Apple Sheet Cake
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As Fall approaches and apples are in season grab a few to make this apple sheet cake and then slather it with this easy stoveop caramel icing for the perfect Autumn treat! It’s quick to make, and is MADE IN ONE BOWL!
I think since I was a kid I have memories surrounding Fall and apples. Whether it was picking apples in my own backyard to make our own applesauce. Visiting the local cider mill and eating some apple cider donuts. Or going apple picking to make all sorts of treats with.
Ok well I didn’t go to an apple orchard this time. Or the local cider mill. No romantic apple story here. Just a regular old trip to the grocery store. But regardless of how this cake came to be. It did. And it was glorious.
Super moist with chunks of apple, warm spices like cinnamon throughout, and then topped with the creamiest salted caramel buttercream icing. Why haven’t scratch and sniff computers been invented yet so you can smell how delicious this cake is?
So let’s talk cake…
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Why This Apple Cake Is Amazing
- Lots of FALL flavor going on – This cake is made with fresh apples, spices like cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, and brown sugar notes.
- Made in ONE bowl – YUP. It might seem wrong but you’re going to just dump all the ingredients in all at once (except the apples and nuts) and mix away. It’s SO easy!!
- Easy To Frost – The icing is made on the stovetop, is quick to make, and then just gets poured on top of the cake. It’s as easy as that!
Ingredients Needed
Ingredient Notes
- Apples – I love using Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Cortland apples for baking but you can use other varieties as well. I do recommend that you peel and then thinly dice so they can easily fit inside the dough.
- Pecans – I recommend toasting the pecans before hand. I place mine on a baking sheet and toast in a 350oF oven for about 7-8 minutes, and then after they cool chop them up. You can also use another nut like walnuts!
How To Make This Apple Sheet Cake
Make the apple cake
- Mix ingredients together. Mix all of the ingredients except the apples and nuts in a large bowl. As soon as the mixture comes together and becomes pretty uniformly crumbly, stop mixing.
- Add the apples and nuts. Add the chopped apples and toasted chopped pecans to the bowl.
- Mix the batter. Mix on low speed in your mixer until the apples release some of their juice and the stiff mixture becomes a thick, creamy batter. This will take about 3 minutes at low speed in a stand mixer.
- Bake the cake. Spread the batter in the prepared pan(s), smoothing it with your wet fingers. Bake the cake for 45 minutes for 9″ x 13″ pan or for 38 minutes for two 8″ round pans. A toothpick or paring knife inserted into the center should come out clean, or with just a few wet crumbs clinging to it. The temperature at the center of the cake will be about 205°F. Remove the cake from the oven and place it on a rack to cool a bit while you make the frosting.
Heather’s Baking Tip: Make sure to mix the batter long enough so the it loosens up and has the consistency of like a cookie dough.
Make the caramel icing
- Combine butter, brown sugar and salt. Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar and salt and cook, stirring, until the sugar starts to melt and the mixture becomes fairly smooth.
- Add milk. Add the milk and bring to a boil. Let the syrup cool in the bowl for 10 minutes.
- Add sugar and vanilla. Pour the confectioners’ sugar into the warm syrup in the bowl, then add the vanilla extract.
- Whisk until everything is thoroughly combined. You need to work fast here; the frosting stiffens up quickly as it cools. Pour over cake. Pour the warm frosting onto the cake(s), spreading it over the entire surface.
HEATHER’S BAKING TIP: Pour The Icing Immediately. This brown sugar caramel icing sets very quickly, so be prepared to pour it over the cake immediately.
Recipe FAQ’s
This cake will last several days at room temperature. Make sure to cover it well. Or you can store in the fridge, but it might dry it out a bit.
You can also freeze cake slices for up to 3 months. Just thaw at room temperature before serving.
Yes – divide the cake batter into two 8-inch round cake pans and bake for about 38 minutes.
More Recipes To Try
Craving more apple desserts, be sure to try my easy apple turnovers recipe! Made with puff pastry. Or my easy apple cinnamon bread and homemade apple cinnamon rolls.
And if it’s cake you’re looking for be sure to try my strawberry pound cake, Sock it to me cake and peach cobbler pound cake. They are baked in a bundt pan so no fussy cake layer to decorate!
Also check out –> 15+ Apple Recipes To Make This Fall
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Apple Sheet Cake
Ingredients
For the cake
- 2 1/3 cups (276g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (107 g) packed light brown sugar
- ⅔ cups (132 g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ginger
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (1 stick, 113 g) unsalted butter softened
- 4 cups peeled, cored, finely chopped apples tossed in 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 cup (113 g) diced, toasted pecans
For the icing
- 7 tablespoons (100 g) unsalted butter
- ½ cup (107 g) packed light brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup (60 ml) milk
- 1 ¾ cups (200g) confectioners' sugar sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease a 9" x 13" pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- Mix ingredients together. In a large mixing bowl, mix all ingredients together except the apples and nuts, until evenly combined.
