Apple Bundt Cake {Apple Dapple Cake}

This moist apple Bundt cake is an old-fashioned, easy dessert that has been loved for generations! Also known as “Apple Dapple Cake,” the warmly-spiced batter is studded with bits of fresh apples and chopped nuts, and finished with a buttery caramel sauce. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream for the ultimate fall treat!

How to Make Apple Cake | 1-Minute Video

Old Fashioned Apple Dapple Cake

This is truly the best apple cake recipe! I grew up on apple cake, which my mom baked each fall when apple season rolled around. While the dessert is delicious and special enough to serve for Thanksgiving, birthdays, or entertaining, it’s also simple enough to enjoy at a regular Sunday supper. In fact, you probably have all of the ingredients that you need in your kitchen right now!

The old-fashioned fresh apple cake recipe (sometimes called “Apple Dapple Cake”) stays super-moist thanks to plenty of oil and juicy apples in the batter. It has nice, crisp edges from the Bundt pan, and absorbs a rich caramel glaze as it cools. You’ll love the combination of warm autumn spices paired with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It’s simple, rustic, and oh-so-delicious!

What is special about a Bundt cake?

The Bundt cake pan was invented by H. David Dalquist, the owner of Minnesota’s Nordic Ware company, in 1950. The unique ring-shaped pan allows more of the cake to be in contact with the edges of the pan, and therefore the heat is transferred more evenly. This allows the inside of the cake to cook through without burning the outside, creating a crisp, golden brown crust on each slice.

The Difference Between a Cake and a Bundt Cake

Unlike more traditional sheet cakes or layer cakes that are baked in shallow pans, a Bundt cake pan has decorative sides and tops that range from ridges to fruit, or other still life scenes. It is typically used for pound cake, coffee cake, and other dense, moist cakes like this old-fashioned apple cake. Since more of the cake’s surface is exposed to high heat in a Bundt pan, you achieve a nice brown crust on the outside, while keeping the inside perfectly moist.

Do cakes bake faster in a Bundt pan?

No, in fact, Bundt cakes require a longer baking time than most other cakes. This is because Bundt cake batters are so dense and the pans are so large. You’ll need about 70 minutes to bake this particular cake in a 350°F oven.

Do you need a Bundt pan to make apple cake?

While you can use other types of pans for Bundt cakes, you’ll need to adjust the baking times and the signature traits of a Bundt cake are the beautiful designs! If you need a Bundt pan, check out this list of the best Bundt pans, which includes my personal favorite, the NordicWare anniversary Bundt pan. You can buy it on Amazon for $39.95.

The Best Apples for an Apple Cake

You can use just about any of your favorite apples in this cake. I used local Gala apples here, but I also like Honey Crisp apples or Granny Smith apples in this recipe. Fuji, Braeburn, and Jonagold apples are other sweet options that hold up well in the baking process. In general, you want firm (not mushy) apples for baking.

Should you peel apples for apple cake?

Yes, peeling the apples helps them blend into the cake and eliminates a potentially unpleasant chewy, tough texture.

Do apples keep cake moist?

Yes, the finely diced apples add moisture to the cake and keep it fresher longer. This cake doesn’t get dry the next day like other homemade cakes might.

Ingredients

This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for a fresh apple cake. As always, specific measurements and step-by-step baking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.

• Eggs: give the cake structure.
• Granulated sugar: for a perfectly sweet cake.
• Vegetable oil: keeps the cake incredibly moist.
• All-purpose flour: the base of the cake.
• Baking soda: the leavening agent that helps the cake rise.
• Salt: to balance the sweetness. I use regular table salt in this recipe rather than kosher salt.
• Ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg: warm spices that give the cake that delicious cozy, autumn flavor.
• Vanilla extract: for even more flavor.
• Nuts: I prefer either pecans or walnuts in this cake.
• Apples: peeled and finely diced. You’ll need about 3-4 medium apples for this recipe.
• Brown sugar, salted butter, cream, and vanilla extract: come together to make the caramel sauce.

