Apple Walnut Caramel Cake

This Apple Walnut Caramel Cake is a mouthwatering rich dessert, full of flavor and texture, perfect for any time of the year. The cake features soft and moist apple cake layers topped with crunchy caramelized walnuts, filled with dulce de leche buttercream, and topped with salted caramel sauce. The caramel walnut shards on top of the cake not only look amazing but bring an amazing crispy touch too.

This is the first time in my video recipes I am using a buttercream made with sweetened condensed milk/dulce de leche and I must say it has become one of my favorite frostings lately. It prepares so quickly and so easily, it is not too sweet and has an incredible flavor and texture. I highly recommend this frosting and for sure I will try it again soon.

How to make apple walnut caramel cake

Begin with greasing three 8-inch (20cm) round cake pans and lining them with parchment paper.

Next, prepare the walnut crunch. In a small saucepan, add sugar, whipping cream, and butter. Cook over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves. Divide the mixture evenly into two pans and sprinkle chopped walnuts or pecans on top. Set aside until the apple cake batter is prepared.

How to prepare the apple cake layers

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.

Next, in a large bowl, add the eggs and both sugars. Mix for a few minutes until creamy and lighter in color. Add the oil and mix until well combined, then add the vanilla extract. Gradually mix in the flour mixture. Using a spatula, incorporate the apple pieces.

Next, pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Bake for about 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the pans cool on a cooling rack.

How to prepare the dulce de leche buttercream

Ensure both the butter and dulce de leche are at room temperature before preparing the frosting. If you cannot find dulce de leche in stores, you can always prepare it in advance using cans of sweetened condensed milk. For this, place the unopened and unlabeled can of sweetened condensed milk in a saucepan and cover with water. Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Cook for 2.5-3 hours. Remove from heat, take the can out of the water, and let it cool.

To prepare the buttercream, in a large bowl, mix the butter until light and fluffy, for about 5-7 minutes. Incorporate the vanilla extract. Gradually add the dulce de leche, mixing after each addition. Once incorporated, the buttercream is ready to use.

How to assemble the apple walnut caramel cake

Place one cake layer on your serving plate with the walnut crunch on top. Spread evenly with a bit less than a third of the buttercream. Add the second layer of cake with the walnut crunch on top and spread evenly with a bit less than a third of the buttercream. Add the last layer of cake and spread the top and edges with the remaining buttercream. Decorate the bottom of the cake with chopped nuts. Refrigerate to set for at least 1 hour.

How to prepare the caramel shards

Spread chopped walnuts or pecans on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Place water and sugar into a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and gets a dark caramel color. Pour the caramel over the chopped nuts and refrigerate until ready to use.

How to prepare the caramel sauce

Place the sugar and water in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat and cook without stirring until the sugar dissolves and gets a caramel color. Remove the pan from the heat and add the cream. It will bubble a little bit. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until smooth. Remove from heat and add butter, vanilla, and salt. Stir well until smooth. Pour into a bowl to cool slightly.

Next, use a spoon and start making drips around the edges of the cake. If the sauce has hardened too much, heat it a bit over a bain-marie to reach a pouring consistency. Top the cake with the remaining caramel sauce and spread using an offset spatula. Refrigerate to set for at least 30 minutes.

Finally, break the caramel into shards and decorate the cake. Enjoy, and refrigerate any leftovers.

If you try it out, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram. Would love to see how it turns out for you.

For more apple desserts check our full collection of Apple Recipes.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE:
Pumpkin Chocolate Cake
Caramel Carrot Cake
Walnut Caramel Mirror Cake

Apple Walnut Caramel Cake

5 from 2 votes

This Apple Walnut Caramel Cake is a mouthwatering rich dessert, full of flavor and texture, perfect for any time of the year. Soft and moist apple cake layers are topped with crunchy caramelized walnuts, filled with dulce de leche buttercream and topped with salted caramel sauce.

