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Slow Cooker Caramel Apple Pudding Cake

written by Ashley Fehr

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4.87 from 15 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 45 minutes
Servings 6 servings

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Last updated on March 11, 2024

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This Slow Cooker Caramel Apple Pudding Cake is SO simple, loaded with apples and makes its own hot caramel sauce as it cooks. Our new favorite dessert! With step by step video down in the recipe card.

caramel apple pudding cake in slow cooker

It wasn’t supposed to work. At all.

When I spread the cake batter in the slow cooker, I was still optimistic.

I sprinkled the brown sugar over, just like I do in my Grandma’s Hot Fudge Sundae Cake, and poured on the hot water.

I put the lid on, turned it to high, and crossed my fingers. Still pretty optimistic. It would work, wouldn’t it? (I made that Slow Cooker Gingerbread Pudding Cake, after all, and it turned out just fine!)

We were having friends over for dinner on a Sunday when I decided to test this recipe out. I figured it was just dessert, so what if it flopped and we had to have s’mores by the fireplace instead?

A few minutes later I peered in the slow cooker and it looked like a great big soupy mess. I lost all hope then and there.

clear glass bowl of apple pudding cake

But by some miracle, in a couple of hours a cake layer formed on top, the apples cooked perfectly, and when I dug in I saw the most glorious puddle of caramel sauce underneath.

Let me tell you — I never get it this right on the first try.

But this pudding cake is so, so right, and so incredibly delicious. I know I’ve said it before and I say it again — nothing gets me like a warm, gooey dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!

I love that we can get perfect Canadian apples in the dead of winter — so sweet, crunchy and juicy. They make the perfect healthy snack, a sweet contrast in a savory dish, and pack a punch of fresh, juicy flavour in any dessert.

caramel apple pudding cake in bowl with vanilla ice cream

They are one of our favorite fruits and we always have a pile on hand, year round!

Love the caramel apple combo? Try this Caramel Apple Dip next!

Tips for making a Perfect Slow Cooker Caramel Apple Pudding Cake:

  • Opt for an oval slow cooker instead of a round one. I’ve found that the round slow cooker are deeper and have less area on the bottom, which would result in a thicker cake layer that wouldn’t cook as evenly.
  • Chop your apples small, so that they are tender by the time the cake is cooked
  • Let the cake sit with the slow cooker off for 10-20 minutes before serving, this will help the sauce to thicken
overhead image of caramel apple pudding cake with ice cream melting over
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Slow Cooker Caramel Apple Pudding Cake

written by Ashley Fehr

4.87 from 15 votes
This Slow Cooker Caramel Apple Pudding Cake is SO simple, loaded with apples and makes its own hot caramel sauce as it cooks. Our new favorite dessert!
overhead image of caramel apple pudding cake with ice cream melting over
Review
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 45 minutes
Cuisine American
Course Dessert
Servings 6 servings
Calories 405cal

Ingredients

  • 1 cup whole wheat flour or all purpose flour (about 125g)
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar about 150g
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk or regular milk
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 large baking apples peeled and diced

Sauce

  • 1 cup brown sugar about 200g
  • 1 tablespoon corn starch
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 cup hot water
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • Lightly grease a 3-4 quart slow cooker (mine is a 2.5qt casserole slow cooker, so it has a wider base).
  • In a large bowl, stir together flour, ¾ cup brown sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon until combined.
  • Stir in buttermilk, oil, and vanilla until smooth (will be thick). Stir in apples and spread in the bottom of the slow cooker.
  • For the sauce, whisk together 1 cup brown sugar and corn starch until combined. Sprinkle over cake batter and spread evenly.
  • Melt butter in hot water and pour over brown sugar in slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 2.5-3 hours until cake is set (will be moist) on top. Sauce will be thin at first — for a thicker sauce, let sit for 10-20 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 405cal | Carbohydrates: 79g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 174mg | Potassium: 319mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 63g | Vitamin A: 150IU | Calcium: 146mg | Iron: 1.3mg

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Meet Ashley

My name is Ashley Fehr and I love creating easy meals my family loves. I also like to do things my way, which means improvising and breaking the rules when necessary. Here you will find creative twists on old favorites and some of my favorite family recipes, passed down from generations!

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Comments

  1. Sara says

    I am trying this today, have had the recipe saved for like 2 weeks since I came across it and cant stop thinking about it lol.

    Reply

  2. Diane Liegl says

    Did you ever you swerve sugar and brown sugar to cut calories. Thanks looks delicious want to try for company next week

    Reply

    • Sarah says

      Tried making this is my instant pot on the slow cooker setting for 3 hours. It never really developed any “cake” texture to the apple mixture- came out looking like uncooked pancake batter with a Carmel syrup underneath. Tasty, but not as pictured above. Will try it again in actual slow cooker to see if it makes a difference

      Reply

  3. Patrick says

    I gave this a try and it came out GREAT! Easy to make, tastes fantasic and leftovers are still good when heated up in the microwave. I will be making this again. My wife told me not to lose the recipe.

    Reply

  7. Vesta says

    This looked so good I just put it in my casserole Crock Pot. We have company coming so I hope it is as good as it looks. Thanks for the recipe.

    Reply

  12. Rashi Mehrotra says

    What can i replace the corn starch with? This looks delightful, plan to try it in an oven since i do not have a slow cooker. But not sure what to replace corn starch with. Please suggest

    Reply

    • Ashley Fehr says

      Do you need to replace the corn starch for a reason? It just makes the sauce a little thicker. If you want to make it but don’t have any on hand I would just reduce the hot water by 1/4 cup.

      Reply

      • Rashi Mehrotra says

        I was inquiring because I didn’t have corn starch handy. Just bought it only to try this recipe! 🙂

      • Rashi Mehrotra says

        Made this last night with a few variations. Added nuts along with apples and a pinch of nutmeg along with cinnamon. Also, I used a 9″ baking dish since I don’t have a slow cooker. Turned out fantastic!! I reduced the sugar to 1/2 cup and it was just right for two of us. Devoured an entire bowl last night and just had it as midday snack. Loved it, thanks Ashley!

      • Alison K says

        I didn’t have corn starch on hand so I subbed with a couple tablespoons of flour. Worked perfect. The recipe is so good that I didn’t even get any!

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