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Spiced Apple Cake with Salted Caramel Buttercream

Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Cake
Keyword: buttercream, cake, dessert, spiced apple cake

Ingredients

For the Cake

  • ½ cup Salted butter (softened)
  • 1 ¼ cup Dark brown sugar (packed)
  • ¾ cup Granulated sugar
  • 3 large Eggs
  • 2 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
  • ¾ teaspoon Ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon Ground cloves
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 3 teaspoon Baking powder
  • 1 cup Whole wheat flour
  • 1 ½ cups All purpose flour
  • 1 cup Whole or 2% milk
  • 1 cup Chopped apples of choice

For the Frosting

  • 2 sticks Salted butter (softened)
  • 3 cups Powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup Salted caramel sauce

For the Candy Melt Trees

  • ½ - ¾ cup (for each) Four color of candy melts (I chose red, salted caramel, green, and light cocoa colors. Amount depends on how many trees you want to make.)
  • 4 Bags Reusable or disposable piping bags

Instructions

  • Make the cake: Preheat your oven to 350°. Butter and flour or spray three 6” inch pans {or two 8” or 9” pans}, and set aside. In a medium size bowl, combine the butter and sugars. Mix well, about 30 seconds. Add eggs, mixing until they are incorporated, about another 20 seconds. Add spices, salt, baking powder, and both flours. Mix until just incorporated. Fold in apples. 
  • Divine batter evenly between 3 pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean and the edges are a golden brown. Allow to cool in pans for 15 minutes. Remove from pans and cool on wire rack completely.
  • Make the frosting: With a standing or hand mixer, mix butter and creamy, about 30 seconds. Add vanilla, powdered sugar, and salted caramel sauce, then mix until well incorporated, about 30 more seconds. Spread or pipe onto cooled cake. 
  • Follow steps in the blog for how to make the candy melt trees. Place trees on cake and serve immediately. Store any leftovers covered at room temperature for up to three days. Enjoy!