This Fresh Apple Cake recipe will be the highlight of your Fall season! The delicious moist spice cake is made with grated apples, then served with a simple caramel sauce and scoop of ice cream.
Make sure to try all of my apple recipes this season, including Baked Apples, Caramel Apples, Apple Pie, or this yummy Caramel Apple Dip to eat with your fresh apples!
Generations of love come along with this Apple Cake.
Generations of love come along with this Apple Cake.Treasured family recipes are so special; not to get overly cheesy, but I love how food can link us with loved ones who have passed on. <3 My grandmother's fresh apple cake recipe has been a favorite for generations. You don't have to peel the apples–we just grate them right into the batter, and you can really use any type of apple you have on hand. Just don't don't skip the caramel sauce because it makes this cake irresistible!
How to make Apple Cake:
Make Caramel Sauce: Combine sauce ingredients in a glass bowl and place on top of a saucepan with simmering water. Let it simmer while the cake cooks.
Grate Apples: Keep the peels on the apples and grate them with a box grater or the grating attachment on a food processor.
Make Batter: Mix butter, sugar, and eggs in a mixing bowl then stir in grated apples. Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl then pour into the wet ingredients and stir only until just incorporated. Don't over mix!
Bake: Spread batter evenly into a greased 9×13 pan and bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, or with few crumbs.
Serve with caramel sauce and a scoop of ice cream!
Freezing Instructions:
To Freeze: Let cake cool completely then cover with plastic wrap and two layers of tinfoil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight. Enjoy cold or rewarm the whole pan in the oven on low heat, or warm individual slices in the microwave for a few seconds.
More Apple Recipes:
- Apple Crisp
- Baked Apples
- Applesauce Muffins
- Apple Coffee Cake
- How to make Caramel Apples
- Broccoli Apple Salad
- Apple Pie
- Waldorf Salad
- Applesauce
- Applesauce Bread
- Apple Pecan Salad
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Recipe
Apple Cake
Equipment
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.
- 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.
- Dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients.
- Combine: Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix, just until incorporated.
- 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
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*I originally shared this recipe November 2014. Updated November 2020, October 2022 and September 2024.
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Awesome recipe. Easy to make, makes a big cake, and super delicious!
I made this cake a couple of days ago, and it is definitely worth a 5 Star rating. It is SO good! I’d bought some Ruby Frost apples at Fresh Market, which I didn’t care for raw, and decided to find a recipe to use them. SO glad I found this recipe! I’d never heard of grating apples. I used 5 medium apples. I did drain them (and drank the juice). This cake turned out very moist and delicious. I baked it in a glass 9×13 casserole dish for 40 minutes, and it was done. I used pecans instead of walnuts because I can’t find any walnuts around me that don’t taste half rancid. l also decreased the spices to please my husband’s palate. I added 1/2 c. golden raisins too. My changes would not have affected the outcome; this is a really good recipe. I have to admit, I did not make the caramel sauce, although I know it would be delish. Instead, I topped it with cream cheese frosting with pecans. I will definitely make this cake again.
I made this cake a couple of days ago, and it is definitely worth a 5 Star rating. It is SO good! I’d bought some Ruby Frost apples at Fresh Market, which I didn’t care for raw, and decided to find a recipe to use them. SO glad I found this recipe! I’d never heard of shredding apples. I used 5 medium apples. I did drain them (and drank the juice). This cake turned out very moist and delicious. I baked it in a glass 9×13 casserole dish for 40 minutes, and it was done. I used pecans instead of walnuts because I can’t find any walnuts around me that don’t taste half rancid. l also decreased the spices to please my husband’s palate. I added 1/2 c. golden raisins too. My changes would not have affected the outcome; this is a really good recipe. I have to admit, I did not make the caramel sauce, although I know it would be delish. Instead, I topped it with cream cheese frosting with pecans. I will definitely make this cake again.
I went to the apple orchard yesterday & I was anxious to try this recipe. Enjoyed the “grated” apples; the cake is DELICIOUS! I was anticipating sickening sweet & it is not. Sooo GOOD. THANKS
I just made this cake. I did not drain the juice from the apples before adding to batter and I added walnut extract instead of the nuts. I poured the caramel sauce on top of warm cake to soak through. It was very good. My son LOVED IT! I am definately making this again and again. Thank you.
I wonder if this could be made in a bundt pan. It would be beautiful! Pinned!!!! Definitely a must try
!
I made this case using all the juice with the shredded apples. It was delicious but I noticed the cake did nor rise much. I know that’s typical for some moist cakes, but I wondered if I should have drained the juice and maybe the cake would have raised a bit more or would it not be as moist? It’s a wonderful cake, just wondering which way it should be with the extra juice though.
Would you pour the caramel icing on the cake prior to freezing it? Or should it be added after thawing? Thanks.
I’d prefer it added right before serving.
Made this with only 1/4 C sugar, no caramel topping.
Turned out perfect! Yummo!
I made this and it is wonderful, I would suggest to add about a half teaspoon of salt, into the cake, it was lacking a bit, other than that, excellent!!