Go Back

Apple Pecan Cake With Caramel Glaze

Apple pecan cake with caramel glaze is a tender bundt-style dessert baked until golden and a toothpick comes out clean, then finished with a thick, glossy caramel ribbon. It combines diced apples and chopped pecans in a spiced batter for a moist slice with caramel cascading over the ridges.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Apple Pecan Cake
  • 3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 1.5 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.5 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 cup apples, peeled and diced
  • 1.5 cup pecans, roughly chopped
For caramel glaze
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 0.25 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.25 tsp salt

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Bake the apple pecan cake
  1. Preheat the oven to 325F and grease and flour a 10-inch bundt pan.
  2. Whisk all-purpose flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together.
  3. Beat granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vegetable oil until combined, then beat in vanilla extract.
  4. Fold the flour mixture in just until combined.
  5. Fold in the diced apples and roughly chopped pecans.
  6. Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan and bake for 65-75 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean, with the top turning deep golden brown.
  7. Cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then invert onto a rack until fully cooled.
Make the caramel glaze and finish
  1. Melt unsalted butter and brown sugar together over medium heat until smooth and glossy.
  2. Add heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt, then simmer for 2 minutes, stirring until thickened and pourable.
  3. Pour warm caramel glaze over the cooled cake so it cascades down the ridges.

Notes

For clean slices, let the inverted bundt cake cool completely on a rack before glazing; the glaze should still be warm but not scorching. Store covered at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days; freeze unfrosted cake (yes) up to 2 months and glaze after thawing. For a lighter option, swap half the vegetable oil for unsweetened applesauce (reduce oil to 1/2 cup total) for a moister crumb with less fat.