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My Grandma's Fresh Apple Cake is the most delicious spiced cake loaded with grated apples and finished with a simple caramel sauce poured over the top. It's the fall dessert my family requests on repeat every single year.
Grandma's Special Apple Cake
This Apple Cake is one of my most treasured family recipes on this site. I love how food can link us with loved ones who have passed on.
You will love how easy this is to make–like no peeling the apples– just grate them skin-on, right into the batter. You can also use whatever apples are in your fridge, allowing you to make it practically anytime. Also, the caramel sauce is a non-negotiable! I can't wait for you to try this delicious apple cake recipe.
Take advantage of my recipes for apple season and try my Apple Crisp, Applesauce, Apple Pie, Baked Apples, Apple Crisp, Caramel Apples, and Apple Coffee Cake!
How to make Fresh Apple Cake:
Caramel Sauce (make ahead): You can use your favorite high quality store-bought sauce, but I recommend saving the money and making your own. It tastes better and is so easy and affordable. Just combine all caramel sauce ingredients in a glass bowl. Bring a couple inches of water to a boil in a small saucepan and place the glass bowl on top (or use a double broiler). Let the sauce simmer, stirring occasionally for one hour – that's it! Keeps in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Make Batter: Cream the butter and sugar, mix in the eggs, then stir in the grated apple. In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients, then fold into the wet ingredients until just combined.
Bake: Pour the batter into a greased 9×13 inch pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 45 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Serve: Let the cake cool for at least 10 minutes, then serve warm with the caramel sauce and whipped cream.
Apple Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup butter, , room temperature
- 2 large eggs
- 6 small/medium apples*, , grated with peel on (discard the core)
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
- 1 cup chopped walnuts, , optional
Caramel Sauce:
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- Easy Caramel Sauce (can be made ahead): Place all caramel sauce ingredients in a large glass bowl and stir to combine. Fill a saucepan with about 2 inches of water and bring it to a boil. Turn it to a low simmer. Set glass bowl over the saucepan (or use a double boiler) and simmer the sauce, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour. Pour into a jar and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.1 cup heavy whipping cream, ½ cup light brown sugar, ½ cup granulated sugar
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Wet ingredients: In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until well blended. Add the eggs and mix well. Stir in the big pile of freshly grated apple.2 cups granulated sugar, 1 cup butter, 2 large eggs, 6 small/medium apples*
- Dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients.2 teaspoons baking soda, 2 cups all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 ½ teaspoons ground cloves
- Combine: Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix, just until incorporated. Stir in walnuts, if using.1 cup chopped walnuts
- Bake in a greased 9×13 inch pan for 45-60 min, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
- Serve warm with caramel sauce and whipped cream or ice cream.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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*I originally shared this recipe November 2014. Updated November 2020, October 2022, September 2024 and August 2026.
How many cups of apples exactly?
It usually comes out to about 4–5 cups of grated apple, depending on the size of your apples.
This cake was delicious perfection! Served it warm from the oven with a drizzle of caramel sauce and it was a cozy fall hug in a dish!
After one bite of this cake I thought to myself, “I’m in danger…” 😄 but it was Worth. Every. Calorie.
Not only was it delightful to eat, but it was a joy to create. The recipe wasn’t overly complicated, yet with grating the apples and taking the time to make the caramel sauce, it felt like a labor of love – without being overly laborious.
The scent gently wafting through our house while this cake was in the oven was heavenly…and the caramel sauce is EVERYTHING. It takes an already delicious cake to a whole new level of flavor and texture.
This recipe just rocketed up the charts on my list of all-time favorites. Thank you so much for sharing!! 🧡
I made it with Just Egg and half all purpose Chick pea and half 1for 1 red mill flours and it came out great. I did pour off about half of the apple juice created when I grated the apples. Thanks.
Lauren: It’s a November Sunday, meaning football as a Family gathering. Unfortunate, the wife, just turning 75 has been unable to cook for sometime. I baked your fresh apple cake for our halftime celebration, doubled the recipe and the whole gang thought it was moist, light and delicious. So easy to make! Thanks again for your recipe.
This was hands down the best fresh apple cake I’ve made. I did peel my apples (used red delicious)!
Different. Not impressed. It does not beat an apple pie in my opinion.
I think this cake is heavy on Cloves. The next time I make it, I’ll put less. I used my chopper to dice the apples and I think that it’s a great improvement. I like the texture of the chunks of apples in the cake. I don’t think it’s too sweet at all.
Beautiful cake, just too sweet for my family as is. Left the caramel sauce off and it was perfect.😁