This Apple Pecan Cake with Caramel Glaze is the ultimate fall bundt cake and a perfect Thanksgiving dessert! Moist, spiced apple cake with pecans is baked in a bundt pan, then covered in a thick, glossy caramel sauce. It's an easy apple cake with pecans that looks stunning on any holiday table.
If you love bundt cakes, you also need to try this Spiced Banana Bundt Cake with Sour Cream or this Marble Bundt Cake.
Why This Apple Pecan Cake with Caramel Glaze Recipe Works
- Recipe name: Apple Pecan Cake with Caramel Glaze
- Ready in: 1hr 30 minutes (plus cooling time)
- Serves: 12 slices
- Main ingredients: Butter, brown sugar, eggs, cake flour, sour cream, grated green apples, pecans, heavy cream, and powdered sugar.
- Perfect for: Thanksgiving and Friendsgiving dessert tables, Christmas, and cozy fall gatherings.
- Why I love it: Grated apples keep this apple pecan cake incredibly moist, and the thick caramel glaze drapes over the cake. The cake can be baked ahead, which takes the pressure off Thanksgiving Day.
- Calories: 634kcal
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Planning your Thanksgiving dessert table? Add this Thanksgiving apple cake alongside this Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting, this Pumpkin Carrot Cake with Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting, and these Pecan Pie Cupcakes.
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Key Ingredients
- Green apples - Use firm, tart green apples such as Granny Smiths for this apple cake. They hold their flavor in the batter and balance the sweet caramel pecan sauce.
- Pecans - You'll use chopped pecans in the cake batter; walnuts will also work.
- Sour cream - Sour cream adds moisture and a tender crumb. Use full-fat sour cream at room temperature.
- Cake flour - Cake flour gives this bundt cake a soft, tender texture. All-purpose flour can also be used.
- Extra-large eggs - Use room-temperature eggs so that they blend smoothly into the creamed butter and sugar.
- Spices - A mix of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves gives this apple pecan cake its warm, cozy fall flavor.
- Dark brown sugar and heavy cream - These make the caramel glaza. Heavy cream has a fat content above 36% and is often sold as heavy whipping cream.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations
If you'd like a different topping for this caramel apple pecan cake, try this Salted Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting instead of the caramel glaze.
This cake is wonderful served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or with this homemade Vanilla Bean Custard for a cozy Thanksgiving dessert.
How to Make Apple Pecan Bundt Cake
Instructions for Apple Pecan Bundt Cake
- Step 1: Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and prepare a bundt pan with melted butter and a dusting of flour. Grate the apples and chop the pecans.
- Step 2: Add the soft butter and brown sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat at medium-high speed until creamed, about 3 minutes.
- Step 3: With the mixer running at medium speed, add the eggs to the creamed mixture one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula between each addition. Add the vanilla and beat again.
- Step 4: Sift together the flour, baking powder, spices, and salt into a large mixing bowl.
- Step 5: Add the flour mixture and the sour cream to the cake batter by alternating between them, starting with the flour mixture and ending with the sour cream.
- Step 6: Fold the grated green apples and chopped pecans into the batter until just combined.
- Step 7: Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and smooth over the top with an offset spatula. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Step 8: Allow the cake to cool in its pan for 20 minutes before turning it out onto a cake plate. Let the cake cool completely before adding the caramel glaze.
How to Make Caramel Glaze
- Step 1: Melt the butter, dark brown sugar, and heavy cream in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a rolling boil and let it boil for about 3 minutes without stirring. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and salt. Let it cool in the pan until it is warm but no longer boiling hot, about 5 to 10 minutes.
- Step 2: Add the caramel to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Add the sifted powdered sugar and whisk to combine. Immediately pour the warm caramel glaze over your completely cooled bundt cake.
Tips for a Moist Apple Pecan Cake
The key to a moist apple pecan cake is the grated apples and the sour cream, so don't skip either one. Make sure your bundt pan is well prepared with melted butter and a dusting of flour, which helps the cake release cleanly. Let the cake cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then turn it out and let it cool completely, because the warm caramel glaze needs a completely cool cake to drape over properly.
The sauce thickens as it cools, so pour it over the cake immediately after whisking in the powdered sugar. If you're not sure the cake is baked through, read my guide on How to Know When a Cake is Done Baking.
Storage
Store any leftover apple pecan cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. If the weather is particularly hot, store the cake in the fridge and bring it to room temperature before serving.
