Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup milk (I used almond milk, but any will work)
- 2 ½ heaping cups peeled, cored, and grated (any variety)
Frosting
- 3 sticks unsalted butter
- 1 ½ cups packed light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- Pinch cream of tartar
- 3 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk (I used almond, but any will work)
- Maldon Sea Salt for sprinkling
Instructions
- Make the cake. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9 by 13 inch pan.
- In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.
- In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. I did this by hand but a hand or stand mixer would work as well. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition. Add vanilla and milk and beat until fully combined and light and fluffy. Stir in apples and flour mixture. Mix until just combined.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 35-45 minutes, rotating halfway through, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs. Cool cake completely in pan. Cake may be made one day ahead of time.
- Make the frosting. In a medium saucepan, combine butter, sugar, cream, and cream of tartar over medium heat. Stir occasionally until butter is melted and sugar dissolved, then allow the mixture to come to a boil. Boil for 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely.
- Reserve 2-3 tablespoons of caramel for garnish. Pour the remaining caramel into a large bowl. Add 1 cup of confectioners’ sugar and beat using a hand mixer, raising the speed slowly so the sugar doesn’t go everywhere, until the sugar is combined. Continue adding sugar until the frosting is thick. Mix in the milk so the frosting becomes creamy. Pour frosting over cake and spread into an even layer. Drizzle cake with reserved caramel and sprinkle with sea salt. Serve immediately or store cake in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Cake may also be frozen in pieces, wrapped in parchment and foil and placed in a zipper bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for about an hour.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Mother Thyme
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes