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A square of Caramel Apple Snack Cake cut on a plate, topped with homemade caramel sauce.

Caramel Apple Snack Cake

Krista Stechman
This snack cake is loaded with fall flavors! Apples in the cake, bruleed apples on top of the cake, homemade caramel sauce and warm spices to bring out all the flavors of fall. This cake is easy and a crowd favorite!
5 from 2 votes
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course dessert
Cuisine american
Servings 12 people
Calories 718 kcal

Equipment

  • mixer
  • oven

Ingredients
  

Apple Cake

  • ½ cup butter browned
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 4 eggs room temp
  • 1.5 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups honey crisp apples shredded
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1.5 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon allspice
  • ¼ tsp cardamom

Bruleed Apples

  • 5 cups apple cider
  • ½ cup maple syrup
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 6 granny smith apples peeled and cut into wedges
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar for sprinkling

Homemade Caramel Sauce

  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 6 tablespoon butter unsalted
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 1 tsp kosher salt

Cream Cheese & Sour Cream Frosting

  • 8 oz cream cheese room temp
  • ½ cup butter room temp
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • ¾ cup sour cream

Instructions
 

Making the Apple Cake

  • In a medium sauce pot brown the butter. Turn the burner on medium and whisk the butter occasionally until it's almost all the way melted
  • Turn the heat down to a medium - low and whisk constantly until the butter turns a golden amber color. Remove from the heat immediately and pour into a heat proof bowl making sure to scrape all of the brown bits from the bottom of the pan into the bowl
  • Let the brown butter cool to room temp but make sure its still liquid and doesn't start to solidify
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13 metal pan
  • While the butter is cooling, in a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, allspice and cardamom
  • Once the butter is cooled, add both sugars to the brown butter and beat with an electric hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment for 3 min on medium speed
  • Add the eggs one at time, scraping down the sides of the bowl between each addition. Add the vanilla and mix just until incorporated
  • Shred the apples and add to the batter immediately. Fold in with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula
  • Pour the batter into the greased pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with just a few or no crumbs. Let cake cool completely

Making the Bruleed Apples

  • Add the apple cider, maple syrup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, salt and pumpkin pie spice to a medium sized pot and mix together until combined
  • Peel apples, cut them into wedges and add them to the pot
  • Bring the pot to a boil then turn down to a simmer. Simmer until apples are tender enough for a fork to go through but not falling apart, about 10 minutes
  • Scoop the apples out with a slotted spoon, allow to drain for a minute or set them in a colander for 2-3 minutes
  • Lay the apple sliced out on a baking sheet and sprinkle with the remaining sugar
  • Using either a kitchen torch or the broiler, melt the sugar on top of the apples until it starts to brown and get slightly crisp. Set the apples aside until you top the cake

Making the Caramel Sauce

  • In a medium sized sauce pot or sautee pan add the sugar, turn the burner to medium and allow the sugar to melt. Don't stir the sugar while it's melting, alternatively you can swirl the pan around from time to time
  • Once the sugar is all melted it will be a dark amber color. Turn the heat off immediately and add the cubed butter
  • The mixture is going to bubble up and pop a lot, that is supposed to happen. Whisk continuously until the butter is incorporated
  • Add the heavy cream and whisk until incorporated. The mixture will pop and bubble again
  • Whisk in the salt then transfer the caramel to a heat proof container and allow to cool to room temp on the counter top

Cream Cheese and Sour Cream Frosting

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment beat the cream cheese and butter together for 3 minutes on medium - high speed
  • Add half of the powdered sugar and mix in on low speed then add the other half and mix in just until incorporated
  • Add the vanilla and salt, mix in slowly then turn the mixer up to medium - high speed and beat 2- 3 more minutes until light and fluffy
  • Add in the sour cream and mix until incorporated

Topping the Snack Cake

  • Once the apple cake is completely cooled spread the frosting across the top of the whole cake
  • Arrange the bruleed apples in whatever design you'd like on top of the cake and drizzle the caramel sauce over the top
  • Serve and enjoy!!

Notes

Do not overmix the cake batter. 
Don't overbake cake. Check to see if cake is done by inserting a toothpick to the center of the cake. It should come out clean or with only a few crumbs. 
Frosting can be made up to 3 days in advance. Bring frosting to room temperature before frosting cake. 
Caramel sauce can be made up to one week in advance and kept in the fridge in an airtight container. Warm caramel slightly in the microwave in increments of 8 seconds, just until pourable. 

Nutrition

Calories: 718kcalCarbohydrates: 141gProtein: 7gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 99mgSodium: 958mgPotassium: 425mgFiber: 4gSugar: 117gVitamin A: 676IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 169mgIron: 2mg
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