This is the moistest, most delicious apple cake you’ll ever sink your teeth into!
Apple desserts are a favorite around here. In the fall, it’s often apple pie or apple cobbler with apples we’ve picked ourselves at the local orchard, but since we can get apples all year round, I am often making tarts, cookies, crisps, or crumbles. For a long time, it was hard for me to decide exactly what type of dessert I wanted to make with this delicious fruit. I mean, I like them all, but not really one better than another. Until now. Stop the presses because here is a recipe that has rocketed its way to the very top of my apple dessert list: apple Bundt cake.
It’s like spice cake and apple pie had a baby! Thanks to the sour cream, you get a moist, tender crumb in the cake. Then there is the sweetness and warmth of cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar; the juicy pieces of perfectly baked apple in every bite; a wonderful crunch from the walnuts; and a glaze that’s buttery, caramel-like, and creamy. I cannot rave enough about this cake.
Although it’s a fairly long list of ingredients, the recipe is very simple. Dry stuff is mixed in one bowl and wet ingredients with sugars in another. Combine, gently fold in the apples and walnuts, and then just pop it in the oven. Now comes the hard part. Because the cake takes about an hour to bake, it will be a struggle to wait once that irresistible aroma begins to take over your kitchen. But it’s worth every minute because when you drizzle that glaze over the cooled cake and take your first bite, you will be mightily rewarded for your patience!
The Bundt Pan
Bundt cakes, the round, ridged cakes with a hole in the middle, are so beloved that their popularity gave rise to Nothing Bundt Cakes, a company that—you guessed it—makes nothing but Bundt cakes and sells them from locations in over 40 states and in Canada.
The pan itself was invented by H. David Dalquist who, with his wife Dorothy, owned Nordic Ware, a company in Minnesota that continues to manufacture Bundt pans. Apparently, in 1950, a group of Jewish women were missing the rich, dense cakes of their European childhoods, called Gugelhupfs, and their recipes just did not work in standard American cake pans. They approached Mr. Dalquist to see if he could help, and he made the first Bundt pan out of cast aluminum. Bund is the German word for “club” or “group,” and because the ladies who requested the pan were part of the Hadassah club, David Dalquist named the pan Bund. Then, when it came time to patent it, he added a “t” to the end. The pan became wildly popular in 1966 when a Bundt cake took second place in the Pillsbury Bake-Off.
FAQs & Tips
How Do I Store Leftovers?
Cooled apple Bundt cake will last covered in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 2 days. It can also be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. To freeze, place the cake in an airtight container in the freezer. It will keep for up to 3 months.
Can You Make This Cake In Something Other Than A Bundt Pan?
Yes, you can. You can make it in a 13 x 9-inch baking pan, but it will probably require less baking time. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the cake at around the 45-minute mark. If it comes out clean, the cake is done.
What Are The Best Kind Of Apples For This Cake?
Lots of people like to use Granny Smiths or Honeycrisps for their tart flavor and sturdy texture (or a combo of both). But, that said, you really can use any kind of apple you like in this cake. We’ve tried several different apples, and the cake always comes out delicious.
Serving Suggestions
Cake and coffee are a natural combination, but I really prefer this apple Bundt cake with tea. It’s just as good with a hot cup of Russian Tea, whose spices echo and also complement the cake, as it is with a tall glass of Southern Sweet Tea.
The rich, spicy, sweet, and fruity flavors of the cake lend themselves perfectly to many accompaniments, starting with simple Homemade Whipped Cream or Vanilla Ice Cream. And while either of these (or both!) are lovely with apple Bundt cake, my favorite way to serve it is with No-Churn Salted Cinnamon Ice Cream or Brown Sugar Ice Cream because of the ways the dominant flavors in those ice creams marry with the same ones in the cake.
Even though apple Bundt cake is a perfect choice for dessert, it is also the best treat for breakfast. It’s delicious served with Baked Oatmeal topped with Oven-Dried Apples, a side of savory bacon, and some Sunny-Side Up Eggs.
Apple Bundt Cake
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 3 large eggs
- 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups peeled, cored, and diced apples
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter for glaze
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar for glaze
- 1/3 cup heavy cream for glaze
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar sifted (for glaze)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease and flour a 10-cup Bundt pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
- In another bowl, combine brown sugar, granulated sugar, vegetable oil, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla extract until well blended.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing just until no flour streaks remain. Fold in diced apples and walnuts.
- Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan. Bake for about 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
- While the cake cools, melt butter for glaze in a saucepan over medium heat. Add brown sugar and heavy cream, stirring until the brown sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, stir in powdered sugar, and let thicken.
- Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake.
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