Caramel Apple Bundt Cake

Caramel Apple Bundt Cake is the perfect apple cake for breakfast, dessert or any time in between! Packed with apples, cinnamon and brown sugar, it’s finished with a caramel frosting that’s truly the “icing on the cake.”

Love today’s cake recipe? Our applesauce cake was created using this recipe as a base. SO good and easy, and topped with a delicious cream cheese frosting!

Apple bundt cake with caramel icing on a yellow plate with fork.


Why this Cake is Best

Are you an apple dessert person or a pumpkin desserts person in the fall? I’d have a hard time choosing!

  • This recipe packs all the flavor of a caramel apple into one easy breakfast cake.
  • It has real apple chunks and caramel flavor in every bite.
  • It’s easy to make. Perfect with your morning coffee!

You’ll love serving this Caramel Apple Bundt Cake for dessert then enjoying leftovers for breakfast the next day.

The apple cake part is tasty enough to enjoy on its own but the caramel icing makes it over-the-top delicious.

Love today’s recipe? Be sure to try our caramel apple cupcakes or our caramel apple cheesecake bars next!

Ingredient Notes

  • Dry ingredients – For the cake, you’ll need flour, salt, and cinnamon along with baking soda AND baking powder.
  • Sweeteners – The cake batter is sweetened with granulated sugar. You will also need brown sugar and powdered sugar for the apple filling and caramel glaze.
  • Butter – We used unsalted butter in this cake to give it a rich, tender crumb.
  • Apples – We like a combination of sweet and tart apple varieties for best flavor.
  • Cinnamon – The hint of spice enhances and complements the apple flavor in this bundt cake recipe.

Easy Instructions

  1. Make the batter. Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add butter and beat to form a crumbly dough. Next, beat in eggs, vanilla extract and milk. Mix until the batter is fluffy.
  2. Add apples. Combine diced apples with brown sugar and cinnamon. Fold this into the prepared cake batter.
  3. Bake. Pour the batter into a prepared bundt cake pan. Bake the cake for about 1 hour or until the top is browned. Let the cake cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Then flip it out onto a serving plate.
  4. Make caramel glaze. Heat the butter, brown sugar and 4 tablespoons of the milk together on the stove until boiling. Let it boil for 2 minutes while stirring constantly. Add vanilla extract and let this mixture cool for 15 minutes.

To complete the glaze, add the cooled brown sugar mixture to a bowl with powdered sugar and the remainder of the milk. Whisk to combine. Pour the caramel glaze over the cooled bundt cake.

Tips and Tricks

  • Let the icing on the Caramel Apple Bundt Cake set for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
  • Store this cake covered at room temperature to keep it fresh and moist.
Apple bundt cake cut into slices and topped with a caramel icing.

Recipe FAQs

What kind of pan do I need for this bundt cake recipe?

We tested this recipe in 9 inch flute tube pan (also called a bundt pan). It can be made in any tube pan of similar size.

What apples are best for this cake?

You can use any kind of apples. Apples with a little tartness are my favorite. They balance out the sweet flavors in this caramel apple bundt cake.

Can I make this as a layer cake?

I have not tested this recipe as a layer cake. If you try it, you will need to reduce the baking time. Round layers are thinner than bundt cake and will bake more quickly.

My icing is too thick to pour. What can I do?

If the icing is thicker than you’d like, whisk in more milk. Add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time until the icing reaches the consistency you want.

Slice of apple bundt cake on a gold plate.

More Cake Recipes

Caramel Apple Bundt Cake

5 from 7 votes
By: Aimee
This Caramel Apple Bundt Cake is the perfect breakfast cake or dessert recipe! The caramel frosting is truly the "icing on the cake."
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 16 servings

Ingredients 

For the Cake:

  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¾ cup unsalted butter softened
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¾ cup milk

For the Filling:

  • 2 cup diced apples about 3 apples, peeled
  • ½ cup light brown sugar packed
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

For the Glaze:

  • 1 cup light brown sugar packed
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter
  • 6 Tablespoons milk divided
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
Save this Recipe?
Enter your email and we’ll send the recipe straight to your inbox!

