Apple Spice Cake with Salted Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting

Name: Apple Spice Cake with Salted Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 16 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2.5 cup all-purpose flour spooned & leveled; 2 tsp baking powder; 1 tsp baking soda; 0.5 tsp salt; 2 tsp ground cinnamon; 1 tsp ground ginger; 0.5 tsp ground nutmeg; 0.5 tsp ground cloves; 1.75 cup packed brown sugar; 1 cup unsweetened applesauce; 0.75 cup avocado oil or vegetable oil; 0.5 cup buttermilk; 4 large eggs at room temperature; 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract; 1 cup grated apple (Honeycrisp or Granny Smith); 8 oz full-fat brick cream cheese softened to room temperature; 0.5 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature; 3.25 cup confectioners’ sugar; 1 tsp pure vanilla extract; 1 pinch salt; 0.33 cup salted caramel sauce

This cozy apple spice cake is soft, moist, and full of fall flavor. Topped with a rich salted caramel cream cheese frosting (with dreamy caramel swirls!), it's an easy dessert that’s sure to impress.

15 min

Prep

35 min

Cook

50 min

Total

Servings

mediumDessert

Ingredients

2.5 cup all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
0.5 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
0.5 tsp ground nutmeg
0.5 tsp ground cloves
1.75 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
0.75 cup avocado oil or vegetable oil
0.5 cup buttermilk
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup grated apple (Honeycrisp or Granny Smith)
8 oz full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
0.5 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
3.25 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 pinch salt
0.33 cup salted caramel sauce

Instructions

1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13-inch pan and set aside.
2
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Set aside.
3
In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, applesauce, oil, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla extract.
4
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Gently fold in the grated apple.
5
Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until the cake is golden brown and toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let the cake cool completely.
6
Remove from the oven and let the cake cool completely.
7
To make the frosting, beat the cream cheese and butter on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the vanilla and salt; mix to combine. Add the confectioner’s sugar one cup at a time, beating well between each addition. Mix until smooth.
8
With a spatula, spread cream cheese frosting evenly on cooled cake. Spoon caramel over the cake, then use a butter knife to gently swirl it into the frosting, creating large, ribbon-like swirls. Cut into pieces and serve.