Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: Like apple-cinnamon-caramel goodness. These flavors are just meant to be together.
Texture: The cake is ridiculously moist, tender, and slightly spongy. The glaze on top is ultra thick and luscious.
Ease: Super duper easy, but no one has to know that!
Pros: Easy, delicious, and crowd-pleasing. Perfect for the holidays (or anytime you want the house to smell heavenly).
Cons: Best for larger get-togethers, as it makes a whole lotta cake. Also, the cake should be served soon after you glaze it, otherwise it may get soggy.
Would I make this again? Absolutely.
This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.
This Salted Caramel Apple Sheet Cake is the perfect dessert for any fall event!
Caramel + apples + cake = complete dessert perfection.
The aroma as this cake bakes is pure bliss. Lightly spiced apples waft through the air, making your whole house smell like a fall candle. Add salted caramel, and I’m in heaven.
This cake is super tender, ultra-moist, and beautifully light – not to mention it’s super quick and easy!
The inspiration for this recipe comes from my blogger friend Nikki of Chef in Training. Her post for Salted Caramel Apple Sheet Cake was teasing me for months, so I finally decided to make my own version of it. And it’s AMAZING.
I suggest you make this recipe for your next party, celebration, or occasion as it’s a huge crowd-pleaser. This sheet cake also makes a fantastic Thanksgiving dessert, if you have guests who prefer cake to pie!
Sprinkle of Science
How to Make Salted Caramel Apple Sheet Cake
Why is There Buttermilk in Salted Caramel Apple Sheet Cake?
- Buttermilk is an important component of this Salted Caramel Apple Sheet Cake recipe.
- It adds a tang to help balance the sweetness, and its acidity will help further activate the baking soda (alongside the brown sugar).
- Its thick texture lends richness to the cake for added moisture and tenderness, too.
- Full-fat sour cream would be a good alternative to the buttermilk, just note the final texture will be slightly different.
- Learn more about buttermilk and substitutions in my Buttermilk 101 article here.
Measure Your Flour Correctly!
Measuring your flour correctly is essential to ensuring this Salted Caramel Apple Sheet Cake has the perfect texture, isn’t too dense or tough, and tastes amazing. I highly recommend using a digital kitchen scale to weigh your flour, but if you don’t have one, use the spoon-and-level method to measure your flour. This ensures that you don’t accidentally compact too much flour and end up with a sheet cake that’s dry or flavorless.
Don’t Reduce the Sugar!
It might seem simple to reduce the sugar to cut down on sweetness, but reducing sugar actually has a big impact on the texture of your cake. Learn more about sugar’s role in baking here.
What Kind of Apples Should I Use?
- I prefer Granny Smith apples for this Salted Caramel Apple Sheet Cake.
- Granny Smith apples are tart, which balances the sweetness of the salted caramel glaze beautifully.
- They also hold their shape and structure well as they bake.
- Jonathan, Golden Delicious, and Honeycrisp apples should work just fine, too.
- Feel free to use a mix of apple types.
- Be sure to chop your apples evenly, for even cooking.
How to Prepare the Apples
For even cooking, peel and chop each apple evenly. This apple corer makes quick work of prepping your apples!
Salted Caramel Glaze
- The salted caramel in the glaze takes this cake to a whole new level.
- I typically use Trader Joe’s Fleur de Sel Caramel Sauce. It comes in a jar and it’s fantastic.
- If you want to go the extra mile and make the salted caramel for the glaze from scratch, check out my tutorial on how to make caramel sauce here.
The Texture of This Sheet Cake
This Salted Caramel Apple Sheet Cake has a slightly unique texture. It’s ultra moist and slightly spongy with a light and airy feel. I personally love how light it is – it’s the perfect dessert after a big meal! If you want a bit more structure, feel free to add an extra 2 tablespoons of flour.
The Pan for Salted Caramel Apple Sheet Cake
I have included instructions for baking this cake in both a jelly roll pan and a slightly bigger 16.75 by 12-inch pan.
Can This be Made in a 9×13 pan Instead?
This cake was formulated for a jellyroll pan so it bakes quickly and serves a crowd. I have not tested it with a 9 by 13-inch pan, but the time would need to be increased by about 10 minutes as the cake will then be much thicker.
Help! My Glaze is Too Thick / Thin
- If your glaze is too thin, add more powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon at a time.
- If your glaze is too thick, add more milk, 1 teaspoon at a time.
Can This Cake be Made Ahead of Time?
