This Caramel Apple Cheesecake Cake is the ultimate fall showstopper. It’s part cheesecake, part apple spice cake, and completely irresistible from top to bottom. With layers of cinnamon-spiced apple cake sandwiching a rich cheesecake center, all wrapped up in caramel frosting and finished with apples and a drizzle of caramel, this is the kind of dessert made for special occasions.
It’s perfect for fall holidays, brunches, birthdays, or anytime you want to serve a cake that truly impresses. Yes, there are a few steps — but each one is straightforward, and the end result is absolutely worth it. Plus, this cake is very make-ahead friendly, which makes it ideal for entertaining.
If you love caramel apples and cheesecake, this cake brings those flavors together in the most indulgent way possible.
I wanted to create something with an autumn vibe. And since I haven’t created a new flavor of cheesecake cake for such a long time (my readers have been requesting a new one!), it was time to make that happen.
What Makes This Cake Special
Unlike a traditional apple cake, this recipe includes a full cheesecake layer baked separately, frozen, and then layered between two apple cake rounds. That frozen cheesecake trick makes assembly much easier and gives you clean, beautiful layers when sliced.
The caramel frosting ties everything together without being overly sweet, and the fresh apple slices and caramel drizzle add a gorgeous finishing touch.
Why You’ll Love This Cake
- Three layers of dessert in one (cake + cheesecake + frosting!)
- Warm fall flavors with apples, cinnamon, and caramel
- Perfect for holidays, birthdays, and brunch gatherings
- Can be made in stages to make it manageable
- Moist, rich, and incredibly impressive on the table
How to Make Caramel Apple Cheesecake Cake
- Make the Cheesecake Layer: The cheesecake is baked first and then frozen, which makes it easy to layer later without cracking or sliding.
- Bake the Apple Cake Layers: The apple cake layers are spiced, moist, and full of shredded Granny Smith apples for tangy flavor.
- Make the Caramel Frosting: A buttery frosting with powdered sugar, caramel, cinnamon, and cream — rich but not overpowering.
- Assemble and Frost: Cake layer → cheesecake layer → cake layer → frosting. Finish with apples and caramel.
Recipe Tips
- Chill the finished cake before slicing for the cleanest cuts.
- Freeze the cheesecake completely before assembling — this is key!
- Line cake pans with parchment so the cakes release cleanly.
- Use Granny Smith apples for best flavor and structure.
- If the cheesecake layer is slightly larger, gently shave it down.
- Bake-even cake strips help the layers rise evenly (highly recommended).
- Make-Ahead Tips: this cake is perfect for spreading the work out: Day 1: Bake the cheesecake and freeze.
Day 2: Bake the cake layers and cool completely.
Day 3: Assemble, frost, and decorate.
The cake stays moist and slices beautifully when assembled ahead.
Storage:
- Keep the cake refrigerated, covered.
- It’s best enjoyed within 3 to 4 days.
- Let slices sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving.
Favorite Cheesecake Cakes to Try:
Caramel Apple Cheesecake Cake
Caramel Apple Cheesecake Cake is a stunning fall dessert with layers of spiced apple cake, creamy cheesecake, and caramel frosting—perfect for holidays and special occasions.
Ingredients
CHEESECAKE
- Two 8 ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature
- ⅔ cup granulated white sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- ⅓ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
CAKE
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 cups packed brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups shredded Granny Smith apples (peeled)
FROSTING
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- ⅓ cup jarred caramel
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 1 pinch salt
TOPPINGS
- 12 slices apple
- ¼ cup jarred caramel
Instructions
CHEESECAKE
- Preheat oven to 325℉. Spray a 9 inch springform pan with nonstick spray.
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to mix the cream cheese, blending until it is nice and smooth and creamy. Mix in sugar and salt and blend for 2 minutes, scraping down sides of the bowl as needed. Add eggs, one at a time, blending after each addition. Finally, mix in sour cream, whipping cream and vanilla. Mix until smooth.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake the cheesecake for about 40 to 45 minutes. It should be set to the touch and not jiggly. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for at least an hour. When it has cooled, place the pan into the freezer and let the cheesecake freeze completely. This can be done in several hours or overnight.
