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 very soon after you glaze it otherwise it gets soggy.
Would I make this again? Absolutely.
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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!
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 balance out some of the sweetness, and its acidity will help to 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.
What Kind of Apples Should I Use?
- I prefer Granny Smith apples for baking.
- 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 do I 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.
Which Pan for Salted Caramel Apple Sheet Cake
I have included instructions for baking this Salted Caramel Apple Sheet 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 or 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 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
- Caramel Apple Coffee Cake
- Salted Caramel Apple Pie Pizookies
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.
if I needed this cake to take to a gathering on Tuesday morning, could I make it on Sunday and keep it covered on the counter? should I add the glaze on Monday night or still put the glaze on after it cools? really excited to try it 🙂 I could make the cake on Monday night, but Sunday would be more convenient for me!
I’d wait to glaze it until tonight if possible! Otherwise it might get soggy.
House smells HEAVENLY! OK – my cake was done, tested & tasted. Set a small piece aside w/o & was light & spongy exactly as mentioned & delicious w/o the glaze. Added the glaze (followed recipe to the tee & now the cake though tastes good, turned to mush. What happened?). Is it because the cake was warm? Said to add the glaze on warm cake. Hmmm, confused, 1st cake ever that’s ever done that. Sadly has that icky birthday cake & ice cream mixture-mushy texture. Should i only have added1/2 the glaze, or waited until the cake was cool? Please help, was such a great flavor & again the hiuse smells incredible. Thank you!
Hi, Kelli! How strange! That definitely didn’t happen to me, but if you encountered this issue then I would definitely wait until the cake is cooler before glazing. And perhaps start with 1/2 if you found it too sweet.
Or was it because tha cake has been cut and the glaze sipped into the cake which makes it mushy?
This looks so delicious! Salted caramel + apple sounds amazing. 🙂
I made this cake and it was claimed as a favorite by EVERYONE in the family. It was super moist and so flavorful! Definitely a keeper! And it looked beautiful cut in squares!
I used a jelly roll pan lined with parchment. To speed up making the batter I used the grater disc of my food processor instead of dicing the apples. I made the glaze using store bought caramel sauce – it was delicious but made too much glaze so we had some brownies with the glaze on Sunday! That was a bonus!
Thank you for a great fall recipe.
I’m so happy to hear that, Louise! Thanks for taking the time to comment 🙂
I am going to try this again using a regular cake pan
Hello, I made this last night to donate to a church fall festival however, it will not be going. It is an ugly cake. The cake was frosted after cooling for 20 min and the cake was still too warm, which then made for a glaze instead of frosting. Also I think the next time I will dice, not chop the apples. Chopping made them too large which added to the ugliness of the cake. The flavor is spot on, so thank you for the yumminess.
Hi Harriet! Yes, this recipe definitely has a glaze, not a traditional buttercream frosting. I don’t think any sheet cake is very pretty… that’s why they’re so quick and easy 😉
Tessa
Thank you very much for getting back to me
it’s good I test it every time I use it maybe the pan was too big I used a 12x18x2
Oh yes, that was probably it. The two sizes I’ve tested this recipe with are listed in the directions so I would definitely stick to one of those if you can!
I made your cake and followed everything to the T even used the same pan but my cake turned out thin what could I have done wrong ?
Hi Lori, is it possible that your baking soda has gone bad? To check, place 1/4 teaspoon in a bowl and pour 1 teaspoon distilled vinegar on top. If it bubbles up, it is fresh. If nothing happens, then it has lost its ability to leaven.
I am so happy I found your beautiful blog! This recipe looks amazing and I can’t wait to try it this fall! YUM!!
Thank you so much, Melanie!
Wow- this is absolutely the best fall dessert – everyone loved it!
I have a 12x18x2 cake pan that I use to make dessert for my church dinners. Would I just use one recipe or should I use more to fit this size pan. I don’t mind the cake being taller etc just wondering what your recommendation would be.
Thanks
Sarah
Since that’s only a couple inches larger than the sheet pan size specified in the recipe, I would follow those baking guidelines and possibly shave off a minute or two.