This Caramel Apple Sheet Cake is moist and buttery, with cinnamon and apples throughout. Plus a silky icing infused with caramel flavor that is to die for! Great dessert for fall baking or any time all year long.
Looking for more delicious ways to use apples? Check out our Homemade Applesauce and Homemade Apple Pie Filling.
An Easy Apple Cake
While I personally love pumpkin all year long, it seems that most people don’t really embrace it until Fall rolls around. And I sort of get that. Pumpkin, Halloween, autumn leaves << synonymous with one another. But apples? Apples are different – they are consumed year round. Maybe because apples are more versatile.
Regardless, Fall is definitely apple season and recipes using them are in abundance. We’re looking forward to our annual trip up to Apple Hill to get our fill of fresh apple cider and apple cider donuts. And I’ll be bringing back a bag of freshly picked whole ones, too, so I can keep making this Caramel Apple Sheet Cake.
I can’t say enough about this sheet cake recipe. It tastes as good as it sounds. Even better! Good luck only eating a little. It is amazing.
Apple Sheet Cake Recipe
Here’s what you’ll need to make this apple sheet cake:
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)
- Dry Ingredients: all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, salt, and apple pie spice.
- Wet Ingredients: unsalted butter, sour cream, eggs, and water.
- Apple: You can grate the apple or dice it up small, peel it or not. Totally up to you!
- For the Icing: whole milk, unsalted butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and caramel sauce.
What Type of Apple is Best?
How to Make Apple Sheet Cake
Here’s the brief rundown of steps to make this cake.
(Don’t miss the video and printable recipe card below for all the details.)
- For optimal results, you will need a 10×15 -inch jelly roll pan for this sheet cake recipe. Coat it with nonstick cooking spray. (If using a 9×13 baking dish add 10 minutes or so to the baking time.)
- Bring the butter and water to a boil, then remove from the heat and cool.
- Whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream and eggs.
- Combine the wet ingredients with the dry.
- Fold in the diced apples.
- Gradually stir in the warm melted butter and mix well until combined.
- Pour batter evenly into the prepared pan and bake until the center of the cake springs back when touched.
- Let cool until just slightly warm and then pour the icing over the top.
- Allow to set, slice, and devour!
Proper Storage
To store: leftovers should be covered tightly and kept in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to 5 days.
Can I freeze frosted cake? Yes. To freeze a frosted cake, place the finished cake in the freezer for an hour to set. Once the icing is frozen and firm, wrap the cake in two layers of plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil. It will keep for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
More Sheet Cake Recipes
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Caramel Apple Sheet Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup water
- 2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 large eggs
- 1 medium apple , diced small or grated (about 1 1/4 cups)
For The Icing
- 3 tablespoons whole milk
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons caramel sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat a 10×15 inch jelly roll pan with nonstick cooking spray. (See note below if you don't have a jelly roll pan.)
- In a medium saucepan, bring butter and water to a boil, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- In the meantime, in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream and eggs.
- Combine the wet ingredients with the dry (batter will be thick.)
- Fold in the diced apples.
- Gradually stir in the warm melted butter and mix well until combined.
- Pour batter evenly into the prepared pan (batter will be loose.)
- Carefully transfer to the oven and bake for 25-27 minutes, until the center of the cake springs back when touched. Let cool until just slightly warm.
- Make the icing by combining the butter and milk in a medium microwave safe bowl; microwave for 45 seconds, and then in 15 second intervals until butter is melted. Whisk to combine. Add in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and caramel sauce; whisk to combine (add more powdered sugar or milk to get the right consistency – you want the icing to pour, but thick enough that it doesn't pool over the sides of the pan.)
- Pour icing over the cake while it’s cooled, but still slightly warm. Allow icing to set completely before slicing
- Cut into squares and enjoy!
- NOTE: If you don't have a jelly roll pan, many readers have had success making it in a 9×13 baking dish and adding 10 minutes or so to the baking time.
Video
Nutrition
Other Notes
Oh.My.God. This was amazing. Made it for baby shower and nobody could stop talking about it!
Do you use. 1 cup butter in cake? Or 3/4 butter in cake and 1/4 in icing? I let cake cool 30 mins and should have waited longer it all soaked in cake.
I used 9×13 and it was perfect!!!
If I made the cake today, but am serving it tomorrow, do I need to refrigerate overnight ?
Hi Michelle – it will be fine at room temperature overnight, but more than that (or if you cut into it), it should be refrigerated. Enjoy!
Thank you!
Are there apples added to the icing as well – the picture looks as though there are. Or did they just peek through the icing?
Hi Marie – just the apples peeking through. If you read the recipe instructions, there aren’t any apples included in the icing part.
Made this sheet cake recipe as written. Delicious! I made sure the water and butter was incorporated before adding to flour/egg mixture, the batter was not watery when I put in the pan. Thank you for the recipe.
Caramel topping; is that ice cream topping?
Yes. It’s thicker than caramel syrup.
Thank you!
What is caramel topping? Is it a caramel sauce? Based in UKso we maybe call it by a different name. Was also going to ask about weights as that is what we use here but see someone else has above.
It sounds delicious.
Thanks
If you Google it, you’ll see images. It’s thicker than caramel syrup. Most commonly used for ice cream sundaes.
