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Home » Recipe » Apple Cake with Butterscotch Sauce

Apple Cake with Butterscotch Sauce

By Valerie · October 1, 2014 · Updated May 30, 2020 13 Comments

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Sweet apples baked into a cinnamon and nutmeg spiced cake, topped with a knock-your-socks off homemade butterscotch sauce. If you’re not feeling the fall vibe yet, this Apple Cake with Butterscotch Sauce is guaranteed to do it for you.

Apple Cake with Butterscotch Sauce on a yellow plate with text overlay.

As much as I love summer, I always embrace the change of seasons. What happens in my kitchen abruptly changes when I feel that first cool, crispness in the air and the sun starts setting earlier and earlier each day. Here in sunny California we don’t see as much of a drastic change as many of you out there, but I can feel it…it’s coming…and I’m ready.

A slice of Apple Cake smothered in Butterscotch Sauce on a yellow plate with a fork.

My first fall baking happened over the weekend when I whipped up this super cozy apple cake. It is is a wonderful choice for dessert at a holiday gathering or just for the heck of it on a lazy Sunday evening.

Or, for breakfast. Why not? It’s got apples in it.

Three Gala Apples on a cutting board.

For baking, I like to use a crisp, sweet apple,  like these Gala apples. Sweetness in the apple means we can add a bit less sugar than if we we use a tart apple, like the Granny Smith that is called for in so many recipes. Gala, Envy, Honey Crisp, or something similar would be my apple of choice for this recipe.

Peeled and chopped apples on a cutting board.

Peel, core, and coarsley chop the apples.

Butter, sugar, and vanilla mixed together in a mixing bowl.

Cream together softened butter, sugar, and vanilla. Mix until it resembles coarse crumbs.

An egg is added to the butter mixture.

Add two eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

The dry mixture is added to the wet mixture.

Combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt, and baking soda in a small bowl and add about 1/3 third of the dry mixture to the butter mixture and mix on LOW speed just till combined.

Sour cream is added to the batter.

Add half the sour cream and mix again until combined. Repeat until all of the dry ingredients and sour cream have been added. The sour cream makes this an incredibly moist cake.

The apples are stirred in to the batter with a wooden spoon.

In go the chopped apples.

The cake baking in the oven.

Pour the batter out into a 13″ x 9″ pan that has been coated with non-stick cooking spray. You can use a traditional baking dish but I did mine in a brownie pan, which is just a 13″ x 9″ rimmed baking sheet. Smooth out the top of the batter and pop it in a preheated 350 degree oven. Bake the cake for 35 to 40 minutes, till nicely browned. To check for doneness, insert a toothpick in the center of the cake. It’s ready to come out of the oven when the toothpick comes out clean.

The Apple Cake in rimmed metal baking sheet after it comes out of the oven.

Let the cake cool for about 30 minutes and then slice it up and serve it with a super simple, but incredibly delicious, homemade butterscotch sauce. See the printable recipe below for the easy directions.

Butterscotch Sauce being poured from a crystal cup over a slice of Apple Cake.

The cake would be awesome on it’s own but with this sauce – it’s phenomenal! For those of you not fluent in California lingo – phenomenal is two levels above awesome with amazing sandwiched in between.

A fork loaded with a bite of Apple Cake.

Happy fall baking!

A close up of a piece of Apple Cake with Butterscotch Sauce poured over the top.

Apple Cake with Butterscotch Sauce

Sweet apples baked into a cinnamon and nutmeg spiced cake, topped with a knock-your-socks off homemade butterscotch sauce. If you're not feeling the fall vibe yet, this Apple Cake with Butterscotch Sauce is guaranteed to do it for you.
0 from 0 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 389kcal
Author: Valerie Brunmeier

Ingredients

Apple Cake:

  • 1/2 cup butter softened
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/3 cup light sour cream
  • 3 medium crisp apples like gala or envy, peeled and coarsely chopped (approximately 3-1/2 to 4 cups)

Butterscotch Sauce:

  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup butter sliced
  • 1/4 teaspooon sea salt
  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 13- x 9-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
  • In a large bowl, use an electric hand mixer or stand mixer to cream the butter, sugar and vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
  • In a separate bowl combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture in small amounts, alternating with the light sour cream, and mix well (batter will be stiff). Use a spoon to stir in apples until well combined.
  • Spread into prepared baking dish, smoothing surface with the back of a spoon. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until top is lightly browned and toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean.
  • Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine brown sugar and butter. Cook over medium heat until butter is melted. Add salt and gradually add cream. Bring to a slow boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla. Serve drizzled over cake.

