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Cozy Apple Cider Caramel Layer Cake: Easy Homemade Delight

apple cider caramel layer cake - featured image
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This apple cider caramel layer cake is tender, moist, and topped with a salty-sweet caramel frosting. It’s the perfect cozy dessert for chilly evenings, made with simple pantry ingredients and a secret apple cider reduction for incredible flavor.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups apple cider (reduced to ½ cup concentrate)
  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon cloves
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup buttermilk
  • 1 cup unsalted butter (for frosting)
  • 2 cups brown sugar, packed (for frosting)
  • ½ cup heavy cream (for frosting)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for frosting)
  • ½ teaspoon salt (for frosting)
  • 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted (for frosting)
  • ½ cup apple cider (for soak)
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar (for soak)
  • Pinch of cinnamon (for soak)

Instructions

  1. Reduce the apple cider: Pour 2 cups of apple cider into a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Let it reduce to about ½ cup (15-20 minutes) until syrupy. Set aside to cool completely.
  2. Preheat and prepare pans: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease three 8-inch round cake pans, line bottoms with parchment paper circles, and dust with flour.
  3. Whisk dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt.
  4. Cream butter and sugar: In a stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy (3-4 minutes). Scrape down bowl.
  5. Add eggs and vanilla: Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Add vanilla and mix until combined.
  6. Alternate dry and wet ingredients: With mixer on low, add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with buttermilk in two additions, starting and ending with flour. Mix just until combined.
  7. Add the cider concentrate: Fold in cooled apple cider reduction with a spatula.
  8. Divide and bake: Divide batter evenly among prepared pans (about 1 ½ cups each). Bake for 22-25 minutes, rotating halfway. Cakes are done when a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
  9. Cool completely: Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks. Peel off parchment and cool completely.
  10. Make the caramel frosting: Melt 1 cup butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add brown sugar and stir until dissolved (about 2 minutes). Slowly pour in heavy cream while stirring. Bring to a gentle boil and cook for 1 minute without stirring. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and salt. Cool for 10 minutes, then gradually beat in powdered sugar until smooth and spreadable.
  11. Prepare the soak: In a small bowl, whisk together ½ cup apple cider, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, and a pinch of cinnamon until sugar dissolves.
  12. Assemble the cake: Place one cake layer on serving plate. Brush generously with cider soak. Spread about ¾ cup caramel frosting evenly over layer. Repeat with second layer, then top with third layer. Frost top and sides with remaining frosting.

Notes

Temperature matters: butter, eggs, and buttermilk should be at room temperature. Don’t skip the parchment paper. The caramel frosting changes as it cools; adjust consistency with cream or powdered sugar as needed. The cake can be made a day ahead; flavors meld overnight. For clean slices, refrigerate assembled cake for 20 minutes before cutting.

Nutrition

Keywords: apple cider cake, caramel cake, layer cake, fall dessert, apple dessert, homemade cake, caramel frosting

Find it online: https://coracooks.com/cozy-apple-cider-caramel-layer-cake-easy-homemade-delight/