I made this today. I didn’t have a jelly roll pan so used my 9×13 and it worked out perfect. I added about 10 minutes to the cook time. I used salted butter because that is all I had. I added 2 capfulls of apple flavoring to the cake batter. I only had caramel syrup and not topping so I added 2 capfuls of caramel flavoring (LorAnns) to the icing instead . Turned out beautifully . So good! I will be making it again soon.
Oh, good to know! Thank you for sharing. I’d like to make this today, but don’t have a jelly roll pan.
Use a 9×13 cake pan.
Can this cake be made without apples or other fruits because I don’t care for cooked fruits OR do you have another caramel cake recipe that is a great hit?
will this freeze well?
Made this for a brunch today. Outstanding. Will definitely make again.
So the video looks like way more than one apple or 1 1/2 cups?
Would it bake correctly with just one cup sugar?? I thought it needed more apples, maybe next time I’ll double the apple and divide the batter between two smaller sheet pans. Otherwise this was phenomenal. I used salted butter because that’s all I had on hand. Delicious!!!
Can you use salted butter?
I wouldn’t recommend it. For optimal results, use the unsalted.
Just don’t add the 1/2 tsp of salt in the recipe. It’s ok to substitute salted butter for unsalted in any recipe. Just watch how much if any salt you add to the recipe.
I didn’t have any apples so substituted a pear! This was a big hit!
Yum! I will try that sometime!
The picture of the cake is spongy. Why do you think the batter is too watery…did you actually make the cake? If you read through the comments you’ll see that many people have made it without any issues.
Yes I made it and it was thin like water. I had trouble getting into the oven and it not slop over it was so thin.
Oh, I see. Yes, the batter is very loose when pouring onto the sheet pan (as seen in the video above the recipe card.) Sorry you had trouble transferring it to the oven. But the end result is a nice sponge cake, as pictured, as others have mentioned.
Would it be ok if I used a half cup of water??
I am using gluten free flour which makes it hard to make things.
Excellent will make it again
This cake was incredible. I’m making it again for Thanksgiving and putting it in my regular rotation every year. Thank you for the recipe!!
Ugh two cups of sugar is way too much for me :( would one cup work?
yes, I made it. 1 cup is enough for me :-)
Could apple juice/cider be used for some of the water?
Made this today. STUPID GOOD. I already have plans to make it 100 more times. LOL. Thanks for my new favorite cake recipe!!!
Can you translate it to English recipes please like SR flour OZ butter instead of cups. Thank you.
Hi Lauren – unfortunately, I don’t have the time to convert all of my recipes, but I know if you search Google, there are online conversion calculators that will do it for you by plugging in the info.
What kind of apples do u use 4 this cake I want to try it
I have a preference to Pink Lady and Honeycrisp, but any sweet apple will work great!
16 oz is a cup of butter, flour 8 oz is a cup
How do you figure the recipe to serve 70. We have a “church soup kitchen” on saturdays. How large are the pieces?
Hi Marty – there’s not really a way to easily triple the recipe, so you’d basically have to make 3 cakes. OR you could cut the cake into extremely tiny pieces. Regular serving is about a 3×2-inch piece.
Marty, you would need to make more than 3 cakes if you wanted to serve 70. Her recipe states 1 cake is 15 servings. You’ll need to make 5 cakes, which will make 75 servings.
Is their any substitute for the sour cream
What is the best kind of apple to use?
My favorites are Pink Lady and Honeycrisp!
I made this last night and brought it into work this morning for a potluck. First thing on the table GONE. I barely got a bite! Guess I’ll have to make it again LOL. Everyone loved it!!!
OHMYGOD this cake is dangerous!! I don’t know if I’ve happy or sad that it’s all gone LOL. Thank you for a wonderful recipe!!
Made this today. So good. A real winner. I added chopped walnuts to the frosting and was a big hit.
Love the idea of added walnuts! Pecans would be good, too.
I did a trial run of this cake today for a baby shower I’m hosting in a few weeks. Definitely a front runner! So good I want to hoard it all for myself!
Can this cake be done in a 9 x 13 cake pan?
Hi Bill. Not really. For optimal results, you need a jelly roll pan for a sheet cake, sorry.
Thank you!
A lady above did it in a 9X13 and just baked it 10 min. longer and liked it.
I used a 9×13 pan , Just added 10 minutes or so to the cooking time . It turned out perfect.
This is my new favorite cake! I brought it into work today for a potluck and I barely got a bite of it myself it was gone so fast. So so so delicious!
I made this today! It is so tasty. My icing doesn’t look the same as yours (I did follow the directions). It also ended up being absorbed by the cake so the cake (which was fully baked) is now more spongy and wet (for lack of a better word). I used a dark pan and I checked it at 24 minutes, it wasn’t set but it was good at 26.
Even though it doesn’t quite look like yours it is sooooo good!
Hi Karen – did you allow the cake to cool before pouring on the icing? It’s important to do that or yes, the cake will absorb it, as opposed to it being its own nice layer.
But your directions say to pour icing over the cake while it’s still warm.!
Yes, still warm…but cooled. 20 minutes cooling will allow it be cooled, but not hot.
Cider donuts…I need to try those, but first, I need this cake! I love that caramely frosting! This cake sounds divine!