cake with caramel, the caramel will thicken in the fridge. You can eat it straight from the fridge, let it sit at room temperature so the caramel softens, or even microwave the cake for 30 seconds to warm it up (so good!)
FAQs
Yes, you can add chopped nuts, such as walnuts or pecans, or even a handful of raisins to this cake for added texture and flavor.
Recipe
Caramel Apple Sheet Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks
- 2 cups granulated white sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 medium apple grated (I used a Gala)
For the Salted Caramel Sauce
- 1 cup granulated white sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Fleur de sel to garnish or ½ – 1 teaspoon kosher salt stirred in
Instructions
For the Cake
- Preheat oven to 350℉.
- Line a 12 x 16 quarter sheet pan with parchment paper. (I spray the edges also.)
- Mix the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl.
- Mix the vanilla and buttermilk together in a small bowl.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer (or by hand) cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs and mix to combine.
- Alternate adding the wet and dry ingredients, beginning and ending with dry.
- Gently mix in the grated apple.
- Spread the batter on the prepared sheet pan, using an offset spatula to reach the corners if necessary.
- Bake for about 25 minutes, or until fully cooked. A skewer poked in the center can have a few moist crumbs but not wet batter. Start checking the cake after 20 minutes.
- Let cool and top with caramel sauce, if desired.
For the Salted Caramel Sauce
- Heat the sugar in a medium pan over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon. It will begin to melt, then clump, and then melt again. Stop stirring once it melts.
- Cook the sugar until it's amber in color, making sure not to burn it.
- Add the butter, stirring to combine, being careful as it will bubble up and splatter and can burn you.
- Slowly add the cream. Boil for one minute, then remove from heat and add vanilla.(If the caramel seems like it's separated at this point, just keep heating and stirring and it will come back together.)
- And ½ - 1 teaspoon of salt stirred into the caramel, or use Fleur de Sel as garnish on your dessert for a salted caramel. (Omit salt completely if you prefer.)
Equipment
Video
Notes
Nutritional information is an estimate. Values vary based on products used. Read our full Nutrition Disclaimer.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you.
This post was originally posted on November 24, 2016.
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