Caramel Apple Cheesecake Cake with Biscoff Pecan Crust – the most delicious and moist apple cider cake, baked on a Biscoff pecan crust, topped with a no-bake cheesecake filling, apple pie filling, salted caramel and Biscoff buttercream.
No Bake Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars
Did you get a chance to make my No Bake Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars? Oh, I sure hope so! They are so simple to make and so incredibly delicious. I was so in love with them, in fact, that I had to turn the bars into a cake.
Here’s what’s in the bars:
- Biscoff pecan crust
- Cheesecake filling
- Apple pie filling
- Salted caramel
For the cake, I used all four of these elements, in addition to apple cider cake and Biscoff buttercream. You may recognize the cake layers from my Apple Cider Donut Bundt Cake and the buttercream from my Oatmeal Biscoff Cake.
The flavors in this cake are the epitome of fall and I think you’re going to love it!
HOW TO MAKE CARAMEL APPLE CHEESECAKE CAKE
The Biscoff Pecan Crust
- You’ll start by prepping your three 8-inch cake pans with nonstick spray and parchment paper. Parchment paper is key to getting a good release.
- Combine Biscoff cookies, pecans, sugar and melted butter in a food processor. Pulse for a few minutes, until the mixture resembles wet sand.
- Press the crust into the three pans.
The Apple Cider Cake
- This simple cake starts with combining all the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.
- In a separate bowl, you’ll combine the wet ingredients (ensuring all refrigerated ingredients are room temp).
- Then you’ll mix the two together and pour the batter over the crusts.
- This one bakes at 325 degrees F for about 30 minutes.
- Don’t forget – the cake layers are done when a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs on it.
- IMPORTANT: pans matter! I love Fat Daddio pans from Gygi. If you don’t have pans yet, these are the pans I’d get.
The No Bake Cheesecake Filling
- For the filling, whip the heavy whipping cream to stiff peaks and then set aside while you mix the cream cheese and sugar together in a separate bowl.
- Once the cream cheese mixture is smooth, you’ll then fold in the whipped cream. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
The Apple Pie Filling
- To make the apple pie filling, start by peeling the skin off the apples.
- Dice them and toss them in lemon juice.
- You’ll then combine the apples over the stove with butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Cook until just softened. Drain the extra juices. Refrigerate to cool.
How to Make Homemade Caramel
- For the caramel, combine the sugar, water, and corn syrup over the stove. Cooking on medium heat, the sugar mixture will start to cook. Once it becomes an amber color, remove from heat, slowly add warm cream, vanilla and salt.
- Head over to my Homemade Salted Caramel post for the full tutorial.
HOW TO MAKE THE BEST BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
To get a light and fluffy homemade buttercream frosting for this Caramel Apple Cheesecake Cake, I have a detailed post: HOW TO MAKE THE BEST BUTTERCREAM to give you in depth instruction for making your buttercream unreal! Here’s a quick overview.
- Sift your powdered sugar
- Use slightly cold butter and mix on its own for 2 to 3 minutes
- Use heavy whipping cream
- Beat for 5 minutes
- Stir by hand
NUT REPLACEMENT
Can’t do nuts? No worries! Just replace the amount of nuts with more Biscoff cookies. To get the nutty flavor without the nuts, you can then brown your butter!
More Cakes to Love
Caramel Apple Cheesecake Cake with Biscoff Pecan Crust
Apple cider cake layers, baked on a Biscoff pecan crust, with a no bake cheesecake filling, apple pie filling, caramel and Biscoff buttercream.
Ingredients
FOR THE CRUST
- 20 (160 g) Biscoff cookies
- 1 cup (100 g) pecans
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter
FOR THE CAKE
- 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp (5 g) ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp (1 g) nutmeg
- 1 tsp (5.6 g) salt
- 1 1/2 tbsp (21 g) baking powder
- 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (110 g) brown sugar
- 1 cup (224 g) vegetable oil
- 3 eggs at room temperature
- 1 cup (250 g) applesauce at room temperature
- 1 cup (248 g) apple cider at room temperature
- 1 tsp (5.6 g) vanilla extract
FOR THE CHEESECAKE FILLING
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (120 g) heavy whipping cream
FOR THE APPLE PIE FILLING
- 3 cups (450 g) Granny Smith apples peeled and diced
- juice of half a lemon
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons (37.5 g) brown sugar packed
- 1 teaspoon (2.1 g) cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon (1.1 g) nutmeg
FOR THE CARAMEL
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (120 g) water
- 4 teaspoons (27.2 g) light corn syrup
- 3/4 cup (180 g) heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon (4.2 g) vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon (6 g) salt
FOR THE BISCOFF BUTTERCREAM
- 1 1/2 cups (339 g) unsalted butter slightly cold
- 1 cup (250 g) Biscoff spread
- 5 cups (625 g) powdered sugar measured then sifted
- 1/4 cup (60 g) heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon (4.2 g) vanilla extract
Instructions
FOR THE CRUST
- Spray three 8-inch round cake pans with nonstick spray, line the bottoms with parchment paper, and spray again. Set aside.
