I was going through the apple recipes on the blog and realized there was one recipe missing — one that I actually make quite often: this apple cake baked in a loaf pan and topped with salted caramel sauce.
I’ve made this recipe many times, and it has turned out beautifully every single time. It has lots of thinly sliced apples, just enough batter to hold them together, and, finally, a generous layer of salted caramel. The combination of apples and caramel is one of my favorites.
What I love most about this cake is how beautiful it looks when sliced. The thin layers of apples stack up on top of each other, giving the cake a lovely and interesting texture.
And even though it may look like the kind of dessert that requires a bit of work, it’s actually quite simple to make. You just need a little patience when preparing the apples and, most importantly, when letting the cake cool.
This type of cake is also known as an Invisible Apple Cake because of the large amount of thinly sliced apples and the small amount of batter holding them together.
Helpful Tips for Making Apple Cake with Salted Caramel
Use a mandoline to slice the apples. It’s not essential, but I highly recommend it. The apples will be sliced much more thinly and, more importantly, the slices will be roughly the same thickness. This makes a big difference when you slice the cake, as the layers of apples will look much more even and beautiful.
Don’t worry if it looks like there are a lot of apples and very little batter. That’s exactly how it should be. This isn’t a classic apple loaf cake with a few pieces of apple scattered throughout the batter. Here, the apples are the main ingredient, while the batter simply holds everything together.
Let the cake cool completely before slicing. After baking, turn the cake out of the pan so that the bottom is facing up, and leave it to cool completely. I know it’s tempting to cut into it right away, but if you have the patience to let it cool for a few hours, you’ll get much cleaner and prettier slices.
Don’t skip blending the caramel sauce. Once the caramel sauce is ready and has cooled slightly, I like to blend it with a hand mixer. It may seem like an unnecessary step, but it helps make the sauce smoother and more homogeneous, with a nice, even color.
Add the caramel only once the cake has cooled completely. This way, the sauce stays nicely on top instead of being absorbed into the warm cake.
What Kind of Apples Should You Use?
I prefer slightly tart apples for this cake, as they pair beautifully with the sweet and salty caramel.
If you use very sweet apples, the dessert will naturally be sweeter. So, if you have a choice, I recommend going for a slightly tart variety.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do the apples need to be sliced so thinly?
Because there is very little batter, and the apples need to cook and settle evenly. Thinly sliced apples cook more easily and create the distinctive layered texture of this cake.
Can I use store-bought caramel sauce?
Yes. If you want to save some time, you can absolutely use ready-made caramel sauce.
That said, if you have the time, I think it’s worth making the caramel sauce from scratch. It doesn’t take very long, and the flavor is hard to beat.
Can I add cinnamon?
Absolutely. I chose to let the caramel be the main flavor here, but cinnamon pairs beautifully with apples and would work very well in this recipe.
Why does my apple cake fall apart when I slice it?
Most likely, it was sliced too soon.
Because this cake contains a lot of apples and has a moist texture, it needs some time to set after baking. Make sure to let it cool completely before slicing — ideally for a few hours.
Why Do I Love This Apple Cake?
Because it’s simple, but definitely not boring.
It’s the kind of dessert you can make on an ordinary day, with ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen, but it’s also special enough to serve at the weekend or when you have guests over.
And the salted caramel completely transforms it. Apples and caramel are a great combination on their own, but here the caramel sauce isn’t just for decoration. It complements the cake and gives it exactly the extra touch it needs.
More Apple Recipes
If you love apple desserts, I have a few more recipes on the blog that you might want to try. From classic apple cakes to slightly more special desserts, apples are almost always a good idea. 😊
Apple Oat Bread, No Added Sugar
Apple Pie Without Refined Sugar
Apple Cake with Salted Caramel – Easy Recipe
10
slices25
minutes50
minutes365
kcalA cake made with lots of thinly sliced apples, with a moist, compact texture and a creamy salted caramel sauce on top. A simple dessert with a rich apple and caramel flavor.
Ingredients
- For the apple cake
6 medium apples
3 eggs
80 g sugar
30 g melted butter
150 ml milk
1 teaspoon vanilla paste or vanilla extract
120 g flour
10 g baking powder
a pinch of salt
- For the salted caramel sauce
250 g sugar
200 ml heavy cream
20 g butter
salt, to taste
Directions
- Peel and core the apples. Slice them very thinly, preferably using a mandoline.
- Beat the eggs with the sugar. Add the melted butter, milk and vanilla, and mix until well combined. Gradually incorporate the flour, previously mixed with the baking powder and salt.
- Add the apple slices to the batter and gently mix until the batter is evenly distributed among the apple slices.
- Transfer the mixture to a loaf pan and bake in a preheated oven at 200°C (390°F) for 50 minutes.
- Once baked, turn the cake out of the pan, with the bottom facing up, and leave it to cool completely. For the cleanest slices, it is best to let it cool for a few hours, or even chill it in the refrigerator.
- Salted Caramel Sauce
- Place the sugar in a saucepan and cook over low heat until completely melted and caramelized.
- Meanwhile, heat the heavy cream separately. Add the butter to the caramelized sugar, then gradually pour in the warm cream, carefully.
- Stir and let the caramel simmer for about 5 minutes. Add the salt.
- Let the sauce cool slightly, then beat it with a mixer until smooth and silky.
- Once the cake has cooled completely, pour the salted caramel sauce over the top. Slice and serve.