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Moist Caramel Apple Cake Delight with Creamy Buttercream Frosting

moist caramel apple cake delight - featured image
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A moist and tender apple cake infused with warm caramel and cinnamon, topped with a luscious creamy buttercream frosting. Perfect for cozy fall gatherings and easy to make with simple pantry ingredients.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (100g) light brown sugar, packed
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (240ml) buttermilk (or dairy-free milk plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice)
  • 2 medium apples, peeled, cored, and diced (preferably Fuji or Honeycrisp)
  • 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, softened (for frosting)
  • 3–4 cups (360-480g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (for frosting)
  • 3 tablespoons heavy cream (or full-fat coconut milk)
  • ¼ cup (60ml) caramel sauce (homemade or store-bought)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch cake pan and dust with flour or line with parchment paper.
  2. Peel, core, and dice apples into ½-inch pieces. Set aside.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
  4. In a large bowl, beat softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
  5. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then stir in vanilla extract.
  6. Alternately add dry ingredients and buttermilk in three batches, starting and ending with flour mixture. Mix gently on low speed.
  7. Fold diced apples into the batter using a rubber spatula.
  8. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top.
  9. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Tent with foil if top browns too quickly.
  10. Cool cake in pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  11. For frosting, beat softened butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, vanilla, and heavy cream, beating until smooth and spreadable.
  12. Stir in caramel sauce into the frosting.
  13. Once cake is completely cool, spread frosting evenly over the top. Optionally drizzle extra caramel sauce on top.

Notes

Use firm, crisp apples like Fuji or Honeycrisp for best texture. Avoid overmixing batter to keep cake tender. Frost only when cake is completely cool to prevent melting. Store wrapped tightly; flavors improve after a day. Baking times may vary; start checking at 40 minutes.

Nutrition

Keywords: caramel apple cake, moist apple cake, buttercream frosting, fall dessert, easy apple cake, homemade cake, caramel frosting

Find it online: https://forkifyfun.com/moist-caramel-apple-cake-delight-recipe-easy-homemade-with-creamy-buttercream-frosting/