This self saucing caramel apple cake is the ultimate fall and winter dessert! A soft and fluffy cake bakes on top while apples and brown sugar caramel sauce simmers underneath. Serve warm, scooped into bowls, topped with vanilla ice cream or custard.
What sets this recipe apart
Unique: This recipe uses an unusual technique: boiling water is poured over brown sugar-topped cake batter before baking. This creates a brown sugar caramel sauce that bakes underneath the cake. Try these versions, too: chocolate pudding cake, pumpkin pudding cake.
Two treats in one: Caramel-coated apple pieces on the bottom, fluffy apple cake on the top. The best of several apple desserts in one!
Serve warm: This dessert should be served warm, shortly after coming out of the oven. This ensures there is plenty of caramel sauce for spooning over each serving.
Visual recipe overview
*Full recipe below in recipe card*
- Step 1: Toss diced apples with cinnamon and brown sugar. Spread into the bottom of a baking dish.
- Step 2: Make the cake batter.
- Step 3: Pour the cake batter over the apples and spread into an even layer.
- Step 4: Top the cake batter with a mixture of brown sugar and cornstarch.
- Step 5: Gently pour boiling water over the brown sugar mixture (don’t stir).
- Step 6: Bake for 45 minutes. The cake will rise to the top and a brown sugar caramel sauce will form underneath.
My recipe testing tips and notes
Apples: Apples should be diced about ½-inch thick. If the pieces are any larger they won’t get soft enough during bake time.
Baking dish: This recipe requires a baking dish that is at least two-inches high with an 8-cup volume. There should be adequate room for the apples, the cake to rise, and the caramel sauce to bubble around the edges. I recommend a square 8×8 pan or a 9-inch deep dish pie plate, both with two-inch high sides. Do not try to squeeze this into a smaller or shallower baking dish.
Serving: This cake should be served shortly after being removed from the oven. This ensures there is plenty of caramel sauce at the bottom for spooning over each slice. As the cake cools it will absorb some of the caramel sauce and the remaining sauce will thicken.
Storage: Leftovers should be stored in the refrigerator for up to two days. Reheat individual servings int the microwave as needed. Note: the cake will absorb the sauce over time. For the best sauce to cake ratio this should be consumed within the first few hours of baking.
Recipe
Self Saucing Caramel Apple Cake
Ingredients
Apples:
- 3 cups (360g) peeled, diced apples, see note
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Cake:
- 7 tablespoons (100g) salted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- ⅓ cup (79ml) milk, room temperature
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- ¼ cup (59ml) pure maple syrup, room temperature
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1¼ cups (158) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled or weighed
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Topping:
- ⅔ cup (150g) packed dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 cup (236ml) boiling water
For serving (optional):
- vanilla ice cream or custard (I use Bird's custard powder, made according to the package)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F with a rack in the center of the oven. Lightly grease your baking pan (see note on size) and set aside.
Apples:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine diced apples, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Scoop into the bottom of the baking dish and spread into an even layer. No need to wash the bowl, proceed with the cake batter.
Cake:
- In the bowl you just used, whisk melted butter, milk, egg, maple syrup, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Sprinkle the flour mixture over the wet ingredients and whisk until just combined. Give it a final few stirs with a flexible rubber spatula.
- Pour the cake batter over the apples in the baking dish. Spread the cake batter into an even layer. The layer will be thin, but it should fully cover the apples.
Topping:
- In a separate bowl, stir together the brown sugar and cornstarch. Sprinkle this mixture over the top of the cake batter. Gently pour the boiling water evenly over the top of the brown sugar (do not stir).
- Carefully transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 40-48 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center of the cake should come out clean (don't poke all the way to the bottom of the pan where the caramel is). There should be a caramel-like layer under the cake and bubbling up around the sides. Place on a wire rack to cool for 5 minute. Serve warm with ice cream or custard.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Information is an estimate based on third-party calculations and may vary based on products used and serving sizes.
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