Go Back
–+ servings
Square side shot of maple walnut cake on a serving tray.
Print Pin

Maple Walnut Cake (with Cake Mix!)

A moist and easy maple walnut bundt cake is ready for the oven in just 10 minutes!
Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword maple walnut cake, walnut bundt cake, walnut cake
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Cooling Time 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours
Servings 12 slices
Calories 399kcal
Author Blair Lonergan

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 (15.25 ounce) box yellow cake mix
  • 1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream, at room temperature
  • 1 (3.4 ounce) box instant vanilla pudding mix (just the dry mix)
  • ½ cup water
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 4 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon maple extract (I use McCormick brand)
  • 1 cup finely chopped walnuts

FOR THE MAPLE ICING

  • 2 tablespoons salted butter
  • ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
  • 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted (plus extra to thicken as needed)
  • ¼ teaspoon maple extract
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

MAKE THE CAKE

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a Bundt pan; set aside.
  • In a large bowl, use an electric mixer on medium-high speed to beat together the cake mix, sour cream, dry pudding mix, water, oil, eggs, and maple extract for about 2 minutes.
    Process shot showing how to make maple walnut cake with cake mix.
  • Use a wooden spoon or a spatula to gently fold in the nuts.
    Stirring chopped walnuts into cake batter.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared pan; tap on the counter once or twice to release air bubbles.
    Walnut cake batter in a Bundt pan before baking.
  • Bake for 50 minutes – 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. My cake is always done in 55 minutes, but the total baking time will vary.
  • Let cake stand for 10 minutes. Invert on a cooling rack and remove cake from pan.
  • Once the cake is completely cool, drizzle with maple icing.
    Maple walnut cake made with cake mix on a serving platter.

MAKE THE ICING

  • In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and maple syrup together, whisking occasionally. Once the butter has melted, remove from the heat and whisk in the sifted confectioners’ sugar, maple extract, and salt. Cool for 2-3 minutes (it will thicken as it cools), and whisk in additional powdered sugar to thicken, if desired. Drizzle over the top of the cake.
    Maple icing for a bundt cake in a saucepan.

Notes

  • Grease the Bundt pan really well by coating with butter and then dusting with flour. Alternatively, you can use a cooking spray that’s specifically made for baking (like this one). These options will ensure that your cake pops right out of the pan when it’s done!
  • Let the sour cream and eggs come to room temperature. They will mix smoother into your cake batter.
  • Use full-fat sour cream for the best flavor and texture.
  • Do not over-bake the cake or it can become dry. Start checking for doneness by the 50-minute mark, since total baking times will vary depending on your personal oven and the type and color of Bundt pan that you use.
  • Don’t leave the cake in the pan for too long after baking — about 10-15 minutes is plenty. After that, condensation will start to form and the moisture will negatively impact the crust.
  • The cake gets better as it sits, so this is a nice dessert option to prepare the day before you plan to serve it.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 399kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 78mg | Sodium: 309mg | Potassium: 128mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 270IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 125mg | Iron: 1mg