For Thanksgiving, you can bake the cake a day ahead, let it cool completely, and wrap it well. Make the caramel glaze and pour it over the cake on the day you plan to serve it. The unglazed cake can also be frozen, wrapped well, for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight and add the sauce once it's completely cool. I do not recommend freezing the cake after the sauce has been added.
Expert Tips
- Use room-temperature butter, eggs, and sour cream so that the batter mixes smoothly.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl between each egg addition for an evenly mixed batter.
- Check the true temperature of your oven with an oven thermometer before baking.
- Don't boil the caramel for longer than 3 minutes, and don't stir it while it boils.
- Let the caramel cool until warm, not hot, before whisking in the powdered sugar.
- Pour the sauce over a completely cooled cake. For more cake ideas, browse my collection of Easy and Delicious Cake Recipes.
Apple Pecan Cake with Caramel Glaze FAQs
It's a thick caramel glaze made with dark brown sugar, butter, heavy cream, and powdered sugar. It looks glossy and slowly drops from a spoon like hot fudge, so it drips down the sides of the cake. Pour it over the cake while it's still warm.
Yes. Bake the cake a day ahead, let it cool completely, and wrap it well. Make the caramel glaze and pour it over the cake on the day you plan to serve it, since the sauce is best poured while it's warm.
Use firm, tart green apples such as Granny Smiths, which is what I used. Other firm apples, like Pink Lady or Honeycrisp, will also work. Grate the apples just before adding them to the batter. I prefer green apples, but you can use red apples.
The sauce should look glossy and very thick and drop slowly from your spoon like hot fudge. If it's too runny, beat in a few more tablespoons of powdered sugar until it thickens.
Brush the pan thoroughly with melted butter, getting into every groove, and dust it with flour. Let the cake cool in the pan for 20 minutes before turning it out onto a cake plate.
Yes, all-purpose flour will work, though cake flour gives this apple pecan cake an extra-soft, tender crumb.
Yes. For extra crunch, sprinkle chopped, toasted pecans over the cake right after pouring the warm glaze so that they stick.
More Easy Bundt Cake Recipes for Thanksgiving
If you love baking with apples, try these Mini Apple Crumble Tarts with Salted Caramel Sauce, this Apple and Blackberry Crumble, or this Apple and Strawberry Crumble. For a lighter bake to serve with afternoon tea, try this Vanilla Apple Tea Cake.
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 Apple and Cranberry Crumble Tart!
📖 Recipe
Apple Pecan Cake with Caramel Glaze
Equipment
- 1x Bundt cake pan
Ingredients
Apple and Pecan Bundt Cake
- 260 g light brown sugar
- 260 g unsalted butter
- 5 extra-large eggs
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 345 g cake flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 125 g sour cream
- 300 g green apples grated
- 100 g pecans chopped
Caramel Glaze
- 200 g dark brown sugar
- 115 g unsalted butter
- 80 ml heavy cream
- 50 g powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
Apple and Pecan Bundt Cake
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and prepare a bundt cake tin with melted butter and a dusting of flour.
- Add the soft butter and sugar to a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat at medium-high speed until creamed, about 3 minutes.
- With the mixer running at medium speed, add the eggs to the creamed butter and sugar mixture one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula between each addition. Add the vanilla and beat again.
- Sift together the flour, baking powder, spices, and salt into a large mixing bowl.
- Add the dry and wet ingredients to the cake batter by alternating between them, starting with the flour mixture and ending with the sour cream.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and smooth over the top with an offset palette knife. Bake the cake in a preheated oven for 45 minutes or until it is golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in its tin for 20 minutes before turning it onto a cake plate.
Caramel Glaze
- Melt the butter, dark brown sugar, and heavy cream in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a rolling boil and let it boil for about 3 minutes without stirring.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and salt. Let it cool in the pan until it is warm but no longer boiling hot. About 5 to 10 minutes.
- Add the caramel to a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Gradually whisk in the sifted icing sugar.
- The icing should look glossy, very thick, and slowly drop from your spoon like hot fudge. If it feels too runny, beat in a few more tablespoons of icing sugar.
- Immediately pour the warm fudge icing over your completely cooled Bundt cake. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
- For a deeper caramel flavor for the glaze, use dark brown sugar. If you don't have any, then light brown sugar will also work.
- The sauce should look glossy and very thick, and slowly drop from your spoon like hot fudge. If it feels too runny, beat in a few more tablespoons of powdered sugar. If it feels too thick, whisk in some extra cream.
- You can top the cake with toasted and chopped pecans if you like.
Melissa says
This was the best cake I’ve had!!!
Julia says
Wow Kitty! This cake was delicious, loved the fudge sauce