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easy caramel apple cake fall dessert recipe
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Grandma's Caramel Apple Cake

Moist cinnamon spice cake layered with creamy cinnamon frosting and homemade apple pie filling, topped with caramel drizzle.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword apple and caramel cake, apple cake, apple caramel cake recipe, apple sheet cake, caramel apple cake
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Baking Time 22 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 7 minutes
Servings 24 Servings
Author Cassie

Ingredients

For the Cake:

  • 1 cup butter
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs lightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Frosting:

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Apple Topping:

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 8 cups apples peeled and cored and diced into ½-inch chunks (a tart baking apple such as Granny Smith works well)
  • ½ cup brown sugar packed
  • 1 tablespoon corn starch
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • Caramel sauce

Instructions

Cake:

  • Preheat the oven to 375F. Prepare a 10x15-inch jelly roll pan by spraying with non-stick cooking spray; set aside.
  • In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
  • Heat the butter and water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until the butter is melted and the mixture begins to simmer.
  • Remove from heat and pour into the dry ingredients mixture. Stir just until combined.
  • Add the eggs, sour cream, and vanilla extract; mix until combined.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared jelly roll pan.
  • Bake the cake at 375F for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan for 5-10 minutes until warm.

Frosting:

  • Melt the butter and milk together in a medium saucepan over medium heat, then raise the temperature to medium-high until the mixture begins to simmer.
  • In a large bowl, combine the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and the melted butter and milk mixture. Whisk together until smooth.
  • Pour the frosting over the warm cake and spread out evenly.
  • Cool the cake completely before slicing and serving.

Apple Topping:

  • In a large pot, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat.
  • Add the diced apples and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring often.
  • In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, corn starch, and cinnamon. Stir the mixture into the apples.
  • Cook the apples over medium heat until tender, stirring occasionally (do not over-cook or it will turn into apple sauce).
  • Set the apples aside to cool completely to room temperature.
  • Spread the cooled apples over the cake and drizzle with caramel sauce if desired.