This Apple Skillet Cake recipe is the perfect way to enjoy the cozy flavors of fall! Made in a trusty cast iron skillet, this moist and tender cake is topped with apple slices brushed with butter and sprinkled with coarse sugar, creating a beautiful caramelized finish. This cake comes together effortlessly with just one bowl. Serve it warm with salted caramel sauce for the best of apple season!

A slice of Apple Skillet Cake and caramel sauce

Skillet Apple Spice Cake

This apple spice cake gets baked right in a cast-iron pan with chopped fresh apples in the cake batter and thick slices of apples on top of the batter. Serve this cake directly from the skillet with our salted caramel sauce or a quick and easy butterscotch sauce. You can’t go wrong.

Sweet, tart, crisp, and crunchy they are perfect for a quick snack or baked up in a gingery apple muffin for or easy French apple cake.

Here is Why This Recipe Works

One-bowl wonder: No need to mess up a ton of dishes; this cake comes together with just one bowl, making cleanup a breeze!

Cast iron magic: Baking in a cast-iron skillet gives this cake a perfectly crisp edge and an even bake—plus, it just looks so rustic and charming.

Caramelized apples: Those buttery apples sprinkled with coarse sugar? They bake up golden and caramelized, adding a little extra ‘wow’ factor to each slice.

Warm and cozy vibes: With hints of cinnamon and nutmeg, this cake is basically a warm hug in dessert form—especially when topped with salted caramel sauce.

The Ingredients

Produce: Apples, lemon juice
Pantry: All-purpose flour, granulated sugar, vegetable oil, vanilla extract
Pantry Seasonings: Baking powder, salt, cinnamon, freshly grated nutmeg
Fridge: Butter, sour cream

What Kind of Apples Are Best For this Cake?

There are so many apples to choose from but the best are the crisp, sweet-tart apples that you would normally select for an apple pie.

You don’t want apples that break down and turn into applesauce when they cook. Try choosing apples that stay firm when they finish baking. Some great choices are:

Granny Smith apples
Braeburn
Cortland
Jonathon
Cosmic crisp

Sliced apples and knife on a cutting board

Variations

Apples and Toffee Cake: Toss the apples with cinnamon and nutmeg then add the cinnamon apples to the cake batter. Add a handful of toffee bits to the batter and drizzle caramel sauce over the warm cake. Replace the granulated sugar for brown sugar.

Cranberry Orange Cake with Apples: Stir in 1/2 cup of dried cranberries and zest of one orange into the batter.

Spiced Walnut Cake with Apples: Mix 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts and 1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves into the cake batter. Sprinkle some candied walnuts on top. Replace half of the granulated sugar with brown sugar.

If you love this recipe, try out Jewish apple cake or our caramel apple bundt cake.

Storage

Storing: Let the apple cake cool completely before covering it tightly with plastic wrap or transferring it to an airtight container. It can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days or save it in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.

Freezing: For longer storage, wrap individual slices in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. The cake can be frozen for up to 3 months.

To enjoy your cake warm, reheat slices in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds or until heated through.

A serving of Apple Skillet Cake with a jug of caramel sauce

Tips for Success

Soak the sliced apples in a mixture of lemon juice and water to keep them from browning while you prep the rest of the recipe.
Don’t over-mix the batter. Gently fold in the dry ingredients just until no streaks of flour remain—over-mixing can lead to a dense cake.
Use room temperature ingredients. Make sure your eggs and sour cream are at room temperature before mixing; this helps the batter come together more smoothly.
Ovens can vary, so start checking your cake around the 45-minute mark with a toothpick or cake tester to avoid over-baking.

Caramel sauce being poured on a slice of apple skillet cake

This skillet apple cake is a simple, tasty dessert that’s perfect for any occasion and it’s a great way to bring fall flavors to your kitchen. Grab your cast iron skillet and enjoy—don’t forget the salted caramel sauce.

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a slice of apple skillet cake with caramel sauce

Cast Iron Skillet Apple Cake

Diced fresh apples in the batter and thick apple slices baked on top of the batter make this easy cast iron apple caramel cake moist and tender. Serve with a rich salted caramel sauce or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 50

Total Time: 1 20

Servings: Servings

Calories: 593kcal

Author: Pat Nyswonger

Ingredients

For the Apples:

½ cup lemon juice in 2 cups of water
3 apples unpeeled, halved, cored and each half apple sliced into 6 slices, (12 per apple)
1 apple peeled cored, diced and tossed with 2 tablespoons lemon juice

For the Cake:

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3 eggs room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
½ cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons melted butter
Coarse sugar

Instructions

Prepare the Apples:

Mix the lemon juice and water together in a shallow dish.
Cut 3 apples, unpeeled, in half and remove their core. Then cut each half apple into 6 slices, 12 thick slices per apple. Place into the dish of lemon water for 5 minutes to prevent discoloring.
Transfer the lemon slices to a pad of paper towels and reserve.
Peel the remaining apple, remove its core, dice and toss with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Set aside.

For the Cake:

Preheat the oven to 350°F and coat a 10-inch skillet with oil spray. Set aside.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. Set aside.
Break the eggs into a large mixing bowl and with the whisk attachment of the electric mixer, whisk for 1 minute. Stop the motor and add the sugar, oil, sour cream and vanilla. Whisk on medium speed for 2 minutes.
Stop the mixer and with a spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the batter in 3 portions. Be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.
Fold in the diced apples.
Pour the batter into the skillet and smooth the top.
Arrange the sliced apples on top of the batter. Brush melted butter on the exposed apple slices and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
Transfer to the oven and bake for 48-53 minutes or until the cake is puffed, golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack. Serve warm with salted caramel sauce.

Notes

A tablespoon of powdered ascorbic acid desolved in the soaking water will also keep the apples from turning brown. A popular choice is Fruit Fresh, available in most supermarkets.
Do not over-mix the batter, fold just until there are no flour streaks left.
Be sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl when folding in the flour mixture.
Ovens can vary in temperature, begin checking the cake for doneness with a toothpick or cake tester at 45 minutes.
For a deeper, caramel-like flavor, use brown sugar instead of white sugar.