- In a food processor or blender, combine the cookies, pecans, and sugar. Pulse until the mixture resembles sand.
- Add the melted butter and pulse util the mixture resembles wet sand.
- Evenly divide the crumbs between the three cake pans (about 5 ounces in each). Press firmly into a crust. Set aside. ***(This crust is a little thinner than others I've done. If you want a thicker crust, you can double the recipe).
FOR THE CAKE
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F.
- In a medium size mixing bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and baking powder. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the sugar, brown sugar and oil. Mix on medium speed to combine.
- Add the eggs to the sugar mixture and mix on medium speed for about two minutes.
- Add the applesauce and vanilla. Mix to combine.
- With the mixer on low speed, add ⅓ of the flour mixture, followed by half of the apple cider. Continue alternating the flour mixture and the apple cider, finishing with the flour mixture. Mix until no streaks of flour remain. The batter will be slightly thin, not thick.
- Divide the batter between the three cake pans (about 17 ounces in each), pouring the batter right onto the Biscoff crust. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs on it.
- Let the cakes cool in the pans for about 15 minutes before inverting them onto a wire rack to cool completely.
FOR THE CHEESECAKE FILLING
- In a medium size mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth, about 2 minutes.
- In a chilled stainless steel bowl, beat the heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form.
- Fold in the heavy whipping cream into the cream cheese mixture.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.
FOR THE APPLE PIE FILLING
- Combine the apples and lemon juice in a medium bowl. Toss to coat the apples.
- In a large saute pan, combine the apples, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg over medium heat.
- Cook the apples, stirring occasionally, until softened.
- Drain the excess juice and refrigerate apples in an airtight container to cool and store.
FOR THE CARAMEL
- Combine the sugar, water, and corn syrup in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Stir the mixture until the sugar dissolves and then STOP stirring. Stirring creates crystallization.
- Allow the mixture to boil on its own.
- Once the mixture turns amber in color (about 380 degrees F), remove from heat and slowly add warm cream while stirring (heating the cream first ensures you don't get clumps of caramel).
- Add the vanilla and salt. Stir to combine.
- Cool to room temperature before using.
- Caramel can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You'll need to heat it up slightly to thin it out and make it pourable.
FOR THE BISCOFF BUTTERCREAM
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and Biscoff spread. Beat on medium-high speed until smooth, about a minute.
- With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the powdered sugar, followed by the heavy whipping cream, vanilla and salt.
- Turn the mixer to medium-high and beat for 3 to 5 minutes, making sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Before frosting your cake, mix the buttercream by hand with a spatula or large spoon to push out the air pockets.
ASSEMBLY
- Place the first cake layer, top side up, in the center of a cake board or a cake stand.
- Pipe a rim of buttercream around the edge of the cake.
- Spread half of the cheesecake filling over the cake layer, followed by half of the apple pie filling. Gently press apples into place.
- Drizzle caramel over the apples.
- Repeat these steps for the next cake layer.
- Place the final cake layer, top side up, on the second layer of fillings.
- Apply a thin coat of buttercream over the cake. This is the crumb coat. You'll then freeze the cake for 15 minutes to set the crumb coat and lock in the crumbs.
- After the crumb coat is set, finish frosting the cake with the remaining buttercream.
Looks soo good!
Two questions:
– Can I half all of the components and make a 6in cake instead? Or is there anything that doesn’t scale well?
– Storing leftovers… typically I freeze leftover slices. Does this one freeze okay? I know cake itself and butter creams are okay, but I’m worry about the cheesecake filling and apples?
Hi Stefani, I was wondering the same thing. Did you make this into a 6″ cake and, if so, how did you adjust the ingredient measurements?
You can make it into a 4-layer 6 inch. No adjustment on ingredients.
