Caramel Apple Pie Cake with Arctic Goldens
Feeling overwhelmed at the thought of having to prepare a big family dinner for Easter this weekend? Arctic® apples can help! Our freshly sliced Arctic® Goldens and Arctic® Grannys take care of all the prep work for you. They’re ready to eat, stay orchard fresh longer, and make the perfect salad topper or easy appetizer.
Don’t worry, we didn’t forget about dessert. We partnered up with Jackie Bruchez of the Seaside Baker and she took the hassle out of that too! This Caramel Apple Pie Cake made with Arctic® Goldens is sure to please everyone around the table.
“No more having to choose between cake and pie. Caramel Apple Pie Cake is everything you love about light fluffy cake, layered with delicious apple pie filling. Add to all that an oh-so-creamy caramel frosting, fresh apple slices and a generous drizzle of caramel sauce. Caramel Apple Pie Cake just might be the most delicious apple dessert ever.”
You can find the recipe for this perfect Easter dessert here. Now you can have your cake, and eat your pie too. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- Cake
- 2 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 ½ cups unsalted butter
- 5 large eggs
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cups buttermilk or sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Apple Filling
- 3 cups chopped apples
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup apple juice or water
- 2 tablespoons corn starch
- 2 tablespoons water
- Caramel Sauce
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup light corn syrup
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Caramel Frosting
- 1 ⅔ cups 3 sticks + 3 tablespoons salted butter, room temperature
- 5 ¼ cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons caramel sauce room temperature
- 1-2 tablespoons milk
Directions
- To make the cake- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease three 8-inch round pans or four 6-inch round pans with nonstick cooking spray.
- Sift together cake flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In the bowl of your mixer (or beaters), cream butter and sugar, until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs, one at a time, mixing thoroughly in between.
- Stir in vanilla extract.
- Reducing your mixer speed to low, alternate adding flour mixer and buttermilk until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Evenly fill cake pans half full with batter.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 25-27 minutes for 9-inch pans and 22-25 minutes for 6-inch pans, or until a knife is inserted and when removed is clean.
- Cool completely before filling and frosting.
- To make the apple filling- In a large bowl, toss chopped apples with lemon juice.
- In a large pan set on medium heat, melt your butter.
- Add apples and sauté for about 3 minutes while stirring.
- Pour in sugars, apple juice, cinnamon, and salt and allow to simmer until apples are soft on medium-low heat, about 10 minutes.
- Whisk together 2 tablespoons water with corn starch to create a paste.
- Add cornstarch paste to apple mixture and stir until thick.
- Once the filling is nice and thick, remove from heat and bring to room temperature.
- To make the caramel sauce- Heat brown sugar, cream, butter, corn syrup, and salt in a heavy bottomed sauce pan over medium-low heat. Whisk gently for about 5-7 minutes until it has thickened.
- Once sauce has thickened, stir in vanilla and remove from heat.
- Cool for 5 minutes then pour into jar to cool completely.
- To make the frosting- Cream butter, vanilla, and caramel sauce until smooth.
- Add ½ of the powdered sugar and mix.
- Add remaining powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon milk; mix until incorporated.
- Increase mixer speed to high and beat for 4 minutes.
- If frosting is still too thick, add additional tablespoon of milk and beat until frosting is light and fluffy.
- Assembly- If needed, remove domes of cakes using a sharp serrated knife.
- Place first layer on cake board or serving platter.
- Spread ½ cup of frosting over layer and top with cooled apple pie filling.
- Place second layer on top of apple filling. Repeat with third layer.
- Frost the outside of the cake completely.
- Chill cake for 1 hour before adding the caramel drizzle.
- Garnish cake with caramel dipped apples, if desired.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate until 30 minutes before serving and up to 2 days.
