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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.
My cake is in the oven and I’m sure it will be delicious but the prep time and cook time on this is understated. It took me a good while just to prep my apples. Easily spent 30 minutes before the cake went in and now I read that the sauce takes an hour? Need to correct those times.
I agree, it isn’t something you can just whip up, but it’s worth every minute!
Buy a food processor
Just took out of the oven.. Smells delish
I used apples from my trees.
Okay, so there was serious concern for the caramel sauce. I am a scratch baker…I never use mixes for anything. I have made caramel sauces before but not exactly like this one. After 45 minutes it was watery and still the light color it started as. In the last 10 minutes BOOM …it had taken on a darker color and was slightly thicker. I turned the heat off and let it cool…now that it is no longer in a lava state I tried it…omg it’s delicious! It has thickened and is perfect. Going to a friends house for dinner with the cake in tow…not sure that sauce will survive…I want to just stick a spoon in it and eat it like soup lol! Can’t wait to taste the cake …looks fabulous on my counter
Ellen, I’m so glad! You really made me laugh.
What a smashing success!! The cake was perfect and the caramel sauce made it elegant to serve…they loved it all..so did I. What a keeper .
I did cut the sugar in the cake to 1 1/2 cups and no one knew any different
Thanks for posting this. I, too, would have panicked had I not seen this before I started cooking.
WAY TOO MUCH CLOVES…..The recipe must be a typo. I STRONGLY suggest using 1tsp cloves…..disappointing
Have you tried pecans instead of walnuts? I’m prefer them over walnuts . Do you think it would change the texture or taste of the cake?
Hi Lynn, that would work great! I’d love to hear what you think 🙂
Love Apple cake especially not having to peel them!!!
Can’t wait to make.
Thanks so much! I’d love to hear what you think after you make it!
Looking forward to making this – it looks amazing and I love apple cake! How many days in advance of serving it would you think is ok to make it? Does it hold up well for 2-3 days (without the sauce)? I’m traveling during the holidays and need to make it in advance. Thanks!
Yes, it should hold up great for at least two days in advance when you store the sauce separately! Hope everyone loves it! Happy Thanksgiving!
I wanted to know what are the best apples to use
You can really use any apples you have on hand. I like the taste of tart green apples (like granny smith) but I’ve used honeycrisp and many different types of apples and had great results.
Love this Apple Cake.
Can apples be peeled? Found a few pieces of tough skin but cake was moist and sooo yummy.
Sure, you can peel the apples first 🙂
The best apple would be your favorite. Recipe indicates any apple, so, go for your apple love.
I made that cake for my parents in law when visiting them last week. They have an old apple treee in their backyard that had some apples left which I could use for the cake. They loved it!!!
By the way, I live in Germany and love your receipes from scratch. We lived in the US for a couple of years and I wanted to continue to cook some authentic food without any ready-mixes which I cannot buy here. Thanks for your newsletter!
Well hello, from Germany! That is amazing, Thank you for sharing your story and thank you for following TBFS!
Your fresh apple cake was delicious. Followed receipe and it turned out perfect. Enjoy your receipes keep them coming. Thank you
Thank you so much Beth. Thanks for following TBFS!