This cake is Autumn on a plate: a spiced apple cider layer cake with a salted caramel Swiss meringue buttercream filling and a pie-crumb buttercream finish. It captures the flavour of caramel apple pie in cake form and is a perfect way to celebrate the season.
After making apple cider donuts I had leftover cider and wanted to use it in a seasonal dessert. The classic combination that came to mind was caramel apple pie — but instead of making a pie I set out to recreate those flavours in a layered cake: spiced apple, caramel and buttery pie crumb all together.
Spiced Cider Cake
This cake is baked as three 8″ layers (you can use 9″ pans if you adjust the bake time). The base is a white cake, but instead of milk I use reduced apple cider for a bright apple note. If you don’t have American-style apple cider, cloudy apple juice works well — add cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice to mimic the cider spices.
A few techniques improve the texture: a tablespoon or two of apple cider vinegar brightens the batter, and using a mix of butter and coconut oil — as suggested by Stella Park — makes the crumb lighter and more tender.
Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Swiss meringue buttercream starts with a cooked sugar-and-egg-white base. The whites and sugar are heated to a safe temperature, then whipped to glossy, stiff peaks. Room-temperature butter is added gradually until the mixture becomes smooth and silky. This buttercream is ideal for layering and decorating cakes, and its very white base takes flavouring and colour beautifully.
One advantage of Swiss meringue buttercream is that you can divide the batch and flavour parts differently: use some for a salted caramel filling and set aside the remainder to become a pie-crumb frosting.
Salted Caramel
You can shortcut by using a store-bought salted caramel, but if you make your own follow a few simple tips:
- Watch the sugar closely as it melts — it can go from golden to deep amber fast, so stay by the stove.
- Salt is optional but recommended; it balances the sweetness and enhances flavour.
- When adding butter and cream to the hot caramel, take care: it will steam and splatter. Stir gently and let it cool before using.
Pie Crumb
The pie crumb comes from Milk Bar’s approach: make a simple pie-dough mix, break it into small clusters and bake until golden. The clusters keep well in the fridge for several days, which makes this component easy to prepare in advance.
Reserve some of the crisp clusters to decorate the cake. Pulse the rest in a blender with milk to form a thick paste, then fold that into the remaining buttercream for a frosting that tastes distinctly of pie crust and adds lovely texture.
Recipe
Apple Cider Layer Cake
Ella Gilbert
Ingredients
Apple Cider Layer Cake
- 8 egg yolks
- 454 grams apple cider (reduced from 1000g)
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 454 grams all-purpose flour
- 225 grams light brown sugar
- 200 grams granulated sugar
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- 226 grams unsalted butter
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 113 grams coconut oil, room temperature
Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- 8 egg whites
- 446 grams granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- 678 grams unsalted butter, room temperature
Pie Crumb
- 240 grams all-purpose flour
- 18 grams granulated sugar
- 2 grams kosher salt
- 115 grams unsalted butter, melted
- 20 grams water
Salted Caramel
- 125 grams double cream
- 200 grams granulated sugar
- 85 grams unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ tablespoon kosher salt (adjust to taste)
Pie Crumb Frosting
- ½ portion pie crumb
- 110 grams milk
- 2 grams kosher salt
Instructions
Apple Cider Cake
- Grease three 8″ cake pans and preheat the oven to 325°F (162°C).
- Sift the flour into a large bowl. In a measuring jug combine the reduced apple cider and apple cider vinegar.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add butter, coconut oil, both sugars, spices, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix with the paddle attachment, starting low and increasing to medium, until fluffy (about 5 minutes).
- With the mixer running, add the egg whites and vanilla. Lower the speed and add the flour and cider in three alternating additions, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until smooth, then divide batter between the three pans.
- Bake about 40 minutes, until the edges are golden and a toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs. Cool completely on wire racks.
Pie Crumb
- Preheat oven to 355°F (180°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment.
- In a mixer combine flour, sugar and salt on low. Add melted butter and water and mix until clusters form.
- Spread clusters on the tray and bake 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely. Reserve some clusters for decoration.
Salted Caramel
- Place sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat and stir constantly as it melts and turns amber. Remove from heat and carefully stir in butter, then cream and salt. Allow to cool completely before using.
- Store caramel in the fridge if making ahead.
Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- Bring an inch of water to a gentle simmer in a saucepan.
- In a heatproof bowl combine egg whites, sugar and salt. Set the bowl over the simmering water and whisk constantly until the mixture reaches 160°F (71°C).
- Remove the bowl from heat and whip with a whisk attachment on medium-high until stiff, glossy peaks form (8–10 minutes) and the bowl feels cool to the touch.
- Reduce mixer speed to low and add room-temperature butter, a tablespoon at a time, until smooth and silky.
Fillings & Frosting
- Remove about 400g of buttercream to a bowl and fold in 120g salted caramel until well combined. This becomes the cake filling.
- Place the remaining pie crumb clusters and milk in a blender and puree to a thick paste. Fold half of the pie crumb paste and 2g salt into the remaining buttercream to make the pie-crumb frosting. Reserve clusters for decoration.