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Fresh Apple Bundt Cake with Caramel Glaze

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This lightly spiced apple bundt cake made with fresh apples and topped with sweet caramel glaze is the perfect fall dessert!

fresh apple bundt cake topped with caramel glaze sitting on a cake stand

Fall is (almost) heeeeeere!  And along with it, boot and sweater weather!  

Pinterest image for fresh apple bundt cake with text overlay

Or if you’re in Phoenix, boot and sweating weather, because it’s still too hot for boots and sweaters together.  You have to choose one or the other or else you’ll melt.  But that’s totally fine because we get to eat apple cake.

Delicious fresh apple bundt cake with caramel glaze.  Look up intoxicating in the dictionary and you’ll find a picture of the smell of this incredible cake.  (Don’t ask me how a picture could capture the smell but someone inventive could find a way.  And maybe that person could also invent scratch ’n sniff instagram?  There’s a need for this!)  

The cake smells like fall and spices and fires in the fireplace and cider simmering on the stove and a nip in the air when you take your dog for a walk in the morning.

Or maybe just the cider and spices, but one whiff and you’ll be conjuring the rest of it.  

It’s fairly rare for me to be this excited about a non-chocolate dessert but OH EM GEE this cake is something special.  (And I’m not just saying that because I had to make and tweak this many times before it was perfect.) 

slice of fresh apple bundt cake sitting on a plate with whipped cream

It’s so moist it’s almost buttery (oddly enough, because it’s made with oil) and perfectly spiced.  The caramel glaze on top adds just the right amount of extra sweetness, and makes the cake even more buttery.

Plus, can you really beat the combination of apples and caramel right now?  As soon as the leaves start turning I start craving caramel apples.  I’m even thinking of serving this cake along with pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving, because it’s just so perfect for the season and SO EASY TO MAKE!  Like so easy it’s almost embarrassing. . .  

Please don’t hate me for thinking about November already.  I can’t help it.  This time of year is like the Super Bowl for us bakers and all I can do is think about all the glorious food holidays we have coming up.   

Have a fabulous rest of your week—I hope it includes a slice of apple bundt cake with caramel glaze!

slice of fresh apple bundt cake on a plate with a fork taking a bite out of it

Full of spices and packed with apples, this fresh apple bundt cake with caramel glaze is the perfect fall dessert! #cake #apples
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Fresh Apple Bundt Cake with Caramel Glaze
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 30 mins
Total Time
1 hr 50 mins
 

This apple bundt cake with caramel glaze is sweet and has just the right amount of spice.

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12
Author: Kelsie
Ingredients
Cake:
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
  • 3 cups peeled cored, and chopped apples*
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
Glaze:
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Cake:
  1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Grease a 10-cup Bundt pan and set aside.
  2. Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices together in a medium mixing bowl.
  3. Combine the sugar and eggs in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in the oil and vanilla until well combined. With mixer set to low, gradually beat in the dry ingredients. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, then fold in the apples and pecans. (Batter will be fairly stiff.) Spoon batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 90 minutes, then cool in the pan for 1 hour. Invert the cake onto a wire rack and cool completely before glazing.
Glaze:
  1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan set over medium-low heat. Add the heavy cream, brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Whisk until the mixture is smooth, then cook, stirring occasionally, until it just begins to bubble. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla. Cool for 10 minutes, then pour over the cake. Serve.
Recipe Notes

* For this recipe you’ll need about a pound of apples; I like a combination of Granny Smith and Braeburn.

Cake adapted from Texas Ties
Glaze adapted from How to Bake Everything

Comments

  2. Ben|Havocinthekitchen says

    September 21, 2017 at 3:47 am

    What a beautiful cake, Kelsie! I almost feel the way it tastes and smells, and this is amazing. I’ve been using oil instead of butter in muffins and cakes for a few years now, and I do like how it works. It gives the moist and light texture to all baked goods. So I think this is quite perfect cake for Thanksgiving. However, if you feel like to practice few more times, I’m volunteering. Send it to me please. Besides, we’ve got the Thanksgiving earlie, and you’ll have time to adjust the things after my feedback 🙂

    Reply

  5. David | Spiced says

    September 21, 2017 at 5:12 am

    It’s like you knew that we just went apple picking for the last 2 weekends in a row! We seriously have so many apples on our counter, in our fridge, on our table, etc that I can barely see straight. I love (love!) a good spice cake, and I’m thinking I need to try this one out stat! Oh, and if I can ever figure out how to grow that caramel apple tree, then you’ll be the first person to get one. Hah! I’m right there with you about the love for the Fall season. It’s been oddly warm here for the past couple of weeks, but I think the weather is supposed to break next week…and then I’ll be baking up one of these cakes for sure! Hope you have an excellent weekend, Kelsie! 🙂

    Reply

    • Kelsie says

      September 21, 2017 at 8:21 am

      I’m a little psychic, haha! Please get on that caramel apple tree. There’s definitely a need! Your mom is a gardener right? Maybe she has ideas 🙂 Let me know if you bake this cake–I’m so in love with it I want everyone else to be too! Thank you David. You have a great weekend, too!

