Caramel Apple Spice Cake
By Paula Deen
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Featured in:
Paula Deen's Southern Baking
Difficulty: Medium
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 55 minutes
Servings: 12
Ingredients
Cake
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- ¾ cup canola oil
- ¾ cup unsweetened applesauce
- ¾ cup prepared caramel sauce, plus more for serving
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 3¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1½ cups whole buttermilk, room temperature
- 2 medium Gala apples, peeled, cored, and finely chopped
Frosting
- 1½ (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 6 cups confectioners' sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
Cake
Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 13×9-inch baking pan with baking spray with flour.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat granulated sugar and oil at medium speed until well combined. Beat in applesauce and caramel. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just until combined after each addition. Using a spatula, fold in apples, scraping bottom and sides of bowl. Spread batter in prepared pan.
Bake until cake springs back when lightly touched in center and a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.
Frosting
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Add confectioners’ sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla, and beat at high speed for 1 minute. Spread frosting onto cake. Spoon desired amount caramel sauce onto frosting, and gently swirl into frosting using an offset spatula. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