CAKE
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Spray two 9 inch round cake pans with nonstick spray, line with a round of parchment and spray again.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, baking powder and salt.
- In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, butter and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix until well combined. Stir in the shredded apples.
- Divide batter between the two pans and bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out fairly clean. Let the cake cool for at least 20 minutes, then turn out onto racks to cool completely. Peel off the parchment paper and discard.
FROSTING
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the butter. Mix in the powdered sugar a little at a time. Add the caramel and the cinnamon and continue to mix until well combined. Add the cream and mix until nice and creamy.
ASSEMBLY
- Place one cake layer into the center of a cake plate or platter. Spread it with a small amount of frosting (it will act as a sort of glue to keep the layers from sliding).
- Remove the cheesecake from the freezer, take off the sides of the pan, and slide a knife under the cheesecake to remove the frozen cheesecake from the pan. Measure your cheesecake layer against the cake layers. If the cheesecake layer turns out to be a slightly larger round than your cake, move it to a cutting board and gently shave off some of the exterior of the cheesecake to get it to the same size as your cake layers. Place the cheesecake layer on top of the first cake layer. Again, cover the cheesecake with a small amount of frosting. Place the 2nd cake layer on top of the cheesecake.
- To frost, start by adding a large scoop of frosting onto the top of the cake. Use a long, thin spatula to spread the frosting evenly across the top and then spread it down the sides of the cake too. Continue to spread over the top and spread down the sides until the cake is completely covered. Decorate, as desired.
- Keep this cake refrigerated. Top individual servings with a slice of apple and a drizzle of caramel.
Notes
- This cake might seem like an arduous task, but you can most certainly do most of it one day and finish it up the next. Bake the cake one day, let the layers cool completely, wrap them each in plastic wrap and then assemble and frost the next day. It should stay nice and moist.
- It’s important to line the cake pans with parchment paper. It will make the cakes come out of the pans easily, with no chunks left behind.
- I highly recommend bake even cake strips– simply wrap them around the cake pan and they allow your cake to rise e-v-e-n-l-y!
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 926kcal, Carbohydrates: 132g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 43g, Saturated Fat: 26g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 11g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 178mg, Sodium: 690mg, Potassium: 251mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 111g, Vitamin A: 1558IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 123mg, Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Is the cake recipe missing something? I mixed it up as called for and it wasn’t a cake batter. It was more like cookie dough. I ended up adding a 1/2 cup of oil and another egg to get a more cake-like consistency.
No– it’s a pretty thick consistency for this cake.
Hi Lori! This was the first recipe I have tried from your blog (I found you through Michelle over at Brown Eyed Baker but I wed to tell you that I made this over the weekend for a family reunion and it was absolutely WONDERFUL!! I made 4 dishes to take but this one easily stole the show. It is elegant and beautiful. I definitely took your advice and made this a 2 day project– I did the cheesecake/ apple cakes on Friday and then stacked and frosted on Saturday. It’s definitely worth the time and effort. The caramel buttercream is out of this world! Thanks for the recipe and I can’t wait to try more of them!
So happy to hear that everyone loved it- thank you!
Cheesecake plus cake is such a winner. And loving this Fall flavor!!
Dang girl, this one is amazing!!! You know how much I love your cheesecake cakes 🙂 I still have a PB Banana version waiting to be posted 🙂 This caramel apple is perfect for fall, so much yum 🙂 PINNED
ohhh, can’t wait to see that one!
I just made a caramel apple cheesecake, but THIS looks way better! I love a little bubbly and will definitely try the Barefoot Bubbly soon.
Wow! So decadent! Dessert is the best part of any meal 🙂
Clearly your readers are genius. This cheesecake cake is beyond amazing. A little bubbly is always a welcome choice when cake is involved. Pinned.
How fun is this? So creative and looks wonderful!
What a beautiful cheesecake cake!!! Love this Lori!!