Instructions 

  • For the cake, grease and flour bundt pan (or use a generous amount of baking spray). Set aside. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add in softened butter and beat until crumbly. Beat in eggs, vanilla, cinnamon and milk. Beat for 3-4 minutes until smooth and fluffy.
  • In a small mixing bowl, combine diced apples, brown sugar and cinnamon. Fold into cake batter.
  • Pour cake mixture into prepared bundt pan. Bake for 55-60 minutes until browned. Allow to cool in pan for about 10 minutes, then flip onto a cake plate and cool complately.
  • For the glaze, add brown sugar, butter and 4 Tbsp of milk to a small saucepan. Heat over medium until boiling. Stirring constantly, boil for 2 full minutes. Remove from heat. Add in vanilla extract. Allow to cool 15 minutes.
  • In a mixing bowl, whisk together cooled sugar mixture, powdered sugar, and remaining 2 Tbsp milk. Beat for 2 minutes until smooth. Pour over cooled cake and allow to set (about 10 minutes). Slice and enjoy.

Notes

  • Store cake in airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Or freeze for up to 3 months.
  • Let the icing on the Caramel Apple Bundt Cake set for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice, Calories: 399kcal, Carbohydrates: 68g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 67mg, Sodium: 138mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 52g
Course: Cake
Cuisine: American
Did you make this recipe?Mention @shugarysweets or tag #shugarysweets!

Love caramel apples? Give this easy apple bundt cake with caramel frosting a try!



Avatar photo

About Aimee

Aimee is a dessert lover (specifically rice krispie treats), workout enthusiast, self-taught foodie, and recipe creator.

Learn more about Aimee.

Affiliate Disclosure:**There may be affiliate links in this post! By clicking on them, or purchasing recommended items I may receive a small compensation. However, I only recommend products I love! Thank you for supporting Shugary Sweets! See my disclosure policy for more info**

Learn How To Become a Better Home Baker
Sign up for the Shugary Sweets FREE Email Course Today—soon you’ll say, "I made it from scratch!"

Categories: ,


Posted on March 30, 2016

Comments & Reviews

  1. This recipe is garbage. Batter would not smooth out no matter how long I beat it. It remained chunky from the “crumbly” stage with the butter. I wasted time and money on this recipe. I’ve never had anything like this happen in a cake recipe before

  2. We just ate the cake it was good but way to sweet. Next time we make this cake, I would just decrees the brown sugar and powdered sugar by a quarter amount.

  3. The cake itself is good but the icing is to thick and sweet and it dose not look like the picture you posted. We found that the icing was to thick to drizzle.

  4. Looks amazing. Love the thick frosting. Would definitely eat for breakfast,snack or maybe even dinner. I can do that now that my nest is empty. There are benefits in being an empty nester.

  5. It’s so nice to step away for a while! Though I’m glad you’re back here with this cake — it looks incredible and definitely acceptable for breakfast!

  6. Sounds like you had a wonderful time in Orlando and on your break here! I would definitely love to curl up with a big piece (or three) of this bundt cake. Sounds SO good with the caramel and apple combo!

  7. This is gorgeous! I love love love the caramel apple flavor- nothing quite like that tart and sweet combo 🙂

  8. I could drink that frosting, no joke. And I swear, I could go lay on the couch right now and watch TV…I might just do that. Be lazy with me!

  9. Glad you were able to take some time off and ENJOY life! Amen to that 🙂

    That glaze….I’ve made similar glazes like that over the years with boiling the brown sugar and adding cream and powdered sugar and it’s like no other. Truly the best glaze/frosting ever!!

  10. I’ve had a ton of “getting old moments” lately! What a fabulous way to start the day off… I’m all for breakfast that is actually dessert!

  11. I’m sorry you’re starting to feel empty-nested. It’s ironic that for years kids are so exhausting and take all our time, and then…whoosh. You blink and they’re people! Real ones!
    This cake looks amazing!! That glaze…wow.

    1. It’s a sad feeling, yet a proud feeling. Like my goals are being reached 🙂 Raise good humans, CHECK.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating