Spiced Apple Cider Cake

Apple Cake with Caramel Buttercream Frosting cut with caramel

This seasonal fall apple cider layer cake is made with caramel buttercream frosting and decorated with additional caramel drizzle and dehydrated apple slices.

Course sweets

Cuisine American

Keyword apple, apple cider, cake, fall

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 40

Servings

Calories 567kcal

Ingredients

For the apple cider cake:

2 cups apple cider
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1½ cups packed cup dark brown sugar
4 eggs, at room temperature
1 cup buttermilk

For the caramel buttercream frosting:

1½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
4 ½ cups confectioner’s sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons caramel
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For decor:

¼ cup caramel, warmed
Dehydrated apple slices

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

For the apple cider cake:

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180ºC). Heat the apple cider in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Simmer and reduce the cider to 1 cup (250g). Let cool to room temperature.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
In another large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until each has been incorporated. Whisk in the cider and buttermilk then slowly stir in the dry ingredients until combined.
Lightly grease 3 (8-inch/ 20cm) circle cake pans with butter and flour. Evenly pour the batter into the pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 25 minutes.
Let cool slightly then invert onto a cooling rack and let cool completely while making the frosting.

For the caramel buttermilk frosting:

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter and salt at low speed. Slowly add the confectioner’s sugar with the mixer running on low, until it has all been added.
Increase the speed to medium-high until the sugar has been completely incorporated. Add the heavy cream, caramel and vanilla extract and continue to beat on high until the frosting is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

For assembly:

Place the first cake on a platter or cake stand. Top with a generous amount of the caramel frosting and evenly spread it over the top. Repeat with the second and third layers, using the same amount of frosting in between each layer. Use the remaining frosting to frost the edges of the cake.
Drizzle the warm caramel over the sides of the cake so it drips down the sides. Decorate with the dehydrated apples. Cut into equal pieces and serve.

Nutrition