This Apple Bundt Cake is the perfect fall treat- cinnamon sugar apples layered between a dense and moist butter cake. It's easy to make and perfectly topped with powdered sugar or a glaze!
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This cinnamon Apple Bundt Cake is the perfect fall or winter treat! It has layers of cinnamon apples throughout, so it almost feels like apple pie in bundt form. Plus, you don’t need a mixer to make this bundt cake!
Can’t you just imagine cozying up by a fire with a slice of this warmly spiced homemade apple bundt cake? I think cinnamon and apples are the coziest flavor combination, especially when it starts to get chilly!
This is such an easy recipe to throw together, and baking this apple cinnamon cake in a bundt pan is always going to give you a show-stopping dessert! Dust the finished apple cinnamon bundt cake with powdered sugar or with my brown butter glaze.
Why You Must Make this Apple Bundt Cake
- You don’t need a mixer to make this bundt cake recipe! Just a few bowls and a whisk. I love recipes that don’t require any fancy equipment!
- While this apple bundt cake needs an hour and a half in the oven to bake, it only takes 15-20 minutes to prepare.
- You can use gala, honeycrisp, granny smith, fuji, or braeburn apples for this recipe!
- The apples are peeled and thinly sliced before being layered in the cake batter, that way they cook evenly and give you a taste of apple in every bite!
- This apple bundt cake tastes delicious on its own, or you can sprinkle over some confectioners’ sugar or make a homemade glaze like the brown butter glaze I used in my banana bread bundt cake.
Recipe Ingredients
Here are some notes on a few ingredients- please see the full ingredient list in the recipe card below!
- Flour: I have only tested this recipe with all-purpose flour!
- Apples: I recommend using fuji, braeburn, honey crisp, granny smith, or gala apples for this bundt cake.
- Unsalted Butter: I always use unsalted butter in my recipes, that way I can control the amount of salt that is in the recipe. The butter is melted, but make sure it isn’t still hot when you start baking.
- Baking Powder: I recommend checking that your baking powder is still in date and hasn’t expired!
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°Fahrenheit. Grease and flour a 12-cup bundt pan. I don’t recommend using a 10-cup bundt pan as that will be too small and the batter might overflow when baking!
Step 2: In a small bowl whisk together the cinnamon sugar mixture. Set aside.
Step 3: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Step 4: Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour in the milk, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla extract. Beat until it is fully mixed and everything is combined.
Step 5: Layer the bottom of the bundt pan with a layer of batter (about 1½ cups of batter). Then add a layer of sliced apples. Sprinkle some cinnamon sugar mixture over top the apples. Repeat 2 more times, and then end with another layer of batter on top. You should have 4 layers of batter, and 3 layers of apples.
Step 6: Bake the apple bundt cake for about 1 hour and 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out completely clean. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a knife carefully around the edges of the pan, and then invert it onto a cooling rack to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar or glaze, and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
You want to use apples that are crisp and sweet, like gala, honeycrisp, fuji, granny smith, or Braeburn apples! I used a mix of honeycrisp and granny smith because I like a combo of sweet and tart!
I don’t recommend using anything smaller than a 12-cup bundt pan. There would be too much batter and it might overflow. This is the bundt pan I used. I also love this baking spray to grease and flour the bundt pan. My cakes always come out perfectly!
Before you start baking, make sure that you have greased and floured your pan properly! Make sure you don’t forget to grease and flour the center tube. Once the cake has finished baking, I recommend letting it cool for 10 minutes in the pan. If you flip it over right away it might be too soft and break apart. After 10 minutes, run a knife gently around the edges of the pan. Then invert it onto a wire cooling rack and it should come off easily.
Tips and Tricks
- Thinly slice the apples - to make sure the apples bake evenly in the oven, make sure you peel and thinly slice the apples before placing them in the bundt cake. If the apple slices are too thick they might not bake properly.
- Make sure the bundt cake is fully baked - everyone’s oven is different, so make sure to check the cake is fully baked before taking it out of the oven! Take a toothpick and insert it into the center of the cake, it should come out clean. If it still has crumbs or wet batter then it needs more time in the oven.
Storing & Freezing
Store the cake in an airtight container for 3-4 days. You can freeze slices of the cake for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container. Just let the cake defrost overnight in the fridge before serving.
Want to try more cake recipes?
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📖 Recipe
Apple Bundt Cake
Ingredients
Cinnamon Sugar Mixture
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Cake
- 4 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup whole milk at room temperature
- 1 cup unsalted butter melted and cooled slightly
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 4-5 apples peeled & thinly sliced
- powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat to 350° F. Grease and flour a 12-cup bundt pan. Set aside.
- Mix together the granulated sugar & cinnamon. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, salt.
- Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the milk, butter, eggs, and vanilla. Beat well until fully mixed.
- Layer the bottom of the bundt pan with a layer batter, about 1½ cups of batter. Then add a layer of sliced apples. Sprinkle some cinnamon sugar mixture over top the apples. Repeat 2 more times, and then end with another layer of batter on top. You should have 4 layers of batter, and 3 layers of apples.
- Bake for about 1 hour and 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a knife carefully around the edges, and invert onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar or glaze & serve.
Notes
- I used this brown butter glaze to top my cake, you could also dust it with powdered sugar.
- Use a 12-cup bundt pan, a 10-cup won't be big enough and could overflow while baking.
- Grease and flour the bundt pan really well before pouring the batter in.
- To make sure the apples bake evenly in the oven, make sure you peel and thinly slice the apples before placing them in the bundt cake. If the apple slices are too thick they might not bake properly.
- Everyone’s oven is different, so make sure to check the cake is fully baked before taking it out of the oven! Take a toothpick and insert it into the center of the cake, it should come out clean. If it still has crumbs or wet batter then it needs more time in the oven.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. A baked cake can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
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sara says
I could eat this glaze with a spoon 😛 so yummy my mom and I loved it