Notes

Butterscotch Sauce can be made a day ahead. Store in an airtight container in the fridge and reheat in the microwave, just till warmed.
Since this is such a moist cake, I like to store leftovers in the fridge covered in foil. It’s not necessary but the cake will stay fresh and tasty longer if refrigerated.

Nutrition

Calories: 389kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 74mg | Sodium: 266mg | Potassium: 114mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 39g | Vitamin A: 585IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 1mg
LOVE MY RECIPES? GET THE COOKBOOK!
The Foolproof Family Slow Cooker and Other One-Pot Solutions

Adapted from Taste of Home

Categories: Cake, Dessert, Recipe

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Reader Interactions

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  1. Melissa Sperka says

    June 4, 2016 at 4:08 pm

    How scrumptious Valerie! Pinning ☺

    Reply
    • Valerie says

      June 4, 2016 at 8:24 pm

      Thanks, Melissa 🙂

      Reply
  2. Jen says

    October 3, 2014 at 2:05 pm

    Butterscotch and apples is one of my favorite combinations! This looks so moist, soft and incredible!!!

    Reply
  3. Nami | Just One Cookbook says

    October 2, 2014 at 1:29 pm

    First all… CONGRATULATIONS on the new website! I know, I’m SUPER late. I actually have seen the website when you launched it but I have been so busy that I failed to leave a comment. I really love it. It’s wonderful that your son and his GF helped you a lot. It’s totally family business! 😉 I feel so comfortable in your new “home”. 🙂

    This is a great fall baked goods to start this season! I love apples in baked goods but don’t think I’ve tried butterscotch sauce before… 🙁

    p.s. Going to BlogHerPro in Dec? I was going to ping you – it’s in my neighborhood and I get to go free…so thinking about going. Hope I can meet you – or we need a coffee/lunch meeting! 😀

    Reply
    • Valerie says

      October 3, 2014 at 11:53 am

      Hi, Nami! I’m glad you like the new look. It would be so much fun to go to BlogHer Pro – I just may decide to do that. Let’s talk. I’ll be in touch!

      Reply
  4. [email protected] Tastes Good says

    October 2, 2014 at 7:25 am

    Oh this looks sooo good Valerie! I love the butterscotch topping-yummm! I like to use sweet apples in baking too – my fave is the honey crisp – sooo delicious! I hear we are getting our first taste of fall this weekend here in FL. I’m so looking forward to it. I was looking over the blog recently and noticed the shift already from summer foods to more fall/winter type. I’m a little excited for all this heat to be gone already haha

    Reply
  5. Mary Ellen says

    October 1, 2014 at 5:02 pm

    My mom used a bake a cake similar to this one, I’d forgotten all about it. It was seeing that luscious butterscotch sauce that brought back the memory. I need to go thru her recipe box and find it now…..

    Reply
    • Valerie says

      October 1, 2014 at 5:17 pm

      Those old recipes are just the best! I hope you share it if you find it!

      Reply
  6. Shelby says

    October 1, 2014 at 4:35 pm

    This cake looks delicious and that sauce does it all in for me! I bet it would be great with some vanilla ice cream or whipped topping too!

    Reply
    • Valerie says

      October 1, 2014 at 5:16 pm

      I like the way you think, Shelby 😉

      Reply
  7. Amy @ The Blond Cook says

    October 1, 2014 at 10:47 am

    Great minds think alike!!! I love your recipe and that butterscotch sauce drizzled all over the top of that apple cake looks divine. Pinned! 🙂

    Reply
    • Valerie says

      October 1, 2014 at 5:08 pm

      We both had apple on the mind 🙂 Thanks, darlin’!

      Reply

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