- Add the apples and nuts. Stir in with wooden spoon or spatula, the apples and pecans until a thick, smooth batter is formed, about 3 minutes.
- Bake the cake. Spread the batter in the prepared pan smoothing the top with a spatula. Bake the cake for 45 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, or with just a few moist crumbs. Remove the cake from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool while you prepare the frosting.
- Make the frosting. In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar and salt and cook, stirring, until the sugar begins to melt and the mixture becomes fairly smooth. Stir in the milk and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes. If your saucepan isn't big enough, you may need to transfer to a large mixing bowl before adding the sugar in the next step.
- Stir in the confectioners' sugar into the saucepan, then add the vanilla extract. Whisk until everything is thoroughly combined. The frosting can set quickly, so be sure to stir quickly!
- Pour the warm frosting onto the cake(s), spreading it over the entire surface.
Notes
- Storage: This cake will last several days at room temperature, just make sure to properly cover the cake. Or you can store in the fridge, but it might dry it out a bit.
- Freezing: You can also freeze cake slices for up to 3 months. Just thaw at room temperature before serving.
- Layer Cake: You can also bake this cake in two 8-inch round cake pans. Bake the round cakes for about 38 minutes.
- Apples – I love using Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Cortland apples for baking but you can use other varieties as well. I do recommend that you peel and then thinly dice so they can easily fit inside the dough.
- Pecans – I recommend toasting the pecans before hand. I place mine on a baking sheet and toast in a 350oF oven for about 7-8 minutes, and then after they cool chop them up. You can also use another nut like walnuts!
So yummy! Do you think I could bake this in a bundt pan?
Hi Kimberly, I haven’t tried but I think it would be just fine. You may need to bake for a little bit longer – my guess is 50-60 minutes. Let me know if you try and how it turns out!
The batter was so thick, almost browny like so I added milk to thin it out, turned out great
Hi Naomi – yes it’s a very thick batter! Glad you enjoyed it!
Can I leave the nuts out as my family isn’t done of them?
Yes Cathy that should be just fine 🙂
There is no liquid in the batter, I have a crumb batter???
Hi Cheryl, yes it’s a very thick batter and there’s no liquid.
This recipe has way too much baking soda. It tasted so strongly of the soda that I couldn’t ignore it. My family also tasted too much soda, even with the frosting. I should have gone with my instinct—to sub half the soda for baking powder. I think it would have solved the issue. As it is, 2 teaspoons of baking soda is just really strong smelling and tasting. I’m not trying to be rude—just wanted to warn other bakers about the soda aftertaste.
Hi Elizabeth 2 teaspoons is correct and I’ve made this cake many times without tasting any baking soda. I’m wondering if you may have accidentally used the wrong amount and used tablespoons instead.
I doubled the recipe and made two cakes, one to give away and one to keep. It was delicious. The recipe was easy and if you like spice cake and Fall flavors, this is the one for you. Very sweet, which my family loved.
Glad you and your family loved the cake Denise 🙂
Hello heather!
This apple cake is so yummi!
I wanted to ask if I can lower down the sugar in the frosting, it’s a bit too sweet for us.
Hi Rani, you can try but not sure if it will set up. Let me know if you try and how it turns out!
I love caramel! It looks like a good combination, would love to try this.
Thank you Maria 🙂
I’m so excited to try this apple cake as we head into fall! I always take the kids apple picking, and am looking for new recipes to use those delicious apples with! The spices and frosting in this recipe will be so flavorful!
Aw love apple picking 🙂 Thank you Alison, let me know how it turns out for you!
Ur Recipe doesn’t state when to put the eggs in
Hi Marie, my apologies. All the ingredients (except apples and nuts) get mixed all together first. Thank you for letting me know. All fixed!
Well damn! This looks amazing! Saved and pinned for later. Thank you so much for so many delicious looking recipes.
Thank you Megan for pinning and saving…and thank you for the kind words!
I love easy sheet cakes. I love apples and I love caramel, so this cake is a winner for me. Thanks for a truly delicious recipe.
Aw thank you Mairead 🙂
Looks so delicious! This apple cake is the perfect fall dessert.
Thank you Biana!
This cake was absolutely heavenly! We can’t wait to make again!
Thank you Kristen…glad you loved it!
Oh this looks so good. Love apples and caramel.
Hey Jere! Thank you 🙂 yes I love this time of year as an excuse to combine these two things!