This Salted Caramel Apple Sheet Cake is best served the day it’s baked. The liquid from the apples and the frosting may leech out the longer it sits.
How to Store Salted Caramel Apple Sheet Cake
- For the best taste and texture, serve this cake the day it’s baked.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days at room temperature.
- We have not tried freezing this Salted Caramel Apple Sheet Cake, but if you want to give it a try, I recommend freezing the cake unglazed. Thaw at room temperature and top with glaze once it’s back to room temp.
More Recipes You’ll Love:
- Apple Crisp
- Apple Galette
- Caramel Apple Streusel Pie
- Salted Caramel Apple Pie Pizookies
- Pumpkin Muffins
Become a Baking Genius!
Sign up for our free email newsletter for NEW recipes & baking science secrets.
Salted Caramel Apple Sheet Cake
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 2 cups (254 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (200 grams) lightly packed light brown sugar
- 2 sticks (227 grams) unsalted butter
- 1 cup water (236 grams)
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups (200 grams) peeled and chopped Granny Smith apples (about 2 medium apples)
For the glaze:
- 1 stick (113 grams) unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) milk
- 3 cups (375 grams) powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup
salted caramel sauce – store-bought or homemade
Instructions
Make the cake:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Butter or oil a 10-by-15-inch jellyroll pan or a 16-3/4 by 12-inch sheet pan.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, granulated sugar, and brown sugar.
- In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the butter with 1 cup water and heat until the butter melts. Bring to a boil. Once the mixture is boiling, remove from heat and stir into the flour mixture. Let cool slightly then add add in the buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla. Gently stir in the apples.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading evenly. Bake for 20 minutes if using a jelly roll pan, and about 17 minutes if using a 16.75 by 12-inch pan, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 15 to 20 minutes.
Make the glaze:
- Meanwhile, combine the butter and milk in a large heat-proof bowl. Microwave until the butter is melted. Gradually stir in the powdered sugar until combined. Stir in the vanilla and caramel until combined. If the glaze is too thin, add more powdered sugar to thicken. Pour evenly over the slightly warm cake. Feel free to use less glaze for less sweetness. Let set for about 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Recipe Notes
This recipe was originally published in 2016 and has been updated with additional recipe tips and improvements.
I made this cake for a crowd tonight and it was super popular. The only thing I would change next time, would be to add more apple to the mix, and maybe decrease the amount of glaze, but otherwise I LOVED it
Definitely trying this out & taking to church carryin.
We can’t wait to hear what you think, Paula!!
I bought a jelly roll pan just to try this recipe. I’m so glad I did! So delicious, moist, flavorful. As my daughter named Tessa said “it’s bussin”. Seriously- with the cost of ingredients being higher and higher I really appreciate Tessa’s recipes being throughly tested. No waisting expensive organic butter etc on failed baked good. Thank you Tessa!! You are a rockstar.
What would be tge baking time for a 9 x 13 pan?
Hi Karen! Check out the pink tip box (above the recipe) under the heading ‘Can This be Made in a 9×13 pan Instead?’ for directions for this!
A fun recipe to make and the results were terrific. So good, moist, and lots of apple goodness. I took this to a gathering and it quickly disappeared. I cut it into 30 pieces and placed each piece on a cupcake liner to serve. Also, I made this with gluten free all purpose flour and had no issues.
So happy to hear this was a hit for you, Nora!
Very good. I used the stove instead of the microwave for the icing.
Ok, this recipe was AMAZING. I cut it into 12 pieces, and gave my neighbors 4 pieces. This would be great for any occasion. As always, be sure to use a food scale.
A few things to consider: Bake this with someone 🙂 and don’t go into a spiral when the butter starts to boil/foam, it will be ok lol.
I’m excited to embark on this baking journey and share the beautiful gift of sharing sweets with loved ones, enjoy!
– Emory
This recipe was to DIE FOR. I’m hosting an autumn girls night in a couple weeks and have been searching for the right dessert to share. I tried this one out last night and loved it! Sure, I spilled buttermilk all over my newly refinished hardwood floors, but I didn’t cry about it haha. Hopefully the baking goes smoother the second time around. Thanks for sharing!
Love this recipe! I made it in a 13×18, 16 minutes baking time was perfect for these dimensions. I also decided to top it with 1 and 1/4 cups homemade salted caramel instead of making the glaze, and everyone adored it. You don’t get the real sheet cake glaze experience doing this, but it really lets the flavors of the apples shine through. It came out looking positively decadent. For a fall taste, I added a pinch of clove and nutmeg as well, and they complimented the recipe nicely.