Apple Skillet Cake With Salted Caramel Frosting
- Total Time
- 1 hour, plus cooling
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 4tablespoons/55 grams unsalted butter
- 2large baking apples (about 12 ounces/340 grams), such as Honeycrisp, Gala, Granny Smith or Braeburn, peeled, cored and diced into ½-inch pieces
- ½cup/110 grams dark brown sugar
- ¼teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½cup/115 grams unsalted butter (1 stick), at room temperature, plus more for the pan
- 1⅓cup/290 grams dark brown sugar
- 3large eggs
- 1½teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1⅔cup/215 grams all-purpose flour
- ¾teaspoon baking powder
- ½teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- ¾cup/170 grams unsalted butter (1½ sticks), at room temperature
- 3cups/370 grams confectioners' sugar, sifted
- 7ounces/205 grams unwrapped soft caramel candies
- 2tablespoons heavy cream
- 1½teaspoons vanilla extract
- Flaky sea salt, as needed, for finishing
For the Caramel Apples
For the Cake
For the Caramel Frosting
Nutritional analysis per serving (12 servings)
624 calories; 26 grams fat; 16 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 8 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 94 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 76 grams sugars; 5 grams protein; 401 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Make the apples: In a 10-inch sauté pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the apples, brown sugar and salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the apples soften slightly, 4 to 5 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.
- Step 2
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 10-inch oven-proof skillet with butter.
- Step 3
Make the cake: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, and mix to combine. Scrape the bowl well, then beat in the vanilla.
- Step 4
In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg to combine. Add the flour mixture to the mixer and mix just until incorporated. Scrape the bowl well.
- Step 5
With a rubber spatula, gently fold the apple mixture (including all of the caramel-like liquid in the pan) into the batter. Mix just until incorporated.
- Step 6
Pour the batter into the prepared skillet and spread into an even layer. Bake until the surface is evenly golden brown and appears set – a toothpick inserted into the center should have a few moist crumbs clinging to it, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool completely.
- Step 7
Make the frosting: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Step 8
Place the caramels in a microwave-safe container. Microwave in 20-second bursts, stirring, until the caramel is warm and fluid. (This mixture will cool quickly, so be sure to do it just before you mix the frosting.) Add the warm (not hot) caramel mixture and mix on medium speed until incorporated. Scrape the bowl well.
- Step 9
Add the cream and vanilla and mix to combine. The frosting should be smooth and very soft. Scoop the frosting onto the cooled cake, and spread into an even layer. Garnish with flaky salt just before serving.
- The cake can be made up to 2 days ahead. Leftovers can be stored at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Private Notes
Comments
Me. I can. Because I don't click on recipes that I know are rich with sugar and then complain about it. If it's too much sugar for you, don't make it.
Really if you don’t want the calories don’t bake the cake. You can’t have your cake and eat it too.
I made this wonderful cake. I baked in a pie pan, flipped it over when cool, then frosted it. Wonderful! I love the NYT recipes and the ability to save recipes. Eliminates all that printing and paper. I will admit to being a tad annoyed with cranky people who use this site as a forum to sound off on a bevy of recipes. Suggestion: if you have nothing nice to say, then don’t bother posting in the comments section! Bam
To eliminate the step of melting the caramels I use caramel sundae topping adding it in after making the frosting. No noticeable difference in taste or texture.
Comments were a lifesaver on this one. Cut way back on the sugar and still so sweet – will cut back further next time. Loved the suggestion to melt the caramels in the cream - definitely recommend! Really beautiful final result. Wife loved it! Will likely make it again, also make the cake as a coffee cake on its own, and at some point use that delicious frosting on something else, like chocolate cupcakes. Not a favorite, but quite good. glad I made it!
When making the frosting, my salted caramels were still a bit warm so it melted the butter a bit. After mixing it well, I popped the frosting bowl back in the fridge to firm up for about 15 minutes. Then it was solid again and ready to whip back up!
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