Apple Bundt Cake is a made-from-scratch cake filled with tart apples and topped with a buttery caramel glaze. This recipe is perfect any time of the year, but I especially love it in the fall! If you love caramel apple desserts, be sure to also try my Caramel Apple Dump Cake and Caramel Apple Cake.
Apple Bundt Cake
This Apple Bundt Cake has been a family favorite for years, one that my great-grandmother used to make! I would ask her, “How do you make a bundt cake, Grandma?” And she would lean in with a gleam in her eye and whisper, “You just stand by me and I’ll show you!” For another delicious apple dessert, try my Apple Crisp!
Apple Bundt Cake Ingredients
Apples: I love a good Granny Smith apple because it holds its shape and texture better than other varieties. You can certainly try other kinds of apples, but the texture of the cake may change.
Caramel Glaze: I topped this cake with a delicious caramel-flavored glaze. It gives you a hint of that classic caramel apple flavor that reminds me of fall! You could also serve it without the glaze if desired.
Best Apples for Apple Cake
It is important to use tart apples in order to get that tang that contrasts well with the buttery caramel topping in an apple cake. I recommend Honeycrisp or Granny smith.
- Honeycrisp- they are crisp and juicy with a honey-sweet and tart flavor
- Granny Smith- they are crisp and sour
- Golden Delicious – sweet
What’s the Best Bundt Cake Pan?
I recommend using a non-stick Bundt pan so the cake slides right out, and I use different pans depending on the size of the cake. For a 9-inch cake (like with this recipe), I use a Bundt pan from Anolon, which costs around $25 at Walmart. For a 10-inch cake, I go with this option from USA Pan, which is around $40.
How to Store and Freeze Apple Bundt Cake
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To freeze this cake, I recommend not adding the glaze until you are ready to serve. Place the whole cake or individual pieces in an airtight container or freezer-safe sealable plastic bag. Try to remove as much air as possible. Be sure to label and date the container. The cake will freeze well for up to 3 months. When ready to thaw, remove the cake from the freezer and place it in the refrigerator overnight and allow it to come to room temperature before serving.
More Apple Desserts
Apple Bundt Cake
Equipment
- 9-inch Bundt pan I like this affordable nonstick pan!
- Small saucepan I recommend this one from Kitchenaid
- Hand mixer This is a good budget option from Hamilton Beach!
- Wire rack Like these cooling racks
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
- 1½ cups (327 g) vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and diced
Caramel Glaze
- ½ cup (1 stick / 113 g) unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons heavy cream, room temperature
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly spray a 9-inch bundt pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using a hand mixer on medium speed, beat the sugar, oil, vanilla, and eggs until combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and blend until just combined.
- Gently fold in the diced apples by hand until just combined.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared bundt pan.
- Bake for 55-70 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow to cool for about 15-20 minutes in the pan and then invert it onto a wire rack. While the cake is cooling, prepare the caramel glaze.
Caramel Glaze
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the butter, heavy cream, and brown sugar to a gentle boil, stirring occassionall until the sugar is dissolved.
- Remove the pan from heat, and add vanilla. Stir to combine.
- Allow the caramel glaze to sit for 5-10 minutes to thicken.
- Drizzle over the warm cake and serve.
Video
Notes
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Can you freeze the cake? TIA
Made this tonight with apples off our farm. Don’t use vegetable oil so instead used 1 1/2 cups of melted butter. My entire family said it was the best cake I’ve ever made. After thirty years of baking that’s something!! So the recipe is resounding YES!!!!!!
I got my apples and fresh cinnamon going to make this today! Yum. And the sauce.oops so easy.
I haven’t made this yet but it looks so delicious! What do you think would happen if you took the cake out of the pan and let cool, then put the caramel in the bundt pan and put the cake back in to soak in the glaze? I imagine pouring it over while warm (which I would definitely want to do rather than let the glaze thicken), and a lot of running off before it can soak in. I definitely wouldn’t want to lose any of that!
This is by far the best cake I’ve ever made. I’ve had my bouts over the years being “Susie homemaker” and baking cakes and sweet treats, but this takes the cake!! At first bite, I dropped the fork and said, “no!!! Stupid good” then quickly grabbed the family to taste it for themselves. I will definitely make again… And again. The only thing I noticed, which was an easy quick fix, was the batter was super thick. I remedied by adding in some milk to get a consistency I was happy with. I’ve already urged my friends to come sample some, mostly because I am afraid I will eat it all. Thank you, thank you for blowing my mind.
Made this cake for my husband for this birthday, plus I wanted to try before thanksgiving. Cake was superb. I think the caramel glaze makes the cake. Def doing it instead of 🍎 pie this year.
Just put the cake into the oven. I’m hoping it turns out to be good. My family loves dessert dishes and apples are such a awesome ingredient in desserts. I’ll let you know how it turns out. A👍🤞
Is it possible to substitute canola or avocado oil for vegetable oil? thank you.
Made this cake today and it’s delicious only thing i added was a small applesauce cup and mixed in with the apples.
This cake us beyond fabulous. Just made it 30 minutes ago and now tasting. OMG…heaven. Thank you so much.
I was anxious to try this recipe but only had 1 cup of sugar in the cupboard. So I halved the recipe and made 6 large muffins. I didn’t use the Carmel glaze because my daughter is pregnant and didn’t want them so sweet. They came out perfect! I now have a batch of peach muffins in the oven right now and they smell delicious! I will make them again!