Caramel Apple Skillet Cake

By On Nov 24, 2022

Caramel apple skillet cake is light and fluffy and topped with a decadent caramel apple glaze. It’s the perfect holiday dessert!

Caramel apples are one of my favorite treats. I wish they were around all year long! If you love this flavor combination as much as I do, you’ll have to try this caramel apple cheesecake, caramel apple pie, and for a more bite-sized treat, these caramel apple cupcakes!

A slice of caramel apple skillet cake on a white plate.

Apple Skillet Cake With Caramel Glaze

One of my favorite things to cook with is my cast iron skillet. I don’t use it hardly enough! It’s so useful and especially good for making desserts with. (You’ll have to check out this Dutch baby recipe I posted a few days ago!) This caramel apple skillet cake is one of my new favorite desserts to make in it, and honestly, just one of my new favorite desserts in general. It’s the best choice for a holiday dessert. You’re going to absolutely love it!

This caramel apple skillet cake is easy to make, and is bursting with fall flavors! The cake itself is made using brown sugar and sour cream. It’s amazingly moist and sweet! It’s also loaded with cinnamon and apple, making it perfect for the upcoming holiday season! What really brings this cake together, though, is the ooey-gooey caramel sauce on top. It’s just too good to resist.

Ingredients Needed

Here’s everything you need to make this swoon-worthy apple cake! I know it looks like a lot, but a lot of these ingredients are things you’ll already have in your pantry. See the recipe card below for exact measurements.

Skillet Cake

Butter: I used unsalted butter at room temperature so that the batter is smooth and free of any lumps.
Brown Sugar: I used light brown sugar, but regular brown sugar will work too if that’s what you have on hand!
White Granulated Sugar: Gives this caramel apple skillet cake the perfect sweetness.
Eggs: I used large eggs. These will help bind all of the cake ingredients together!
Vanilla Extract: I recommend using pure vanilla extract if you can because it will enhance the overall flavor of this cake.
Sour Cream: This is cake’s best friend! If you haven’t tried using it before, you really need to! Sour cream makes cake extra soft and moist.
Flour: All-purpose works just fine!
Baking Powder: Baking powder is a must-add because it keeps your cake from turning out hard and dense.
Salt: Salt is a flavor booster, so it will enhance the overall flavor of your cake.
Ground Cinnamon: For that perfect holiday flavor! You can also add nutmeg if you’d like.
Milk: I recommend using whole milk here because the high fat content will make your cake super moist.
Large Apples: I prefer using tart apples like Granny Smith in this cake, but you can also use sweet baking apples like Braeburn, Honeycrisp, or Gala.

Caramel Topping

Butter: For richness, creaminess, and flavor!
Milk: Again, use whole milk for best results. You can also use half and half to make the caramel topping creamier!
Confectioners’ Sugar: Powdered sugar adds sweetness and also a smooth texture.
Vanilla Extract: The flavors of vanilla and caramel go together perfectly!
Caramel: You can melt soft caramel candies or use caramel ice cream topping here. You can also make your own caramel sauce from scratch!
Chopped Apples: I used chopped Granny Smith apples for the topping.

6-photo collage of batter and topping being prepared.

How to Make Caramel Apple Skillet Cake

This cake is a delight. To really take things over the top we have a caramel apple glaze to pour over it. For this, you can use either store bought caramel ice cream topping, or you can make your own homemade caramel sauce. I love adding extra chunks of apple to the glaze, but you can leave them out if you prefer.

Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Beat Butter: In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter until creamy. Then add the sugars and mix until light and fluffy.
Add Wet Ingredients: Add the eggs and mix until combined. Then stir in the vanilla and sour cream.
Mix Dry Ingredients Separately: In a medium-sized mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon, whisk together.
Combine: Slowly add half of the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix gently until just combined. Pour in the milk, mixing slowly. Add the remaining flour mixture and mix gently to combine.
Add Apple Slices: Fold in the chopped apple.
Prepare Skillet: Spray your 10-inch cast iron skillet with non-stick baking spray, and pour in the batter.
Bake: Bake for about 45 minutes or until top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

For the Caramel Topping:

Melt Butter: Add the butter and milk to a small bowl, heat in microwave until the butter is melted.
Mix in Remaining Ingredients: Stir in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and caramel until smooth (if you have bits of powdered sugar in the topping run through a fine mesh sieve if needed) Stir in the chopped apple.
Add Caramel Glaze: Pour the caramel apple topping over the top of the cooled cake in an even layer prior to serving. Enjoy!

Top-down view of caramel apple skillet cake, cut into slices.

Tips and Serving Suggestions

Here are a few simple ways to take this caramel apple skillet cake to the next level! If you make this for the holidays, it’s sure to be a hit.

Use Prepackaged Caramel: For easy prep, use a simple caramel dip that you would use with apples or ice cream for your topping!
Serve à la Mode: Top this cake with some vanilla ice cream and it’s a perfect fall dessert! If you make double the amount of glaze in the recipe then you will have extra you can drizzle over the ice cream too. Just in case you need a little more caramel apple flavor. Whipped cream on top is a great choice, too!
Toppings: Some of my favorite things to add to this caramel apple skillet cake are chopped walnuts and pecans. They taste great with the flavors of both caramel and apple!
Use Dark Brown Sugar: If you want your caramel topping to have a deeper flavor, swap out light brown sugar for dark brown sugar.

Caramel Apple Skillet Cake is light and fluffy and topped with a homemade caramel apple glaze. Perfect for Fall baking!

Storing Leftover Cake

If you have any leftovers of this amazing caramel apple skillet cake, it’s best to keep them in the fridge! This way, the cake stays nice and fresh and you can enjoy it throughout the week when you get a sweet tooth.

In the Refrigerator: Cover with plastic wrap or store in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

Front view of a slice of cake with a bite taken out of it.