      Reply

  7. In Good Flavor (@InGoodFlavor) says

    September 21, 2017 at 5:54 am

    Oh yeah…you’re so right, Kelsie. Fall is like the Super Bowl season for baking. Right now, I’m thinking I need to bake this fantastic cake! I can smell it already—I’m all over the apple and spice! And the caramel glaze, I’ll be taking a spoon to that!

    Reply

    • Kelsie says

      September 21, 2017 at 8:23 am

      I want your mom’s recipe! Apple and cinnamon are just too perfect together right? Thank you Georgie! Have a great weekend!

      Reply

  9. Dawn @ Girl Heart Food says

    September 21, 2017 at 7:54 am

    Like, can you imagine scratch and sniff Instagram?!!! Then, you’d see people going around with their phones up to their faces smelling them, lol 😀 What a sight! I am so ready for fall and that crisp fall air and all those fall clothes and boots! It’s getting a little chilly around here a little more each day. My apple tree has a few apples on it and this would be awesome! I can almost smell it through my screen….almost 😉 Have an awesome weekend, Kelsie!

    Reply

    • Kelsie says

      September 21, 2017 at 8:24 am

      Hahaha! You’re right. . .maybe I should think this through a little more! I can’t wait to break out my boots, but I think a have a couple weeks left before I can :). You have an awesome weekend too, my dear!

      Reply

  10. Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says

    September 21, 2017 at 8:27 am

    Phoenix sounds like Orlando! I spent 31.8 years sweating it out because I wanted to wear boots AND sweaters during the winter, so I’m glad we moved to NC and I can actually wear both during the fall AND the winter and not sweat!! I’ll be sending all the breezy vibes your way, Chicka!! Maybe this will be the year Phoenix gets cooler weather!? Untill then i say you eat alllll the apple bundt cake to cope! 😉 This looks seriously delicious!! Caramel and Apple is one of my favorite combinations, so this is totally calling my name!!!!! Cheers, sweets!

    Reply

    • Kelsie says

      September 21, 2017 at 6:56 pm

      I’ll take all the breezy vibes I can get. I’m so ready for my boots! Thank you Chey! Have a great weekend, my dear 🙂

      Reply

  12. Carol Yarbrough says

    September 21, 2017 at 1:23 pm

    We went from hot dry summer to cool rainy fall overnight, so I’m making this cake this weekend to celebrate the season… thanks!!

    Reply

  13. Ashika | Gardening Foodie says

    September 21, 2017 at 1:24 pm

    I love baking with apples, they make everything so delicious. This cake looks amazing Kelsie and absolutely loving the caramel glaze…it sounds divine.Definitely including this dessert for the weekend. Love it !
    Have a great weekend!

    Reply

  14. Katherine | Love In My Oven says

    September 21, 2017 at 1:44 pm

    I wish I had a big slice of this in front of me right now!! I’m with you when it comes to non-chocolate desserts – but you’ve gotta make an exception sometimes!! Besides, you’ve added caramel so I’m definitely on board with this beauty. Bring on baking season!!

    Reply

  19. Maria Doss says

    September 22, 2017 at 10:32 am

    This is the perfect fall cake!!! I always feel bundt cakes have that cozy, warm grandma’s kitchen kind of feel to it. Adding apples just completes the equation. Have a fabulous weekend Kelsie

    Reply

  20. evolvewithmary says

    September 22, 2017 at 11:37 am

    I’ve only had apple bundt cake and it blew my minds. The little chunks of apple were my favorite part. this is truly the perfect fall dessert, especially with the caramel glaze, now you are just showing off. I’m in Northern California and it’s not sweater and boot season yet, it’s supposed to be 84 degress on monday! Yay

    Reply

  22. Carlee says

    September 22, 2017 at 11:58 am

    Fall baked goods do smell the best by FAR. I love love love apple baked goods and caramel makes the even better! I’d happily make and eat this for Thanksgiving!

    Reply

  25. Milena Perrine says

    September 23, 2017 at 7:38 am

    It will definitely make a wonderful Thanksgiving course Kelsie! Gorgeous! I love moist cakes, and with the caramel glaze, it could be a first Thanksgiving course, just to be sure everyone enjoys it before falling into a turkey induced food coma:) I don’t know how you always get cakes to look so pretty!

    Reply

  30. hummingbirdthyme says

    September 25, 2017 at 10:36 am

    My mouth is watering, your description of this is so enticing! Like you, this is the time of year I think about Thanksgiving and you’re right! This would be perfect next to a pumpkin pie, or if yo are like me, somehthing chocolate instead(!). I agree the Braeburn/Granny Smith mix is the best! Thanks for the recipe – Pinning it!

    Reply

    • Kelsie says

      September 25, 2017 at 5:26 pm

      I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks about Thanksgiving this early, haha! And I’m ALWAYS trying to find a way to work chocolate into my menu 🙂

      Reply

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