Do you know what my favorite thing is? Doing things twice. It’s even better when I’m improving upon them because of a mistake I made the first time, which is exactly what happened with this Caramel Apple Cake.

I actually had to bake the cake layers twice. When I thought they were done, they weren’t even close, but I removed them from the oven anyway, and they completely deflated. UGH.

I hate wasting anything—time, ingredients (which is money), or food. So I trimmed the ruined layers to make them even and put them in the freezer for later use. I’ve got a terrible habit of holding on to leftovers until I can’t fit anything anymore!

My second attempt at the cake layers went much smoother (I did tweak the recipe a little), although I accidentally overbaked them because I was afraid of underbaking them!

Overbaking is preferable—if the cake turns out too dry, you can always revive it with some simple syrup, but you can’t serve raw cake to your guests!

I’ve recently dealt with the aftermath of pulling cakes out of the oven too early, so I’ve resolved to stop relying solely on skewers or cake testers. Often, I’ll poke the cake too early and it collapses—a total bummer.

Sometimes, the skewer comes out clean, but the layers aren’t actually done! Now, when I check for doneness, I gently press down on the tops of the cake layers with my finger. If they spring back, they’re perfect. If they leave an indent, they’re not quite ready.

Baking can be super stressful, folks.

How to make this Apple Cake

This Caramel Apple Cake is truly the perfect dessert for Fall, especially now as we kick off apple season! We’re lucky around here to have some great local apples grown in the BC interior. I haven’t seen many at markets just yet, but they should be making an appearance soon.

My ultimate favorite apples are Honeycrisp—they’re crisp, juicy, and a brilliant blend of sweet and tart. To be totally honest, my absolute favorites are Macintosh, but they don’t hold up as well during baking (they’re too soft).

I hardly remember what variety of apples I used in this cake. I couldn’t grab any Honeycrisp and it certainly wasn’t Granny Smith apples. The great thing is you can use nearly any type of apple you want in this Caramel Apple Cake!

Cut the apple into small pieces.

I opted to chop the apples into small pieces to enhance the flavor and texture, but you could also grate them if that’s your preference.

The perfect, picturesque apples in my photos are courtesy of my friend Sam from My Kitchen Love. She kindly offered me the last three apples from her tree so I could have some rustic apples for the shoot.

I kid you not, I had ten perfectly fine, store-bought apples waiting on my counter to be used, but I instead drove an hour in pouring rain on the day of the photo shoot just to acquire these three special apples!

Totally worth it! Make sure to check out Sam’s blog—her recipes are as stunning as they are delicious!

The caramel recipe I used for this cake is my absolute favorite. You can find a detailed tutorial on it here. Sure, there are easier methods to make caramel, but this one is straightforward and results in an irresistibly smooth, silky texture. I even used this same caramel in my Turtles Cake, and it’s genuinely delightful!

A simple Swiss meringue buttercream mixed with caramel enhances this cake perfectly. The flavors compliment one another impeccably.

If you desire an extra drizzle of caramel, just pour some onto the buttercream in between the layers. There should be more than enough caramel to do this if you wish.

I kept the decoration straightforward—just a naked cake with a caramel drip. This cake is a fantastic way to utilize those incredible apples!

Tips for this Apple Cake with Homemade Caramel:

• The recipe can also be made in two 8” pans. For three 8” pans, multiply the recipe by 1.5.
• To make cupcakes, simply reduce the baking time—start checking them at about 15 minutes.
• The cooled cake layers can be baked ahead of time, wrapped tightly in plastic, and frozen for up to 3 months. Just take them out 2-3 hours before assembling.
• The frosting can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1 week or frozen for 3 months. Bring to room temperature and rewhip before using.
• You can choose any apple variety for this cake recipe.
• Check out my How to Make Caramel post for a detailed tutorial.
• The caramel can keep for about a month in the fridge, so you can prepare it in advance.
• If the caramel thickens too much, heat it in the microwave for 5-10 seconds until it’s pourable (but not hot).
• If you like this recipe, check out my other Fall-themed recipes: Apple Pie Cake, Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake, Spice Cake, Pumpkin Spice Bundt, Pear & Walnut Cake.
• Make sure to look at my Swiss Meringue Buttercream post for additional tips and troubleshooting.
• Learn how to keep your cakes moist using Simple Syrup.
• For perfectly leveled cake layers, view my How to Bake Flat Cake Layers post!