One slice of this Butter Pecan Apple Skillet Cake with Bourbon Caramel Sauce and you’ll name this your favorite dessert ever eaten.
Love easy skillet desserts? This delicious Sugar Cookie Cake is baked in a skillet and topped with colorful holiday candy! Or whip up this easy Apple Cobbler Skillet recipe.
Why this Recipe Works
There are times when I make a delicious dessert, and I just can’t stop thinking about it. That’s today.
This Butter Pecan Apple Skillet Cake with Bourbon Caramel Sauce is simply irresistible.
The thick cake, packed with pecans and apples has a custard center and crunchy sugar topping.
Add a scoop of butter pecan ice cream and some homemade bourbon caramel sauce, and YOU will be dreaming about this dessert as well.
If you’re looking for an impressive dessert to share with family and friends, look no further.
I’m totally putting this one back on the rotation this holiday season, it’s that good. Just writing about it makes me crave this sweet cake!
How to make Butter Pecan Apple Skillet Cake
- Sometimes referred to as a Kentucky Skillet cake, today’s recipe is cooked in a cast iron skillet. Use at least a 9-inch size skillet up to a 12 inch skillet.
- In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. This takes about 3-4 minutes. Add in the eggs and vanilla, and beat until smooth.
- Add in flour, baking powder, and salt, mixing just until combined. Slowly add in sour cream.
- Fold in apples and pecans and pour into your skillet. I greased mine with a little shortening, as it’s new and not well seasoned yet.
- Sprinkle the top of your cake with sugar. Bake for 40-45 minutes and allow to cool slightly in skillet before serving.
How to make Bourbon Caramel Sauce
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter.
- Add in brown sugar, cream, salt, and bourbon. Whisk over medium-high heat until boiling. Boil one full minute.
- From start to finish, the caramel sauce takes about 5-7 minutes.
To serve this cake, plate each slice with a scoop of butter pecan ice cream and add a big spoonful of warm bourbon caramel sauce to the top! So good.
This is seriously a restaurant quality dessert with only minutes of prep time!
Tips and Tricks
If you’re looking for a few shortcuts, skip the bourbon caramel sauce (I know, I can’t believe I said that), and use a good quality caramel sauce instead (you can find them in the grocery store with the other ice cream toppings).
When choosing apples, I like granny smith best. However, any apple works great, and there’s no need to peel (unless you like the extra work!
More Apple Recipes
- One bite of these Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars will leave you wanting another! Cookie crust with creamy cheesecake filling, fresh apples, and a thick brown sugar streusel, all topped with a drizzle of decadent caramel sauce! Try adding today’s Bourbon Caramel Sauce to the top of these cheesecake bars for a new flavor profile!
- Delicious, no bake dessert recipe, these Cinnamon Apple Cheesecake Parfaits are the perfect creation for serving a group!
- Breakfast just got a whole lot tastier with this Apple Cinnamon Roll Coffee Cake recipe! Easy to assemble, hard to wait for it to finish baking!
- Cozy up to this Harvest Salad recipe with it’s delicious Lemon Poppy Seed dressing. You’ll love the flavors of apples, pears, cashews, and swiss cheese in this hearty salad recipe!
- These sweet Butter Pecan Fudge is just like you would get on a vacation. Creamy, buttery flavor that melts in your mouth and finishes with the crunch of pecans!
- Add a pan of this Maple Bacon Apple Cinnamon Roll Bake from Inside Brucrew Life to your breakfast plans. Soft apples, crunchy bacon, and maple drizzles all in one pan is a very good idea.
- Apple Bread recipe bursting with cinnamon and apple pie filling! You’ll love this easy 5 ingredient recipe for a delicious comfort food treat!
More Easy Dessert Recipes
- Dark Chocolate Brownies
- Rice Krispie Treats
- Butter Pecan Pumpkin Bars
- Caramel Kiss Cookies
- Turtle Cheeseball
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Butter Pecan Apple Skillet Cake with Bourbon Caramel Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
For the cake:
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 ½ cup granulated sugar divided
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- 1 package Crunch Pak apple slices, peeled and diced about 3 1/2 cups
- ½ cup chopped pecans
For the caramel sauce:
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- 3 Tablespoon heavy whipping cream
- 2 Tablespoon Bourbon
- pinch of salt
- Butter Pecan ice cream for serving, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Grease a 9 or 12 inch cast iron skillet with shortening (unless your skillet is well seasoned already). Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine butter and 1 1/4 cup of granulated sugar (saving the remaining 1/4 cup for later). Beat together until pale and fluffy, about 3 -4 minutes.
- Add in eggs and vanilla, beat until well combined.
- Slowly add in flour, baking powder and salt. Mix until just combined. Beat in sour cream. Fold in apples and pecans.
- Pour batter into prepared skillet. Sprinkle with remaining sugar.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes. Allow cake to cool slightly in pan while making the caramel sauce. (or you can make caramel sauce while cake is cooking)
- For the caramel, in a saucepan, add butter and heat over medium heat until melted. Whisk in the brown sugar, heavy cream, salt, and bourbon. Heat over medium high heat until boiling.
- Boil for one full minutes and serve over warm cake with butter pecan ice cream. ENJOY.
Notes
- If you’re looking for a few shortcuts, skip the bourbon caramel sauce (I know, I can’t believe I said that), and use a good quality caramel sauce instead (you can find them in the grocery store with the other ice cream toppings).
- When choosing apples, I like granny smith best. However, any apple works great, and there’s no need to peel (unless you like the extra work!
This is yummy! All my guests loved it.
It does sound really, really yummy… I have peaches and/or frozen mango available, could I swap out the apples for one of these options? I just got a new cast iron pan and looking forward to making something sweet in it; I’ve already christened it with savory. Thanks for the recipe.
Peaches would be delicious!
I don’t have a cast iron skillet. What else can I use and would baking time change?
How does this cake get a custard middle?
Wow this sauce is calling out to me!
This looks so delicious and decadent! I need this in my life ASAP!!
Oh, my, goodness! This cake just screams fall! That bourbon caramel sauce is just gold!
This looks heavenly!!!
You had me at butter pecan. YUM!
WOW! That looks scrumptious!
I dream of the day when we will be able reach into the screen and grab a slice of this amazing looking cake!
Is there anything else you can use instead of the bourbon?
Can I bake this in a cake pan? I do not have a cast iron skillet.
Well, holy cow! I’m seriously drooling over here! That cake looks incredible. And I’m totally thinking about drinking that caramel sauce. LOL!
Oh girl, this was so amazing…..
I’m so in a “all things apple” fall-preparedness mode! This looks incredible. Great tip on the Crunch Pak apples — I’ve missed the boat on those, but definitely need to check those out! Thanks, Aimee!
Haha!! So good 🙂