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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.
I made this cake yesterday for a get together and served it with the caramel sauce and some vanilla ice cream. It was a big hit! I’ll be adding this to my recipe bank. Thank you.
What kind of apples do you use?
Any kind will work. My favorite combination is granny smith and golden delicious.
Have you ever made this in loaf pans?
I haven’t, but I think it would work just fine! I’d love to hear if you do.
I like to try a recipe as written the first time I make it. I have never made an apple dessert with grated apples! This was a good dessert. Next time I think I will use less cinnamon and add fresh grated nutmeg. Salted caramel sauce and homemade ice cream on top….oh my!
I loved this Apple Cake. I used the shredded apples and their juice. The cake is really moist. I didn’t make the caramel sauce, the cake is sweet enough without it. I just drizzled a little heavy cream over it.
The cake is easy to make and taste delicious . I made this cake last night for dessert and everyone loved it.
Very good write-up. I definitely appreciate this site.
Keep writing!
I made this delicious cake for a church dinner for homeless families, and it was a big it. I did want to comment on a couple of things: first, I noticed there is no salt in this recipe, so added 1/2 tsp as a pretty customary amount for a cake. Second, I used my Cuisinart to grate the apples. It produced large grates, which created a texture we liked, but there was a LOT of juice. I drained the grated apple before adding to the butter/egg mixture. Last, we ran out of time before the sauce thickened up, but it was delicious slightly thickened! Will definitely make this again. The cake would be a yummy breakfast “bar”!
Do NOT add the cloves
I haven’t tried this recipe yet, but the single spice I use in combination with cinnamon is nearly always allspice! Ginger, nutmeg and cloves can complement cinnamon nicely if used sparingly (proportions depending on the recipe, of course), but allspice harmonizes so well with cinnamon that I often use them in equal measure when cinnamon is called for, and I seldom use much of the other three in baking. So I’d suggest trying 2 t cinnamon, 1 t allspice and 1/2 t cloves. I hope that balances out the flavors for you!
Was looking for a recipe for an apple cake and found this one and decided to try it. I can’t believe how delicious it is and so very moist. I will definitely make it again. I didn’t make the caramel sauce. I love it just the way it is. Read where someone said not to use the cloves but I followed the recipe and I’m happy I used it. Definitely a keeper!!
I have made this recipe 3 times & every time it has come out very delicious. My husband loves it he says it’s moist & not very sweet. Can you use sweet n low in place of the sugar. I am a diabetic so I can’t eat very much of it. Thank you mlg.
Thanks Mary! I haven’t tried a sugar substitute, but it could work 🙂
baked this cake last nite for the 1st time with salted butter though, it’s a lovely moist cake.
saved 5he recipe for next time.
ingrid from st maarten, dutch carribbean