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This apple bundt cake goes in the oven at my house as soon as I can make a trip to the apple farm. Chopped tart apples are folded into a brown sugar and cinnamon batter, and the cake bakes up tall, tender, and moist. A thin brown sugar caramel glaze goes over the top and runs down every ridge.
We’ve been enjoying all things apple this fall! I’ve made this bread that tastes like apple fritters, a different apple cider bundt cake with no apples in it, a Brussels sprouts and kale salad with apples, and a large pan of Southern fried apples. All delicious!
This cake has become one of our favorites. I really like the pieces of apple tucked inside the moist, lightly cinnamon-flavored cake, and of course, anything that has caramel sauce drizzled over the top is going to get my vote!
Testing results for apple bundt cake
- When I tested ways to get this apple cake out of a bundt pan in one piece, shortening and a dusting of flour released it most reliably (as with most cakes). It can sometimes leave a few white patches of baked-on flour on the outside, but the glaze covers them.
- I tried different apples and combinations and settled on just using Granny Smith apples. They hold together through the bake, and I really like the balance of tartness against the sweet batter.
I hope you make this recipe. I think you’ll love it!
Tart apples, plenty of cinnamon
➡️➡️➡️ The full ingredient amounts and instructions are listed below on the printable recipe card.
Apples: Granny Smiths hold their shape in the batter, but any tart baking apple works. Apples vary in size, so measure: you want about 3 cups chopped into 1/2-inch pieces, which is usually about 4 apples.
Cinnamon: Three teaspoons seems like a lot, but it works in this cake.
Oil: Use a flavorless oil such as canola or vegetable. Olive oil overpowers the apples and the cinnamon.
Sugars: The batter uses light brown sugar and granulated sugar together. Dark brown sugar is also fine to use.
Related 📖 ➡️ How to cook and bake with apples
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Tools for a clean bundt release
A sturdy bundt pan with crisp, even ridges makes this cake easier to turn out in one piece. I beat the eggs and sugars in my stand mixer, and the cake cools on a wire rack before I add the glaze.
Why the glaze boils only 3 minutes
The glaze on this caramel apple bundt cake is a thin brown sugar syrup that pours like pancake syrup. It’s a different recipe from my homemade caramel sauce cooked to the soft ball stage.
The brown sugar and water dissolve over low heat while you stir. Once the sugar has dissolved, put the spoon down. When the syrup starts to bubble, give it exactly 3 minutes. Any longer and the glaze thickens and sets hard on the cake instead of running down the sides. Pour it out and start over if it turns very dark or smells burnt.
The cream and butter go in off the heat, and the pan bubbles up hard, so use a saucepan with tall sides. Let the glaze cool for 15 to 20 minutes. Start it about 30 minutes into the cake’s cooling hour, and the cake and glaze are ready at the same time.
Pour the glaze slowly over the cooled cake on a plate with a rim to catch the drips, or brush it on with a pastry brush.
Bake it two days ahead
Make ahead: This apple bundt cake recipe bakes ahead well. Wrap the cake once it’s glazed and cool, then leave it for a couple of days.
Storage: Keep the cake in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Freezing: The cake freezes for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
Serving warm: You can slice it warm, but the crumb is so tender that the slices may fall apart. The cooler the cake, the cleaner the slices. To warm a slice later, microwave it for a few seconds.
Whipped cream on the side
A spoonful of homemade whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream is all this cake needs.
For more ways to use the season’s apples, browse my collection of Southern apple recipes for fall.
If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below!
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Apple Bundt Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Apple Bundt Cake
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups light brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups canola oil
- 3 cups chopped apples peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 4 Granny Smith apples)
Caramel Glaze
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons water
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- 3 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 12-cup bundt pan thoroughly with shortening or butter, then sprinkle in a little flour, tilt the pan to coat every ridge, and tap out the excess. A generous coat of cake release also works.
- Whisk the 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl until combined. Set aside.
- Add the 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and 3 large eggs to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat until fully combined, creamy, and bubbly on top.
- Beat in the 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, then slowly pour in the 1 1/2 cups canola oil, beating well.
- Remove the bowl from the mixer. Add one third of the dry ingredients and fold them in with a wooden spoon or spatula. Repeat with the remaining dry ingredients in two more additions until no flour streaks remain.
- Fold in the 3 cups chopped apples until they are coated in batter.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and spread it into an even layer.
- Bake in the center of the oven for 55 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Set the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then turn the cake out onto a large plate or cake stand. Let it cool for the rest of the hour before glazing.
- About 30 minutes into the cooling time, make the glaze. Add the 1 cup light brown sugar and 4 tablespoons water to a deep medium saucepan over low heat. Stir with a wooden spoon until the sugar dissolves, then stop stirring.
- When the syrup starts bubbling, set a timer for 3 minutes. Do not stir or move the pan while it boils.
- Remove the pan from the heat and immediately add the 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream and 3 tablespoons butter. Stir with a rubber spatula until smooth. The mixture will bubble up and splatter.
- Let the glaze cool for 15 to 20 minutes, then pour it slowly over the cooled cake.
