Description
This Caramel Apple Cake is a moist and tender vanilla brown sugar cake studded with tart cinnamon-spiced apples and topped with a delicious salted caramel drizzle. Perfect for fall, this easy-to-make dessert offers a beautiful balance of sweetness and spice with a soft crumb and a sticky caramel finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups (180g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
Wet Ingredients and Cake Base
- ¼ cup (56g) unsalted butter, softened
- ⅔ cup (145g) packed dark brown sugar
- 1 tsp (5ml) pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- ⅔ cup (160ml) full fat plain yogurt
Apples and Topping
- 3 cups (300g) chopped tart apples (about 3 medium cored and peeled apples, cut into ½-inch cubes, divided)
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ tbsp granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- About 2 tablespoons caramel sauce (for drizzling on top and inside)
Instructions
- Prepare Pan and Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, ensuring you leave a 2-inch overhang on each side to easily lift the cake out later.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly blended. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In another medium bowl, beat the softened butter, dark brown sugar, and vanilla extract using an electric hand mixer on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes until the mixture is smooth and fluffy.
- Add Eggs: Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed to achieve a creamy mixture.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients and Yogurt: Add half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix on low speed until just combined. Then mix in the yogurt. Follow by adding the remaining flour mixture and gently fold it in by hand until the batter is mostly combined with a few streaks of flour remaining.
- Add Apples: Toss 2 cups of the chopped apples with ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon. Fold these cinnamon-spiced apples gently into the batter.
- Assemble in Pan: Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Scatter the remaining 1 cup of cinnamon-tossed apples over the top of the batter.
- Add Caramel and Topping: Drizzle about 2 tablespoons of caramel sauce evenly over the apples on top. In a small bowl, mix the granulated sugar and ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon for the topping and sprinkle this mixture over the caramel and apples.
- Bake: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool and Serve: Remove the cake from the oven and transfer to a wire rack. Let it cool for at least 1 hour. Once cooled, drizzle extra caramel sauce over the top before cutting into squares and serving.
Notes
- This cake is super soft and moist with a perfect balance of vanilla brown sugar sweetness and tart cinnamon apples.
- The salted caramel drizzle adds a rich and decadent finishing touch that complements the apple flavor perfectly.
- Ideal dessert for fall or anytime you want an easy yet special cake.
- You can use store-bought caramel sauce or homemade for best flavor.
- Make sure apples are peeled and cored before chopping to ensure the best texture in the cake.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/9 of cake)
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 28g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0.2g
- Carbohydrates: 52g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
