Apple Honey Cake
Make this apple honey cake for your family this season! Subtly spiced apple cake is layered with cream cheese frosting and drizzled with a honey caramel.
- Prep time
- 1 hr
- Cook time
- 30 min
- Yield
- 10 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup cake flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, (loosely packed )
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/3 cup oil
- 1/3 cup apple cider
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest ((zest of 1 lemon))
- 1 1/2 cups shredded apple ((about 1 1/2 medium-sized apples, peeled & cored))
- 12 ounces cream cheese ((1 1/2 blocks))
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 3/4 heavy whipping cream, (cold)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt ((scant))
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 tablespoon water
- 3 thin slices of fresh apple (* cut horizontally)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F, mist three 6-inch diameter cake pans** with non-stick spray, and line with circles cut from parchment paper.
- 2
Place the flours, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
- 3
Place the brown sugar, honey, oil, apple cider, eggs, vanilla, and lemon zest in a large liquid measuring cup, and whisk to combine.
- 4
Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry, and mix together on medium speed for about 1 minute.
- 5
Fold in the shredded apple.
- 6
Divide the batter equally between the 3 prepared pans.
- 7
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the thickest part of the cake comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- 8
Cool completely, then fill and frost with cream cheese frosting, drizzle with honey caramel, and garnish with apple slices.*
- 9
Place the cream cheese in a large mixing bowl and beat (with the whisk attachment) on medium speed until smooth.
- 10
Add the powdered sugar, and stir in until well-combined.
- 11
In a slow, steady stream, add the cream while continuing to whip on medium speed.
- 12
When all the cream has been added, turn the mixer up to high and whip until the frosting can hold stiff peaks.***
- 13
Stir in the vanilla.
- 14
In a small pot, gently heat the cream, butter, and salt until the butter has melted and the salt has completely dissolved.
- 15
Place the sugar, honey, and water in a larger pot, and heat over a medium high flame, swirling the pot occasionally to distribute the heat evenly.
- 16
Continue to boil the sugar mixture until the bubbles begin to get smaller and it becomes amber-colored.
- 17
Reduce the heat to low, and pour in the warm cream mixture, whisking constantly to avoid lumps or crystals.
- 18
Immediately transfer the hot mixture to a heat-safe vessel and cool completely.