Swedish Apple Cake

This Swedish Apple Cake is a cozy, old-fashioned dessert that perfectly captures the flavors of fall. The cake bakes up moist and tender, filled with warm spice and sweet apple pieces, while a buttery caramel topping creates a golden, crackly finish on top. Simple to make yet impressive to serve, it’s the kind of rustic dessert that feels just right for autumn gatherings or a quiet afternoon with coffee.

Love More Apple Cake ? Try My Apple Fritter Cake or this Apple Cinnamon Sheet Cake next.

This cake is soft, moist, and filled with tender apple pieces that hold their texture beautifully. The edges bake up with a delicate crispness, while the warm spice and buttery flavor give it that classic Scandinavian comfort. It’s simple, versatile, and so good it’s often requested again and again for family gatherings.

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Ingredients You’ll Need

For the Cake:

• ½ cup butter, room temperature
• 1⅔ cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3 cups peeled, diced apples (about 2 large apples)
• ¼ cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional, but so good!)

For the Caramel Topping:

• 1⅓ cups brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons half-and-half
• 4 tablespoons butter

Substitutions I’ve tried: Heavy cream works instead of half-and-half. Whole milk makes it slightly thinner but still good. I used oat milk once when my sister visited (she’s lactose intolerant) and it turned out fine.

Why These Ingredients Work

I spent three attempts figuring out why my first cakes were dense. Turns out I was using butter straight from the fridge. Now I set it out when I have my morning coffee and it’s perfect by afternoon baking time.

I buy whatever apples look good at Costco, usually Gala or Fuji. Granny Smith makes it too tart for my kids. The brown sugar caramel tastes way better than when I tried making it with white sugar – learned that the hard way when I ran out of brown sugar once.

Essential Tools and Equipment

• 9-inch springform pan (regular cake pan works but harder to get out)
• My KitchenAid mixer (hand mixer is fine too)
• Medium mixing bowl
• Small saucepan for caramel
• Apple peeler (I got mine at Target for $12)
• Measuring cups

How To Make Swedish Apple Cake

Step 1: Oven to 350°F. Butter the springform pan really well – I use about a tablespoon because this caramel sticks like crazy.

Step 2: Mix flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in your medium bowl.

Step 3: Beat butter and sugar until fluffy – takes about 5 minutes with my mixer. Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla.

Step 4: Stir in flour mixture until just mixed. Don’t overdo it. Fold in apples and nuts with a spoon.

Step 5: Spread batter in pan. It’s thick, so use a spatula to even it out. Bake 35-40 minutes until a toothpick has just a few crumbs.

Step 6: For caramel: melt butter, brown sugar, and half-and-half in a small pan. Keep stirring and don’t let it boil or it gets weird and grainy.

Step 7: Pour caramel over hot cake and put back in oven 10-15 minutes. It’ll bubble and crack – that’s what you want.

Step 8: Cool 15 minutes minimum. The caramel stays molten hot longer than you think.

Expert Tips

Personal Secret: I chop some apples small and some bigger. The small ones disappear into the cake, the big ones stay chunky. My kids like finding the big pieces.

Critical Tip: Butter should be soft enough to dent with your finger but not melty. I forget sometimes and use cold butter – the cake turns out dense and weird.

Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks

• Weigh your apples – I use exactly 12 ounces now after some cakes turned out too wet
• Fresh nutmeg if you have it – the pre-ground stuff works but fresh smells incredible
• Check your baking soda – mine was expired once and the cake didn’t rise
• Make extra caramel – there’s never enough and people always want more
• Warm your eggs – I put them in hot water for 5 minutes if I forgot to take them out

My biggest mistake was walking away while making caramel. It burned and I had to start over. Now I stand there and stir the whole time.

Flavor Variations & Suggestions

I’ve tried adding:

• Dried cranberries – my mom’s suggestion, actually really good
• Mini chocolate chips – kids love this version
• Lemon zest – makes it taste brighter
• Extra cinnamon instead of nutmeg when I ran out
• Pecans instead of walnuts – both work fine

Make-Ahead Options

This tastes better the next day after the flavors settle. I’ve made it:

• Day before parties – wrap in plastic and leave on counter
• Frozen the whole cake – thaw overnight, tastes the same
• Prepped ingredients morning of – just mix and bake when ready

Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips

Don’t worry if your caramel doesn’t spread perfectly – mine never does. Sometimes apples poke through the top and that’s fine too. It’s supposed to look homemade.

If your caramel is too thick, add more half-and-half. If it’s too thin, cook it another minute before pouring.

Serving Suggestions

I serve this with vanilla ice cream most of the time. Sometimes just heavy cream poured over a warm slice. My dad likes it with his morning coffee, which seems wrong but he’s 73 so I don’t argue.

Good for Sunday dinners, bake sales, or when you need to bring something somewhere and want people to think you’re an amazing cook.

How to Store Your Swedish Apple Cake

Room Temperature: Cover tightly and store for up to 3 days (if it lasts that long!) Refrigerator: Up to 5 days – just bring to room temperature before serving or warm gently in the oven Freezer: Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months

Reheating: Warm individual slices in the microwave for 20-30 seconds, or warm the whole cake in a 300°F oven for 10-15 minutes.

Allergy Information

Contains: Eggs, dairy, gluten Dairy-Free Options: Use plant-based butter and oat cream Gluten-Free: Substitute with your favorite 1:1 gluten-free flour blend Egg-Free: Try flax eggs (2 tablespoons ground flaxseed + 6 tablespoons water, let sit 5 minutes)

Questions I Get Asked A Lot

Can I use a different pan?

A 9-inch round cake pan works, but you might need to adjust the baking time slightly. The springform just makes removal easier!

What’s the best apple variety?

I love a mix of tart and sweet! Granny Smith + Honeycrisp is my go-to combo.

Can I make this without the caramel topping?

Absolutely! It’s delicious plain, but honestly, the caramel is what makes it extra special.

Why is my caramel not crackling?

Make sure you’re not boiling it, and bake until you see those gorgeous cracks forming!

Can I double this recipe?

Yes! Use two pans rather than one large one for best results.

I hope this Swedish Apple Cake becomes a new go-to in your kitchen! There’s something so special about pulling a homemade cake out of the oven and watching faces light up.

Sending warm kitchens and full hearts from mine to yours!

💬 Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and rating below! I’d love to hear about your baking adventures!