This cookie-like cake is loaded with fresh apple slices. Top a piece of warm apple cake with butterscotch sauce and ice cream.

Apples + Butterscotch. You may not realize it yet, but they just go together. This Apple Cake with Butterscotch Sauce takes both flavors and combines them in a delicious way.

Although cinnamon and apples usually pair together, there’s no cinnamon in this recipe. This gives the apples their chance to shine. Try this fall flavored cake with a scoop of ice cream on top and let us know what you think!

two slices of apple cake with ice cream on top

About Apple Cake with Butterscotch Sauce:

Flavor: This easy cake recipe is loaded with fresh apples, and as for the cake, that is the main flavor. It is sweet flavored and simple. The butterscotch sauce made with brown sugar, butter and heavy cream deepens the flavor and pairs well with the sweet apples.
Texture: This cake is a heavy cake rather than light and fluffy. It almost has a cookie bar type texture. The apples keep it moist, though.

What apple is best for apple cake?

I love using a tart apple for baking so that desserts don’t end up too sweet. Granny Smith is a great option, but Jonagold, Honeycrisp and Pink Lady are great options, too.

Granny Smith apples are firm and don’t get mushy in baking, making them a solid choice that can readily be found in grocery stores.

overhead view of butterscotch sauce apple cake

Do you have to peel apples for cake?

Do you have to? No, but I highly recommend it. I know there are all kinds of nutrients in apple peels, but during baking, those skins can come off the apple and cause a weird texture in your baked good. For that reason, I recommend peeling apples.

How to Make Apple Cake

This cake bakes in a cold oven. There’s no need to preheat! It makes a 9×13″ cake, so grease a pan of that size with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, mix together the sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
In a small bowl, whisk together the baking soda, salt and flour.
Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix just until combined, then fold in the diced apples.

apple cake batter in a bowl with a wooden spoon

Spread the cake batter evenly in the prepared pan. Place the cake in the cold oven and set the oven to 325ºF. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until the center of the cake springs back when you touch it.

Butterscotch Sauce

This butterscotch sauce is super easy to make and is delicious on this cake, but also over ice cream and other brownies and cookies, too.

In a saucepan over medium low heat, melt the butter, then add the sugar and heavy cream. Stir constantly until the mixture is heated through and smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.

pouring butterscotch sauce over apple cake

Storage Instructions

This cake is safe to store at room temperature for 24 hours. After that, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, then freeze any leftovers for up to 6 weeks.

Apple Cake with Butterscotch Sauce

4.69 from 35 votes

This cookie-like cake is loaded with fresh apple slices. Top a piece of warm apple cake with butterscotch sauce and ice cream.

Servings 15

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 30

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Ingredients

For the cake:

2 cups granulated sugar 400 grams
3/4 cups canola oil 169 grams
3 large eggs beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla extract 8 grams
1 teaspoon baking soda 8 grams
1 teaspoon salt 8 grams
3 cups all-purpose flour 390 grams
3 cups peeled, cored, diced Granny Smith or Pink Lady apples about 3 large apples

For the sauce:

½ cup salted butter 4 ounces
1 cup light brown sugar 200 grams
¼ cup heavy cream 57 grams
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Make the cake:

*Don’t preheat the oven. This cake goes into a cold oven.
Spray a 9×13" baking dish with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, mix together the sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
In a small bowl, whisk together the baking soda, salt and flour.
Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix just until combined.
Fold in the diced apples.
Spread the cake batter evenly in the prepared pan.
Place the cake in the cold oven and set the oven to 325ºF. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until the center of the cake springs back when you touch it.

Make the sauce while the cake is baking:

When the cake has about 15 minutes left of baking, start the sauce. In a saucepan over medium low heat, melt the butter, then add the sugar and heavy cream. Stir constantly until the mixture is heated through and smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
Use a fork or wooden skewer to poke small holes all over the top of the cake. When the cake comes out of the oven, pour the syrup over the warm cake. Spread with a spatula or knife if needed to cover the entire top of the cake.
Serve with whipped cream and a sprinkling of cinnamon.

Notes

Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks.

The calories shown are based on the cake being cut into 15 pieces, with 1 serving being 1 slice of cake with butterscotch sauce. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. The information in the nutrition box are calculated through a program and there is room for error. If you need an accurate count, I recommend running the ingredients through your favorite nutrition calculator.**