Description
This moist and flavorful Apple Spice Cake combines the warmth of traditional holiday spices with tender chunks of apples, all topped with a rich homemade caramel drizzle. Perfect for cozy gatherings or festive celebrations, this cake features a blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves, balanced by the sweetness of brown sugar and a silky cream frosting.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (360g)
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon (4.6g)
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger (0.9g)
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg (1g)
- 1/2 tsp ground allspice (1g)
- 1 pinch ground cloves
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (4.9mL)
- 1 tsp baking soda (4.6g)
- 1 tsp salt (6.3g)
- 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted (118.2mL)
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil (59mL)
- 1/4 cup plain yogurt (59mL)
- 1.5 cups sugar (192g)
- 3 large eggs
- 3 to 4 apples, cored and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 2 cups or 3 cups chopped, preferably Honeycrisp)
Caramel Drizzle
- 1 pound confectioner’s sugar (453.5g)
- 3/4 cup room temperature butter (170g)
- 1/3 cup cream (79mL)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (14.7g)
- 1 cup brown sugar (200g)
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter (71g)
- 1/2 cup cream or half and half (118.2mL)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (14.7mL)
- 1 pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×13-inch baking pan or line it with parchment paper to ensure easy removal of the cake.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, ground allspice, ground cloves, baking soda, and salt. This blend of spices will infuse the cake with its characteristic warm flavor.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In another bowl, beat the eggs with sugar until light and fluffy. Then add the melted coconut oil, vegetable oil, yogurt, and vanilla extract and mix until well combined.
- Incorporate Dry and Wet Mixtures: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing gently to combine. Avoid overmixing to keep the cake tender.
- Add Apples: Fold in the chopped apples evenly throughout the batter, distributing the fruit to get bites of apple in every slice.
- Bake the Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake in the preheated oven for about 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Prepare Caramel Drizzle: While the cake bakes, start the caramel drizzle. In a saucepan, melt together the brown sugar and unsalted butter over medium heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Slowly whisk in the cream or half and half, and continue cooking until the mixture thickens slightly. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract and a pinch of salt for balance.
- Make the Frosting: In a separate bowl, beat the room temperature butter until creamy. Gradually mix in the confectioner’s sugar and cream, beating until smooth and spreadable. Add the vanilla extract and mix well.
- Cool the Cake: Allow the cake to cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes before frosting to prevent the frosting from melting.
- Assemble: Spread the cream frosting evenly over the cooled cake. Then drizzle the caramel sauce generously over the top to finish the cake with a sweet, glossy touch.
- Serve: Cut into 8 slices and serve. This cake is delicious slightly warm or at room temperature, perfect for sharing during holiday festivities.
Notes
- Use tart apples like Honeycrisp for the best balance of sweetness and tartness.
- Ensure apples are chopped uniformly to promote even cooking and texture.
- Allow the cake to cool adequately before frosting to prevent melting.
- The caramel drizzle can be refrigerated and gently reheated before serving if prepared ahead of time.
- This cake keeps well covered at room temperature for 2 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 238 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 162 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg
