As Fall approaches and apples are in season grab a few to make this apple sheet cake and then slather it with this easy caramel buttercream icing for the perfect Autumn treat!
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…
How To Make This Apple Sheet Cake
Ok you ready for the complicatedness that is this cake? You need one mixing bowl.
Yeah, that’s it. One bowl. I adapted this recipe from a Better Home And Gardens recipe to make it a whole lot easier by simply throwing all the ingredients in together. No dry ingredients in one, wet ingredients in another. Nothing like that. Just super simple. In fact, I was able to throw this cake together and pop it in the oven in under 20 minutes. How awesome is that?
So in that bowl all you need to do is whisk together your wet ingredients first- melted butter, brown sugar, applesauce, room temperature eggs, and some pure vanilla extract. By using melted butter, and the addition of the applesauce is what helps to make this cake extra moist.
Once your wet ingredients are combined, go ahead and add in your dry ingredients. Properly measured flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices. I used cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and nutmeg for this apple sheet cake.
And of course you want to add in some fresh diced apples. I made this cake a couple times and I found I liked Honeycrisp or Cortland apples for this cake.
And that’s it! Then simply pour this cake batter into your greased 9×13 sheet cake pan.
Once it was cooled, I topped this cake with my easy caramel buttercream icing.
Looking for more buttercream inspiration? Then be sure to download my 13 Ways To Flavor Your Buttercream Cheatsheet!
And be sure to give my Ultimate Guide To Making The Best Buttercream Icing a read for all the tips, tricks, recipes ,and videos to help you master buttercream like a pro.
Make Ahead Tips
- This cake is best eaten the day it’s made if you ask me. But I did try making the cake and then frosting the cake the next day. It was still very moist and delicious. If you do want to make the cake a day ahead of time, just be sure to allow the cake to cool completely before covering the cake and storing at room temperature.
- You can also get a jump start on this cake and make the icing up to 5 days ahead of time. Just store in an airtight container in your refrigerator. Be sure to re-whip again before icing the cake.
Craving more apples? Check out these apple recipes!
Salted Caramel Apple Layer Cake
So whether your apples come from the orchard that you picked yourself, or just simply picked up some on your weekly grocery run. However they come to be, make sure you save a couple for this cake.
And don’t forget to grab the free download – 13 ways to flavor your buttercream cheatsheet!
Until next time, happy baking!
Apple Sheet Cake with Easy Caramel Icing
Ingredients
For the cake
- 2 medium baking apples
- 1/3 cup butter melted
- 1 2/3 cups packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup applesauce
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
For the icing
- 2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter 1 1/2 cups, softened to room temperature
- 2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
- 2 Tablespoons heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 6 tablespoons caramel sauce
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13x9x2-inch baking pan; set aside. Peel, core, and coarsely shred one of the apples. Thinly slice remaining apple, removing seeds; cover and set apples aside.
- 2. In a large bowl whisk together the butter, brown sugar, apple butter, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; whisk until combined. Fold in diced apples. Spread batter into prepared pan.
- 3. Bake about 30-35 minutes or until golden and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
- 4. While the cake is baking, make the icing. Combine the butter and confectioners sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer. Mix on low speed at first, then increase the speed until combined. Add in your heavy cream and vanilla extract, and mix on medium to high speed for 8 minutes until light and creamy. Stir in the caramel and final pinch of salt.
- 5. Using an offset spatula, ice the cooled apple cake.
Jere says
Oh this looks so good. Love apples and caramel.
[email protected] says
Hey Jere! Thank you 🙂 yes I love this time of year as an excuse to combine these two things!