This fresh Apple Walnut Cake with a buttery caramel glaze has all of the warm spices, toasted nuts, and sweet fruit that you crave in a cozy fall dessert. Serve the old-fashioned caramel apple cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream for an easy, festive addition to your next meal. It's moist, gooey, and perfect for the season!
Caramel Apple Cake
Apples and caramel are a match made in autumnal heaven, so of course this caramel apple walnut cake is always a huge hit! I grew up on apple cake, which my mom would bake each fall when apple season arrived in Virginia. While the dessert is delicious enough to serve for the holidays, it's so simple and easy that it's equally appropriate for a regular Sunday supper. In fact, you probably have all of the ingredients that you need in your kitchen right now!
The old-fashioned fresh apple cake with caramel sauce stays super-moist thanks to plenty of butter and juicy apples in the batter. Finish it off with a gooey glaze for the ultimate fall treat. You'll love the combination of warm fall spices paired with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It's simple, rustic and oh-so-delicious!
Ingredients for Old Fashioned Apple Walnut Cake
This is a quick overview of the ingredients that you'll need for a fresh apple walnut cake. As always, specific measurements and step-by-step baking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Walnuts: chopped and toasted for the best flavor.
- Butter: I prefer salted butter for more flavor in both the cake and in the caramel.
- Granulated sugar and brown sugar: for sweetness in the cake and in the caramel.
- Eggs: give the cake structure.
- Vanilla extract: for extra flavor.
- All-purpose flour: the base of the cake batter.
- Ground cinnamon and allspice: for warmth.
- Salt: enhances the other flavors and balances the sweetness of the cake.
- Apples: peeled and finely diced.
- Heavy cream: for the caramel glaze.
The Best Apples for Baking
You can use just about any of your favorite apples in this cake. My mom always recommends Granny Smith for their sturdy texture and their balanced sweet-tart flavor, but Honey Crisp, Gala, Fuji, Braeburn and Jonagold apples are also good options that hold up well in the baking process. In general, you want firm (not mushy) apples for baking.
Should you peel apples for apple cake?
Yes, peeling the apples helps the fruit pieces blend into the cake and eliminates a potentially unpleasant chewy, tough texture.
How to Make Apple Walnut Cake with Glaze
My mom gave me this recipe years ago, and it's been a staple in our fall routine ever since. The process for making this fresh caramel apple cake from scratch could not be easier. There's no need to pull out a stand mixer or even a small electric mixer -- a whisk will do!
- Whisk together melted butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla extract.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients.
- Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture; stir just until blended.
- Fold in the apples and half of the walnuts.
- Transfer the batter to a 9 x 13-inch baking pan.
- Bake in a 350° F oven for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool completely on a wire rack before glazing.
- Boil the brown sugar, butter and cream to make the caramel sauce. Let cool for 10 minutes.
- Drizzle the caramel glaze over the cake; sprinkle with remaining walnuts.
How to Serve Apple Cake with Caramel Sauce
This fresh apple cake is absolutely delicious on its own -- moist, gooey, and perfectly sweet. Offer a slice for an afternoon snack with a cup of coffee, tea or mulled cider. For a really decadent dessert, try topping a slice with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, and pour a little bit more caramel sauce on top!
Storage
Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days. If your house is particularly warm, it's best to store the cake in the refrigerator. Remove the cake from the fridge an hour before serving to let it come back to room temperature.
Wrapped tightly, the cake will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Recipe Variations
- Swap out the walnuts and use toasted pecans instead. Alternatively, you can omit the nuts altogether.
- Try other good baking apples in lieu of the Granny Smith. Nice options include Honey Crisp, Gala, Fuji, Braeburn and Jonagold apples. You can use a combination of different types of apples, too.
- For a smaller cake, cut all of the ingredients in half and bake the cake in a 9-inch or deep 8-inch square pan.
Tips for the Best Apple Walnut Cake Recipe
- Don't over-mix the batter. Stir just until everything is combined, and then stop. Too much mixing will activate the gluten in the flour and result in a dry, dense cake.
- Do not over-bake the cake or it can become dry. Start checking for doneness by the 40-minute mark, since total baking times will vary depending on your personal oven and the pans that you use.
- Make ahead for convenience. This cake can be baked in advance and then just glazed on the day of serving. You can bake it a day or two ahead of time and leave it covered at room temp before glazing; or you can freeze it before glazing and thaw on the counter before adding the glaze.
More Apple Dessert Recipes to Try
- Old-Fashioned Apple Bundt Cake
- Apple Bread
- Easy Apple Crisp
- Easy Apple Galette
- Apple Dump Cake
- Old-Fashioned Cranberry Apple Crisp
Apple Walnut Cake with Caramel Glaze
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted and divided
- ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter, melted
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 ½ lbs. Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced into ¼-inch pieces
For the Caramel Glaze:
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter, softened at room temperature
- ½ cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan and set aside.
Make the Cake:
- Whisk together melted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, whisk or sift together flour, cinnamon, allspice, baking soda and salt.
- Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, stirring just until blended. Fold in the apples and 1 cup of the toasted walnuts. (Batter will be very thick, similar to a cookie dough.) Spread the batter into the prepared baking dish.
- Bake in the 350°F oven for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool completely in pan on a wire rack before glazing.
Make the Caramel Glaze:
- In a small heavy saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter and heavy cream. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Boil, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes (or until slightly thickened).
- Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes, or until glaze thickens slightly but is still pourable.
- Drizzle about half of the glaze slowly over the cooled cake. Sprinkle remaining walnuts on top and spread more glaze on the nuts. If you like, you can reserve some extra caramel sauce for serving, too.
- Slice into squares and serve!
Notes
- Swap out the walnuts and use toasted pecans instead. Alternatively, you can omit the nuts altogether.
- Try other good baking apples in lieu of the Granny Smith. Nice options include Honey Crisp, Gala, Fuji, Braeburn and Jonagold apples. You can use a combination of different types of apples, too.
- For a smaller cake, cut all of the ingredients in half and bake the cake in a 9-inch or deep 8-inch square pan.
- Don't over-mix the batter. Stir just until everything is combined, and then stop. Too much mixing will activate the gluten in the flour and result in a dry, dense cake.
- Do not over-bake the cake or it can become dry. Start checking for doneness by the 40-minute mark, since total baking times will vary depending on your personal oven and the pans that you use.
- Make ahead for convenience. This cake can be baked in advance and then just glazed on the day of serving. You can bake it a day or two ahead of time and leave it covered at room temp before glazing; or you can freeze it before glazing and thaw on the counter before adding the glaze.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published in August, 2017. The photos were updated in August, 2021.
Blair
Hi, Annette! I'm so glad that you would like to try the recipes! I will be sharing both of them on the blog in the coming weeks, but I'll send them to you via email right now so that you don't have to wait. 🙂
Stella Morrissette
How do I get this recipe scroll and scroll and no recipe.
Blair
Hi, Stella! There's a recipe box at the bottom of the post, or you can use the "jump to recipe" button at the top of the post and it will take you straight there. Hope that helps!
Dianne McInturf
Made this for a Bible study group last night....everyone raved about it!!! Took a chance because it was a new recipe.Couldn't believe I was supposed to add 2.5 pounds of apples!!! I did, though and it was great! Got requests for the recipe, too! Have an orchard with LOTS of apples starting up! Gonna be eating lots of CAKE!!! OH NOOOO!!!
Blair
Yay! I'm so glad that you made it and enjoyed it! I agree -- it's one of my favorite fall desserts. That caramel sauce!!! Thanks for letting me know, Dianne!
Thomasludge
Was I supposed to weigh the apples before or after peeling and coring? It seemed to me there were more apples than batter…
Something went VERY wrong with my cake and I ruined it by taking it out at 45 minutes- still wet! Every time I tested it for doneness, out came an apple and I was afraid because of the admonition to not overtake it.
I am frustrated to have wasted $5 of apples and $5+ of walnuts not to mention way too much time peeling, coring and chopping I don’t know how many apples for this to not cook all the way.
Blair Lonergan
The apples are weighed before peeling and coring. If you look at the prep photos, there are definitely a lot of apples in the batter, but the cake should be baked through (not wet) by the end of the cooking time. I'm not sure how the cake was still wet after 45 minutes; I've never had that issue. So sorry that it didn't work out!
Jenni Jeff
Looks very Good Will try out soon
Blair
Hi, Burma! I've never tried it in the Bundt pan, so I honestly don't know. If you would like an Apple Bundt Cake with a caramel glaze, here's my favorite recipe: https://www.theseasonedmom.com/apple-cake/
Happy Thanksgiving!
Virna
This is my husband’s new favorite cake!! It’s delicious. Made it many times now for family gatherings and it’s always a crowd pleaser. I chop the apples rather than slice them as we like the chunky texture. Dough is very thick so the first time I made it I thought I did something wrong especially with so much apple but the cake bakes beautifully every time! Must try recipe!
Blair
Thank you, Virna! It makes me happy to know that you love the cake, too! 🙂
Val
Hi Blair. Thank you very much for this wonderful recipe! I did it exactly as instructed, and it is delicious. It came out of the oven 10 minutes ago, I made myself some tea and tried the cake (still hot/warm, without the caramel glaze). It is so good I'm considering leaving it like that to avoid the extra calories from the glaze.
Cheers!
Blair Lonergan
Oh, good! I'm so glad that you liked it, Val. It's the perfect treat with a cup of tea!
Nora Ferguson
I share Thomas’ frustration (his comment above). I had to omit some of the apple as there was way too much apple. Also you put in your recipe that the apples should be 1/4 inch thick slices. But in your pictures above the recipe you show them diced. This is very sloppy editing and proved very frustrating. It’s in the oven now. Hopefully it will turn out but by having to remove apples and dice them, I ended up most likely overworking the batter which you warn not to. Do better.
Blair Lonergan
Thank you for your feedback, Nora. I hope that you were able to enjoy the cake!