Servings 14 servings

Prep Time 50 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

Walnut Crunch

• 1/2 cup (100g) light brown sugar
• 5 tbsp (70g) butter
• 3 tbsp (40ml) whipping cream
• 1 cup (100g) walnuts/pecans , toasted if desired and chopped

Apple Cake Layers

• 12 oz (340g) apples (about 2 apples) , peeled
• 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp (8g) baking powder
• 1 tsp (6g) baking soda
• 1 tsp (5g) salt
• 2 tsp (6g) cinnamon
• 4 eggs
• 3/4 cup (150g) light brown sugar
• 1/3 cup (70g) sugar
• 1 cup (230g) vegetable/canola oil
• 1 tsp (5g) vanilla extract

Dulce de Leche Buttercream

• 9 oz (250g) unsalted butter , room temperature
• 1 can (14 oz-397g) Dulce de Leche , room temperature
• 1 tsp (5g) vanilla extract

Caramel Shards

• 1/2 cup (50g) walnuts/pecans , toasted if desired and chopped
• 1/2 cup (100g) sugar
• 2 tbsp (30ml) water

Caramel Sauce

• 1/2 cup (100g) sugar
• 2 tbsp (30ml) water
• 1/4 cup (60g) whipping cream
• 1 tbsp (14g) unsalted butter , room temperature
• 1/2 tsp (2.5g) vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp (2.5g) salt

Instructions

 

• Grease three 8 inch (20cm) round cake pans and line with parchment paper.

Prepare the walnut crunch.

• In a small saucepan add sugar, whipping cream and butter. Cook over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves.
• Divide the mixture evenly in two pans. Sprinkle chopped walnuts/pecans on top. Set aside until apple cake batter is prepared.

Prepare the apple cake layers.

• Preheat oven to 350F (180C).  In a medium bowl whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
• In a large bowl add eggs with both sugar and mix for few minutes until creamy and lighter in color. Add oil and mix until well combined. Add vanilla extract.  Gradually mix in flour mixture. Using a spatula incorporate the apple pieces.
• Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans.
• Bake for about 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Let pans cool on a cooling rack.

Prepare dulce de leche buttercream.

• Both butter and dulce de leche need to be at room temperature before preparing the frosting.
• In case you can not find dulce de leche in stores you can always prepare it in advance using cans of sweetened condensed milk. Place the unopened and unlabeled can of sweetened condensed milk in a saucepan, and cover with water. Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Cook for 2.5- 3 hours. Remove from heat, remove the can from water and cool.
• In a large bowl mix butter until light and fluffy, for about 5-7 minutes.
• Incorporate vanilla extract.  Gradually add dulce de leche, mixing after each addition. Once incorporated the buttercream is ready to use.

Assemble the cake.

• Place one cake layer on your serving plate with walnut crunch on top. Spread evenly with a bit less than a third of buttercream. Add the second layer of cake with walnut crunch on top. Spread evenly with bit less than a third of buttercream.  Add the last layer of cake. Spread the top and edges with the remaining buttercream. Decorate the bottom of the cake with chopped nuts. Refrigerate to set for at least 1 hour.

Prepare the caramel shards.

• Spread chopped walnuts/pecans on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
• Place water and sugar into a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until sugar dissolves and gets a caramel dark color.
• Pour the caramel over the chopped nuts and refrigerate until ready to use.

Prepare the caramel sauce.

• Place the sugar and water in a medium heavy bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat, and cook without stirring until sugar dissolves and gets a caramel color.
• Remove the pan from the heat and add the cream. It will bubble a little bit.
• Cook for about 1 minute stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until smooth.
• Remove from heat and add butter, vanilla and salt. Stir well until smooth. Pour into a bowl to cool slightly.
• Use a spoon and start making drips around the edges.  If the sauce hardened too much heat it a bit over bain-marie to get to a pouring consistency.
• Top the cake with remaining caramel sauce and spread using an offset spatula.
• Refrigerate to set for at least 30 minutes.
• Break caramel into shards and decorate the cake. Enjoy. Refrigerate leftovers.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving out of 14Calories: 686kcalCarbohydrates: 68.5gProtein: 7.1gFat: 44.8gSaturated Fat: 16.2gCholesterol: 113mgSugar: 48.7g

Calories: 686kcal

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: apple caramel cake, apple layer cake, apple walnut caramel cake, caramel shards, fall cake, walnut caramel cake