Thanksgiving Bundt Cake Recipes are all tried and tested in my kitchen, and every one can be baked a day ahead so your oven stays free on the big day.
If you love Easy Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes, you can't skip this no-bake Espresso Panna Cotta with Espresso Syrup or this Hot Fudge Brownie Sundae.
1. Apple Pecan Cake with Caramel Glaze
If you only bake one bundt this Thanksgiving, make my Apple Pecan Cake with Caramel Glaze. It's a moist spiced cake full of grated green apples and chopped pecans, finished with a thick, glossy caramel glaze that drips down the sides. It tastes like fall in a slice and goes beautifully with a scoop of ice cream or a spoonful of Vanilla Bean Custard.
Why it works for Thanksgiving: You can bake the cake a day ahead and glaze it on the day. The unglazed cake also freezes well for up to 3 months.
2. Chocolate Nut Cake
For the chocolate lovers at your table, my Chocolate Nut Cake is rich, moist and sits somewhere between a chocolate cake and a chocolate pudding. It's made with oil instead of butter, soaked with a sweet milk sauce while still warm, and finished with a chocolate sauce that drips down the sides. Decorate the top with whole hazelnuts or walnuts.
Why it works for Thanksgiving: It's a great choice for anyone who isn't a pumpkin or pie fan, and the slices freeze well for up to 3 months.
3. Chocolate Orange Cake
My Chocolate Orange Cake is a vanilla-based orange bundt made with puréed whole oranges, so it's bright, moist and not too sweet. A rich chocolate ganache poured over the top balances the citrus. Orange also pairs well with cranberry, so it sits nicely beside a Thanksgiving table full of cranberry sauce.
Why it works for Thanksgiving: It keeps at room temperature for up to a week, so it's the most forgiving cake to make ahead. Boil the oranges the night before to save time.
4. Banana Bundt Cake with Sour Cream
This Banana Bundt Cake with Caramel Sauce is soft, moist, and uses just two ripe bananas, with sour cream keeping the crumb tender. It's topped with a pecan caramel sauce made from dulce de leche and evaporated milk. Leave out the pecans if you're baking for anyone with a nut allergy.
Why it works for Thanksgiving: It's an easy, family-friendly cake that uses bananas you probably already have, and slices freeze well for up to 2 months.
5. Marble Bundt Cake with Chocolate Glaze
Can't choose between vanilla and chocolate? My Marble Bundt Cake gives you both. It's made from one batter that's split and swirled, with sour cream for a soft crumb, and finished with a drizzle of milk chocolate glaze. It's a crowd-pleaser that kids and adults both love.
Why it works for Thanksgiving: It's the simplest of the five and a good pick if you're short on time or baking with kids.
Tips for a Perfect Bundt Cake
- Grease every groove. Brush melted butter into every ridge of the pan and dust with flour. This is the best way to stop the cake sticking.
- Cool in the pan first. Let the cake rest in the pan for 10 to 20 minutes, as the recipe says, before turning it out onto a wire rack.
- Cool completely before glazing. A warm cake melts the glaze and it slides off instead of setting.
- Test for doneness. Insert a cake tester into the thickest part. It should come out clean. My guide on how to tell if a cake is done baking covers the signs.
- Bake ahead. Bake the cake on Wednesday, wrap it well and glaze it on Thursday.
Want more bundt ideas beyond Thanksgiving? Try my lemon blackberry bundt cake or my colorful funfetti bundt cake. For even more inspiration, browse Cloudy Kitchen's bundt cake collection and TODAY's best bundt cake recipes.
Thanksgiving Bundt Cake Recipes FAQs
My apple pecan cake with caramel glaze is the most Thanksgiving-friendly, with spiced apples, pecans and a thick caramel glaze. If you want something chocolatey, try the chocolate nut cake or the chocolate orange cake.
Yes. Bake the cake a day ahead, cool it completely and wrap it well. Glaze it on the day you serve it. The chocolate orange cake keeps at room temperature for up to a week, and the apple pecan cake can be frozen unglazed for up to 3 months.
Brush melted butter into every groove of the pan and dust it with flour. Let the cake cool in the pan for the time given in the recipe, then turn it out onto a wire rack.
Yes. Wrap slices or the whole unglazed cake well and freeze for up to 2 to 3 months, depending on the recipe. Thaw at room temperature or overnight, and add the glaze fresh.
More Easy Thanksgiving Pie Recipes
Building a full dessert table? Then you'll need some Easy Cookie and Biscuit Recipes too. Make sure to try these Bacon Fat Chocolate Chip Cookies, these No-Bake Condensed Milk Chocolate Truffles, and these Dulce de Leche Cookies.
Happy Baking, With Love, Kitty
Please leave a star rating and comment below if you tried this recipe! And if you're wondering what to try next, have a look at this Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting!
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