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Apple Pecan Cake With Caramel Glaze

Apple pecan cake with caramel glaze is a tender bundt-style dessert baked at 325°F until a toothpick comes out clean, then finished with thick caramel cascading over ridges. Packed with diced apples and roughly chopped pecans for a moist crumb and buttery flavor in every slice.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 450
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

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
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

Method
 

Bake the cake
  1. Preheat oven to 325°F, then grease and flour a 10-inch bundt pan. Make sure the ridges are coated so the cake releases cleanly.
  2. Whisk all-purpose flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together in a mixing bowl. Keep whisking until the color looks even with no cinnamon streaks.
  3. Beat granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vegetable oil until combined, then add vanilla extract. Mix just until the batter looks smooth and glossy.
  4. Fold the flour mixture into the batter until just combined. Stop as soon as no dry pockets remain to avoid a tough crumb.
  5. Fold in apples and pecans. The batter should be thick and studded with fruit and nut pieces.
  6. Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan. Tap the pan gently to level the top and settle the apples.
  7. Bake at 325°F for 65-75 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Look for a deep golden-brown color around the ridges.
Cool, glaze, and serve
  1. Cool the cake in the pan for 20 minutes. The surface should look set, and the cake should pull slightly from the pan edges.
  2. Invert the cake onto a rack and let it cool until ready to glaze. The bundt ridges should be intact with no tearing.
  3. Melt unsalted butter and brown sugar together over medium heat, stirring until smooth. The mixture should turn glossy and slightly thick.
  4. Add heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt, then simmer for 2 minutes. Watch for a gentle bubbling and a caramel sheen.
  5. Pour the warm caramel glaze over the cooled cake so it cascades down the ridges. Let it set briefly before slicing.

Notes

Pro tip: don’t overmix once the flour goes in—fold just until combined to keep the cake tender, especially with the apple pieces. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days. Freeze the baked, unglazed cake up to 2 months (thaw in the fridge, then warm briefly and glaze after thawing). For a lighter option, you can use light brown sugar in both the batter and glaze; flavor remains caramel-forward.