This delectable Apple Cake has a slightly crunchy crust and a soft, tender center loaded with chunks of sweet apple and pecans. It is perfectly spiced with cinnamon, ground cloves, and nutmeg and lightly drizzled with an easy four-ingredient caramel sauce. This cake is perfect for bake sales, potlucks, and family and friend get-togethers.
Learn how to make a delicious apple cake in just a few easy steps with this simple recipe. Perfect for any occasion and guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser. What is not to love about crisp, sweet apples nestled in a cake with all the yummy fall spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves?
My family loves a good fall apple dessert. I mean, honestly, who the heck doesn’t? If you like this recipe, try apple strudel, apple butter, and apple crisp.
Ingredients Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients below on the recipe card.
- Spices: cinnamon, ground cloves, and nutmeg or a little ground ginger or allspice
- Vegetable oil: canola or safflower oil
- Brown sugar: if you prefer, you can do half brown sugar and half granulated sugar
- Vanilla extract: the pure stuff, please
- Apples: My go-to apples for this recipe are crisp apples like Honeycrisp or Granny Smith. Other good choices are Braeburn, Pink Lady (also known as Cripps Pink), Fuji, or Gala Apples.
- Nuts: pecans, almonds, or walnuts
- Butter: salted or unsalted
- Vanilla extract: the pure stuff, please
How to make Apple Cake
This is the summary version. Please see the recipe card below for the complete ingredient list and instructions.
Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ground cloves, and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Whisk together the vegetable oil, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract in a separate large bowl.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in several intervals, stirring until combined. Fold the apples and pecans into the batter, stirring just until combined. Spoon the batter into a well-greased and lightly floured Bundt pan. Bake for about 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let the cake cool in the pan for 15-20 minutes before inverting. Meanwhile, add the butter, brown sugar, and cream in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a gentle boil while stirring frequently to dissolve the sugar. Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Drizzle over the warm cake.
Preparation Tips
- Peel, core, and cut your apples into bite-size chunks for great flavor and texture after baking.
- Grease and flour your bundt pan well. I like to use Baker’s Joy, but flour and butter work well too.
- Because of the chunks of apple in this delicious cake, intricate bundt pans do not work well, but a standard bundt pan works like a dream.
- This cake is one of those recipes that tastes even better when made a day in advance. Let it cool completely before covering it and storing it in a cool section of the kitchen.
Storage and Freezer Recommendations
You can store the cake covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or covered in the fridge for up to 5 days.
To freeze this cake, cool it completely, then wrap it in two layers of plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
Frequently Asked Questions
Use ground ginger or ground allspice.
This delicious cake recipe also works well with peaches and pears.
You can substitute chopped almonds or walnuts for the chopped pecans. You can also omit the nuts if you prefer or if someone has a nut allergy.
More Apple Recipes
Fresh Apple Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Apple Cake
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 ½ cups vegetable oil
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 large Honeycrisp apples peeled cored and chunked
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Caramel Drizzle
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 10-inch bundt pan.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ground cloves, and nutmeg. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract.
- Add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients in 3 intervals stirring just until combined. Add the apples and pecans, stirring just until mixed. Spoon the cake batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15-20 minutes before inverting.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, add the butter, brown sugar, and cream. Bring to a boil while stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Drizzle over the warm cake.
Notes
- Peel, core, and cut your apples into chunks for bite-size pieces of apple with just a little bit of that great apple texture left after baking.
- Grease and flour your bundt pan well. I like to use Baker’s Joy, but flour and butter work well too.
- Because of the chunks of apple in this delicious cake, intricate bundt pans do not work very well, but a standard bundt pan works like a dream.
- This cake is one of those recipes that tastes even better when made a day in advance. Let it cool completely before covering it and storing it in a cool section of the kitchen.
Nutrition
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Michelle Day
Excellent in every way! I highly recommend this cake. Thanks!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Michelle! We love it too!
Tacey
One of our ladies group members brought this to our picnic today! It was soooooo delicious! I’m going to see if I can adapt it to mini Bundts? Has anyone already done that?
Beth Pierce
So glad that you liked the apple cake. I have not made them into mini bundts but maybe one of the readers have.
Lisa Hettler
For some reason I thought this recipe called for Granny Smith apples. It’s baking in the oven now, so we’ll see how it turns out.
BTW, I just love your recipes – you’re my go to!
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Lisa! I am so glad that you like my recipes.
Doreen Doe
Could you make these as muffins
Beth Pierce
Yes but I would finely chope the apples and the pecans.
Cathleen Kelly
Was trying to duplicate a wonderful apple cake from an orchard in Waynesville, NC
I was pretty sure there were cloves in the mix. Your recipe is spot on! Used walnuts and dark brown sugar. Dinner party guests wanted the recipe. Thanks so much for this delicious concoction!
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome Cathleen! I am so glad that your party guests liked the apple cake!
Marysa
Looks yummy! Great way to use up all those apples my kids pick during apple-picking season!
Jill
This cake is so full of flavor and just wonderful. The caramel drizzle really takes it over the top. Thanks for the recipe!
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine, Jill!
Anjali
This apple cake turned out to be moist, soft, and perfectly sweet!! It filled my house with the most amazing smell as it was baking too!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Anjali! So glad that you liked the apple cake.
Charles
Beth,
You are officially a rock star! Your Apple Cake is what I’ve been looking for! You have amazing recipes and this one was so delicious! Thanks for sharing.
Sharon
This apple bundt cake comes out so moist in the center with lots of apple chunks throughout. The caramel drizzle is the perfect topping on this too.