I am so excited to make this cake for an upcoming dinner party! I was reading your recipe for your Oatmeal Biscoff Cake and note that you baked the cookie layers @375 for 5-7 minutes before adding the cake batter. Should the cookie layers in this cake similarly be pre-baked or not? Also, could I make this cake as a 4 layer 6″ cake instead of a 3 layer 8″ cake as with your Oatmeal Biscoff Cake? Thank you for all of your amazing recipes!
Is there salt in the bus off buttercream? It is not on the ingredient list but it is on step 2 of the directions.
Just a dash
I love the technique here; the messy frosting and the buildup on top, allowing the caramel to rest.
I would love to see a tutorial, but can’t find one! And I don’t know what to call the technique so my searches aren’t fruitful.
Do you know if there’s a name for it, and do you have a comprehensive tutorial?
I LOVED this cake!!!! It was the first cake recipe of yours I made! It was so delicious! That Biscoff crust was so amazingly tasty! I am already looking for your next cake I want to bake!!
Love this!
So delicious!! All the elements of this cake just work SO well together. I absolutely loved it. My only regret is not putting a thin layer of the buttercream before the cream cheese layer. I’m having a day old slice right now and the cake is getting soggy–but, even soggy it’s delicious!
My sister made this cake for Thanksgiving. She’s the baker in the family. It was BY FAR the best cake I’ve ever had in my life. My husband too, and he doesn’t like cake 🙂 This had all the elements of fall and all the best elements of different desserts, from apple pie “filling” to crunchies like in a Carvel Ice Cream Cake (just not chocolate). Amazing!!!!!
Thank you so much! That’s so nice to hear!!
Just wondering if you are supposed to pre-bake the crust before adding the batter to it?
Absolutely LOVE this cake. It is truly a fan favorite. I have made it 2 different times with great results.
I love hearing that!
Hi Courtney! When you say heat the caramel until 380F, do you actually mean 280F?
This was INCREDIBLE! A total hit with my whole family. Every element works so well together! Highly recommend making the different components in advance to keep it low stress, very delicious.
Curious… I just made the cake and followed the recipe exactly. It seems like the taste of the batter is overly strong with vinegar flavor. Is this normal? Does it bake off?
Did you use apple cider vinegar? It calls for apple cider but no vinegar.
OK I want to tell you how much I am busting up! I kept looking over the recipe wondering what I did wrong because the taste was a little off… and then my dumb blonde moment popped out to me! Oh my gosh! I put apple cider vinegar! Not Apple cider. My brain just filled in “vinegar” I don’t know why… Funny enough the cake does taste somewhat OK, but I’m sure it would’ve taste WAY better with cider! 🤣😭
Hi
Is the apple cider a regular one? I mean, with alcohol? Thanks
No it’s juice – you’ll find it in the juice aisle at the grocery store.
Hi Courtney! I’m forever devoted to your cakes and your cakes only so I’m really hoping to make this cake for my sister in law’s birthday—BUT I have to veganize it. I’ll omit the cheesecake filling and it’s easy enough to swap earth balance/nutpods in the frosting but I can’t sort out how to replace the eggs. I’m thinking more ACV. Any ideas? I know it’s a big task so if I have to make a different recipe I will but I thought I would ask!
Flaxseed egg?
Hi Courtney, I live in the UAE and I can’t get apple cider or light corn syrup. Do you think apple juice and dark corn syrup would still work in the recipe? I’ve previously made your Oreo cake, biscoff cake and strawberry/Nutella cake I’m nearly drooling at the thought of this one for the weekend!
Yes I think that would work!
Can I assemble entire cake and freeze with the apples ??
WOW. this cake is a little extra and a lotttt of work, but it’s absolutely worth it. Omg the flavor and texture combinations were to die for. I’m going to make myself ill eating all of it.
A lot of steps to this cake, but worth the effort! Friends raved about it for days after.
Omgosh, I’m SO making this!! But wanted to know if I can just omit the pecans? Because, you know, nut allergies in the family 😩
Yes, just add a few more cookies to the crust 🙂
I made this for my birthday this weekend.
This is the … 4th Cake I’ve made using one of your recipes and it was so amazing. They have all been amazing. But this one. Just. *chefs kiss*
I omitted sugar from the apple pie filling, and it was my first time making caramel… so that meets some improvement:p but everyone said it was so well balanced and it just actually turned out really well. Love this cake so much.
I want to try to make it gf so my MIL can try it next time haha (I’ll have to omit the biscoff obvi) but I think the moisture level of the cake will lend itself well to gf flour
Anyway. Love this cake haha!