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An apple spice cake with caramel buttercream and a pecan crusted sides on a parchment round.
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5 / 3 votes

Apple Spice Cake with Caramel Sauce

This apple spice cake with caramel sauce is a moist and tender three-layer cake laden with apple, sour cream, and spices and finished with chopped pecans and a caramel drizzle. Go on, impress your friends.
Prep Time2 hours
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time3 hours
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12 to 18 servings
Calories: 930

Ingredients

For the apple spice cake

  • 3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 3 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons light molasses
  • 6 large eggs
  • 3 cups cake flour
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons ground allspice
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 1/2 cups peeled and shredded Granny Smith apples, (3 to 4)
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon grated ginger, (optional)

For the caramel icing

  • One bag caramels
  • 4 tablespoons heavy cream, plus more as needed
  • 2 tablespoons plus 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 cups confectioners' sugar
  • 1 cup mascarpone cheese
  • 2 cups pecan pieces, toasted (optional)
US - Metric

Instructions

Make the apple spice cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Place 1 oven rack in the bottom third of the oven and a second rack in the top third of the oven. Butter three 9-inch cake pans and then line each with a parchment paper round cut to fit and butter the rounds.
  • Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
  • Beat in the molasses. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating between each addition.
  • In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, salt, and ground spices to blend.
  • Add the flour mixture and sour cream alternately to the batter. (Start and end with the flour mixture, adding the flour mixture in 3 increments and the sour cream in 2 increments.) After each addition, mix on low speed just to combine the ingredients.
  • Switch to a spoon and stir in the shredded apples, vanilla, and ginger, if using. The batter will be quite thick.
  • Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Place 2 cake pans, side by side, on 1 rack and the third on the other. Stagger the cake layers on the oven racks so that no layer is directly over another. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until firm to the touch. Monitor the layers carefully for doneness; each one may be done at a different time.
  • Let the cakes cool in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of the pans and carefully invert the cakes onto the wire racks, then turn them right side up to cool completely, 15 to 30 minutes. (The cakes can be tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen for up to 3 weeks. Defrost them at room temperature before unwrapping. Frost immediately.)

Make the caramel buttercream

  • In a medium stainless steel bowl, combine the unwrapped caramels, 2 tablespoons of the cream, and the 2 tablespoons butter. Place the bowl over a saucepan filled with 2 inches of simmering water. Stir the caramel mixture until smooth.
  • Remove the bowl from the heat. Let cool, stirring the mixture every few minutes, until the mixture is cool to the touch, about 20 minutes. (Exert patience. If the mixture is too warm, it will melt the buttercream frosting when your stir it in later. If the caramel stiffens by the time you use it rewarm it very gently and, if necessary, stir in a little extra cream.)
  • While the caramel is cooling, using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the 1 1/2 cups butter on medium-high speed for about 1 minute, until pale in color.
  • Add the remaining 2 tablespoons cream, the vanilla, and the confectioners' sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium-low or low, add the mascarpone, and beat until incorporated. Do not overbeat the mascarpone or it may separate.
  • Set aside 1/4 cup of the cooled caramel mixture to drizzle over the cake once it's frosted. Stir the remaining caramel into the frosting, using large strokes to create caramel swirls throughout. Don't stir it too much or the ribbons of caramel will disappear.
  • Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate and spread a thick blanket of frosting on top. Add the second layer and spread thickly with frosting. Add the third layer and evenly cover the top and sides of the cake with frosting. Use a small spoon to drizzle the reserved 1/4 cup of caramel over the top of the cake. Pat on the toasted pecan pieces, if using, to cover the sides of the cake. Slice and serve.

Notes

What You Need To Know About How To Slice This Cake

Using the proper tools for cutting frosted layer cakes ensures that individual servings look as good as they taste. I use a large serrated knife, dipped in hot water, for cutting. I wipe the knife off with a clean dishcloth after each piece, which ensures that every cut is as clean as the first.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 930kcal | Carbohydrates: 128g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 44g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 196mg | Sodium: 275mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 99g