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Apple Pecan Cake With Caramel Glaze

Apple pecan cake with caramel glaze is baked in a bundt pan until golden and tender, with apples and chopped pecans folded into a fragrant cinnamon batter. A quick stovetop caramel glaze simmers briefly for a thick, pourable ribbon over the cooled cake.
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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
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 cast iron skillet
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prepare and bake the cake
  1. Preheat oven to 325F, then 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 into the wet ingredients until just combined.
  5. Fold in apples and pecans until evenly distributed.
  6. Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan.
  7. Bake for 65-75 minutes at 325F until a toothpick comes out clean.
  8. Cool the cake in the pan for 20 minutes, then invert onto a rack.
Make the caramel glaze
  1. Melt unsalted butter and brown sugar together over medium heat until smooth.
  2. Add heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt, then simmer for 2 minutes.
  3. Pour the warm caramel glaze over the cooled cake.

Notes

Pro tip: make sure the bundt pan is fully greased and floured so the cake releases cleanly after the 20-minute cooling step. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 5 days; the cake can be frozen up to 2 months (freeze without glazing if possible, or freeze glazed and thaw in the fridge). For a lighter option, use half vegetable oil and half unsweetened applesauce in place of some oil to reduce fat while keeping moisture.