Caramel Apple Pecan Layer Cake

This Caramel Apple Pecan Layer Cake is the ultimate fall dessert — soft, spiced apple cake stacked with rich caramel frosting, tender cinnamon apples, and crunchy pecans. Every layer is loaded with cozy flavor and finished with a glossy drizzle of homemade caramel that makes each bite unforgettable.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

You’ll love this cake for its perfect balance of sweet caramel, tart apple, and warm spices. The texture is moist, the flavor is deep, and the frosting ties it all together in a way that feels both luxurious and comforting. Whether it’s a holiday dessert or a special weekend bake, this showstopper impresses every time.

Caramel Apple Pecan Layer Cake

If fall had a signature dessert, this would be it — a Caramel Apple Pecan Layer Cake that tastes like a warm caramel apple wrapped in soft, buttery cake. It’s everything cozy and comforting, layered into one beautiful centerpiece-worthy dessert.

The base cake layers are buttery and moist, infused with cinnamon, nutmeg, and a touch of allspice for that deep autumn spice warmth. Apple butter adds both flavor and tenderness, giving the crumb a subtle tang and golden hue that pairs perfectly with toasted pecans.

Each layer is tender yet sturdy enough to hold up under thick, fluffy caramel frosting. The pecans add a nutty contrast that cuts through the sweetness while giving every bite a satisfying crunch.

What makes this cake stand out is the homemade caramel sauce — smooth, rich, and just slightly salty to balance the sweetness. It’s the kind of caramel that thickens as it cools and drips beautifully down the sides of the finished cake.

The frosting combines that caramel sauce with butter, powdered sugar, and a touch of milk for an airy yet luscious texture. It’s velvety smooth, pipes beautifully, and complements the spiced cake layers perfectly.

To complete the experience, cinnamon apples are sautéed in butter and brown sugar until soft and caramelized, then layered between the cake or spooned over the top as a glossy, fragrant garnish. The aroma alone — butter, cinnamon, apple, and caramel — will make your kitchen feel like an autumn bakery.

Visually, this cake is a stunner: tall, layered, and dripping with caramel. But despite its bakery-level appearance, it’s surprisingly approachable for home bakers. Each component — the cake, the caramel, the frosting — is simple to master with a little patience and the right timing.

Serve it for Thanksgiving, a fall birthday, or just because you want a dessert that makes people stop mid-bite and say, “Wow.” Every forkful delivers buttery cake, silky frosting, tender apples, and the crunch of pecans — a perfect bite of fall harmony.

Servings & Time

• Servings: 10–12 slices

• Prep Time: 40 minutes

• Cook Time: 30 minutes

• Assembly Time: 20 minutes

• Total Time: ~1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

Cake Layers

• ¾ cup (168g) unsalted butter, room temperature

• 1½ cups (310g) sugar

• ¾ cup (173g) sour cream, room temperature

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 6 large egg whites, room temperature

• 2½ cups (325g) all-purpose flour

• 4 teaspoons (15g) baking powder

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• ½ teaspoon nutmeg

• Pinch of allspice

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ¾ cup (180ml) apple butter

• ¼ cup (60ml) milk

• ½ cup finely chopped pecans

Caramel Sauce and Frosting

• 1½ cups (310g) sugar

• 9 tablespoons (126g) salted butter, cubed and room temperature

• ¾ cup (180ml) heavy whipping cream, room temperature

• 4 cups (460g) powdered sugar

• 2–3 tablespoons (30–45ml) milk

Cinnamon Apples

• 1–2 apples, chopped

• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar

• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

• Pinch of ground nutmeg

• Sprinkle of lemon juice

• 1 tablespoon (14g) butter

Optional Garnish

• Chopped pecans for topping

• Extra caramel drizzle

Instructions

1. Preheat and prepare pans:
   Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour three 8-inch round pans, lining the bottoms with parchment.

2. Cream butter and sugar:
   In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3–4 minutes.

3. Add wet ingredients:
   Mix in sour cream and vanilla. Add egg whites one at a time, beating well after each addition.

4. Combine dry ingredients:
   In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt.

5. Mix and add apple butter:
   Gradually add dry ingredients to the butter mixture alternately with apple butter and milk.
   Stir in chopped pecans until just combined.

6. Bake:
   Divide batter evenly between pans. Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
   Cool completely on wire racks.

7. Make the caramel sauce:
   In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt sugar over medium heat, stirring constantly until it becomes amber.
   Carefully whisk in butter, then slowly add cream (it will bubble vigorously).
   Remove from heat and cool before using.

8. Prepare the frosting:
   Beat butter until smooth, then gradually mix in powdered sugar.
   Add caramel sauce and milk as needed for a creamy, spreadable consistency.

9. Cook cinnamon apples:
   In a small skillet, melt butter and add chopped apples, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon juice.
   Cook over medium heat for 5–7 minutes until apples are tender and syrupy. Cool slightly.

10. Assemble the cake:
    Layer cake rounds with frosting and a few spoonfuls of cinnamon apples between each.
    Frost the outside, smoothing the top and sides. Drizzle with extra caramel sauce.
    Finish with chopped pecans and additional apples if desired.

Tips

• Make-ahead:
  Bake the cakes a day ahead and refrigerate wrapped tightly. Frost and decorate the next day.

• Caramel control:
  For extra depth, let the caramel darken slightly before adding the cream — just be careful not to burn it.

• Texture upgrade:
  Toast the pecans lightly before mixing for added crunch and aroma.

• Serving idea:
  Serve slightly chilled for clean slices, or warm briefly before serving for a gooey caramel finish.

• Storage:
  Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.