Salted Caramel Apple Sheet Cake
The perfect marriage of tart apples and sweet, buttery caramel creates a flavor combination that triggers nostalgic memories for 8 out of 10 dessert lovers. This Salted Caramel Apple Sheet Cake transforms those beloved flavors into a crowd-pleasing dessert that's both impressive and surprisingly simple to prepare.
Equipment
- 9x13-inch baking pan
- Parchment Paper
- Electric Mixer
- Medium Saucepan
Ingredients
For the Apple Cake
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour substitute with 1:1 gluten-free flour blend if needed
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground allspice
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup sour cream Greek yogurt works as an alternative
- 3 cups apples peeled and diced (Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, or Braeburn)
For the Salted Caramel Topping
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp sea salt plus additional flaky sea salt for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Generously grease a 9×13-inch baking pan and line with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides for easy removal.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt.
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides of the bowl frequently to ensure even mixing.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the sour cream, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
- Gently fold in the diced apples using a spatula.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- While the cake cools for about 15 minutes, prepare the caramel. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and stir continuously until dissolved, about 2 minutes.
- Bring to a gentle boil for 2 minutes without stirring. Remove from heat and carefully stir in the heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt. The mixture will bubble vigorously.
- Poke holes all over the warm cake using a skewer or fork. Pour about ¾ of the warm caramel sauce over the cake, allowing it to seep into the holes.
- Sprinkle with flaky sea salt while the caramel is still warm. Let the cake cool completely before cutting into squares.
Notes
For a lighter version, consider these modifications: Replace up to half the butter in the cake with unsweetened applesauce, reduce sugar to 1 cup and add ¼ cup of pure maple syrup, use whole wheat pastry flour for 50% of the flour, or reduce the caramel topping by half and serve with fresh apple slices.
The cake can be made a day ahead, and the flavors actually improve after 24 hours of resting.
Store covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Firm, slightly tart apples like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp work best for this recipe.
Nutrition
Calories: 385kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 3gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 85mgSodium: 180mgFiber: 1gSugar: 32gVitamin A: 15IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 4mgIron: 6mg
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