How to Make Apple Bundt Cake with Caramel Sauce

The process for making this caramel apple bundt cake from scratch could not be easier! You simply mix the wet ingredients together, sift the dry ingredients together, and then combine into one batter. It’s a lot like making a quick bread such as banana bread — no fancy techniques necessary!

1. Mix Batter. First, use an electric mixer to beat together the eggs, sugar, oil, and vanilla until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add the flour mixture to the oil mixture, beating until combined. You’ll have a nice, thick batter.
2. Fold in Apples and Nuts. Gently fold in the apples and pecans or walnuts until completely dispersed throughout.
3. Transfer to Pan. Transfer the batter to a well greased and floured Bundt pan.
4. Bake. Bake the cake in a 350°F oven for 70-80 minutes (mine is typically done within 70 minutes), or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
5. Make Caramel Sauce. Boil the caramel glaze ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat for 2 minutes.
6. Glaze the Cake. Poke holes all over the top of the warm cake while it’s still in the pan. Pour some of the glaze over the cake, and let it sit in the pan for 15-20 minutes while the glaze sinks in. Store the remaining caramel glaze in the fridge until the cake cools.
7. Serve. Turn the cake onto a wire rack to cool completely. Then microwave the remaining glaze until soft and smooth, and drizzle over the top of the cake. Once the cake is cool, slice and serve!

How to Serve this Easy Apple Bundt Cake

I find that it’s easiest to slice the cake cleanly when the cake has cooled to room temperature. It’s delicious warm, but the cake may crumble a little bit when you cut into it. The cake is absolutely delicious on its own, so it works well for breakfast or brunch with a cup of coffee or tea. For a special dessert treat, top each slice with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream!

Storage

Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days. If your house is particularly warm, it’s best to store the cake in the refrigerator. Remove the cake from the fridge an hour before serving to let it come back to room temperature.

Wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, the cake will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Recipe Variations

• Add extra spices to the cake, such as ground ginger, allspice, or cloves.
• For a less-sweet cake, omit the caramel sauce or reduce the sugar in the cake batter slightly.
• Add raisins or sweetened dried cranberries to the cake.
• Flavor the caramel sauce with whiskey or bourbon instead of vanilla extract!
• To Bake the Cake in a Regular Pan: The Bundt pan gives the cake a beautiful texture — moist on the inside and crisp on the edges. If you prefer, however, you can bake the cake in a 9 x 13-inch pan, and decrease the baking time to about 40-45 minutes.

Tips for the Best Apple Bundt Cake Recipe

• Grease and flour the Bundt pan before adding the batter to prevent sticking. For a convenient shortcut, I like to use this baking spray that has flour in it. Nothing ever sticks to the pan when I use that stuff!
• Peel the apples and cut them into a fine dice. You don’t want big chunks of apple in the cake, which will make it harder to slice cleanly.
• Use a firm baking apple, such as Honey Crisp or Granny Smith. These apples hold their shape and won’t break down into mush.
• Whisk or stir constantly while making the caramel sauce. This prevents it from burning and keeps it nice and smooth.
• Allow the cake to cool completely before slicing.

What to Make with Lots of Apples

Apple season is big business in the mountains of Virginia! Check out this collection of more than 40 apple recipes, or try one of these:

• Mom’s Easy Apple Pie
• Virginia Apple Cobbler
• Apple Bread
• Easy Apple Galette
• Dutch Apple Pie {Apple Crumble Pie}
• Easy Apple Crisp
• Apple Walnut Cake with Caramel Glaze
• Homemade Applesauce
• Apple Dump Cake
• Old-Fashioned Cranberry Apple Crisp
• Crockpot Apple Butter
• Apple Muffins with Cinnamon and Sugar
• Easy Apple Turnovers
• Apple Coffee Cake

This recipe was originally published in September, 2020. It was updated in September, 2022.