Description
Delight in this Salted Caramel Apple Crumble Cake, a luscious layered dessert that combines moist spice cake, tender cinnamon-simmered apples, buttery crumble topping, and creamy cream cheese frosting with a decadent salted caramel drizzle. Perfect for fall gatherings or special occasions, this cake offers comforting flavors and textures in every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Spice Cake
- Cooking spray
- 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 1/4 cups (250 g) packed light brown sugar
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup neutral oil
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup apple cider
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
Apple Filling
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cut into 1″ cubes
- 1/2 cup (105 g) packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 2 tsp water (for cornstarch slurry)
Crumble
- 1 1/4 cups (150 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (100 g) packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cubed
Assembly
- 2 batches cream cheese frosting
- 3/4 cup homemade or store-bought salted caramel sauce, divided
Instructions
- Prepare Spice Cake Batter: Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease three 8-inch round pans with cooking spray, lining them with parchment. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat brown sugar, softened butter, and granulated sugar on medium-high until light and creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Add oil and beat to incorporate, then add eggs one at a time, beating after each. Mix in vanilla extract.
- Combine Batter Ingredients: Alternately add dry ingredients and liquids: add one-third dry mix and apple cider and beat on low until just combined. Then add another third dry ingredients and buttermilk, mix, then add remaining dry ingredients and beat until no dry streaks remain. Divide batter evenly among pans, about 465 grams each.
- Bake Spice Cakes: Bake for 22-28 minutes until cakes are risen, springy to touch, and a tester inserted comes out with moist crumbs. Let cakes cool completely in pans before removing.
- Make Apple Filling: In a large pan over medium heat, melt butter. Add apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until apples are tender, about 10 minutes. Whisk cornstarch with water to form slurry, stir into apples, and simmer another minute until thickened. Cool completely.
- Prepare Crumble: Whisk flour, brown sugar, and salt in a bowl. Toss in cold cubed butter, coating cubes in flour mixture. Use hands to rub butter into mixture until coarse and clumpy like cornmeal but holds shape when pressed. Spread on parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze 10 minutes.
- Bake Crumble: Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake crumble from frozen for 10 minutes. Toss with spatula to redistribute crumbs, then bake 5-10 minutes more until lightly browned. Let cool; crumble will crisp further when cooled.
- Assemble Cake: If chilled, beat cream cheese frosting until smooth and pliable. Transfer 1 1/2 cups to piping bag with 1-inch round tip; keep remaining frosting aside. Heat caramel sauce if stiff until pourable.
- Layer First Cake: Level tops of cooled cakes using serrated knife; discard or eat trimmings. Place one layer on platter. Spread 3/4 cup frosting evenly on top. Pipe double ring of frosting around edge to form a dam. Fill inside dam with 1 cup apple filling, sprinkle 1/2 cup crumble, and drizzle with 2 tablespoons caramel.
- Layer Second Cake: Add second cake layer on top and spread frosting evenly. Pipe double ring of frosting as before, fill with 1 cup apple filling, 1/2 cup crumble, and drizzle with 2 tablespoons caramel. Place third layer on top, smooth side up.
- Apply Crumb Coat and Chill: Frost top and sides with a thin coat of frosting to seal crumbs. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight. Refrigerate remaining frosting.
- Finish Cake: Beat remaining frosting until smooth and pliable. Apply final clean coat of frosting over crumb coat. Drizzle with remaining 1/2 cup caramel sauce and top with remaining crumble. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
- Cakes can be made 1 day ahead, wrapped tightly and refrigerated.
- Apple filling can be prepared up to 3 days ahead; store in airtight container refrigerated.
- Crumble can be made 1 day ahead and refrigerated in airtight container.
- If caramel sauce is stiff, warm gently for easy drizzling.
- Use a serrated knife to level cake layers evenly for best assembly.
- Refrigerate assembled cake at least 2 hours to set layers and frosting.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12th of cake)
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 38g
- Sodium: 250mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 13g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0.3g
- Carbohydrates: 58g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 90mg
