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Apple Pecan Cake with Caramel Glaze

Apple pecan cake with caramel glaze: a moist Bundt cake studded with diced apples and toasted pecans, baked until a skewer shows moist crumbs. Warm caramel glaze boils, thickens, and soaks in for a thin sweet shell over the ridged top.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
cooling and setting 35 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the cake
  • 3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1.5 tsp baking soda
  • 1.5 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1.25 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 3 large eggs room temperature
  • 2.5 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 cup Granny Smith apples about 3 medium, peeled and finely diced
  • 1.5 cup pecans toasted and roughly chopped
For the caramel glaze
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 0.25 cup heavy cream
  • 0.25 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
For finishing
  • 0.25 cup pecan halves toasted
  • 0.25 tsp flaky sea salt

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 saucepan
  • 1 Bundt pan

Method
 

Prepare and bake the cake
  1. Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Grease a 12-cup Bundt pan thoroughly and dust it with flour, getting into every crevice, so the cake releases cleanly.
  2. Whisk the all-purpose flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and salt together in a medium bowl until evenly combined.
  3. Whisk the vegetable oil, granulated sugar, and packed light brown sugar together in a large bowl until smooth and glossy.
  4. Whisk in the large eggs one at a time, then whisk in the vanilla extract until the batter looks glossy.
  5. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients with a spatula just until no flour streaks remain. The batter will be very thick.
  6. Fold in the diced Granny Smith apples and chopped pecans until evenly distributed; the apples should loosen the batter as they release juice.
  7. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared Bundt pan and smooth the top with the spatula so it bakes uniformly.
  8. Bake for 65–75 minutes at 325°F (165°C), until a skewer inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter.
  9. Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes, then invert it onto a wire rack set over parchment for easy cleanup.
Make and add the caramel glaze
  1. Melt the unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium heat, then stir in the packed light brown sugar, heavy cream, and salt.
  2. Bring the mixture to a boil, then boil for 3 minutes without stirring until it thickens slightly and turns glossy, with small bubbles across the surface.
  3. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract, then let the glaze cool for 5 minutes to thicken.
  4. Pour the warm caramel glaze slowly over the warm cake, letting it run down the ridges so it soaks into the crumb.
  5. Scatter the pecan halves over the top and sprinkle with flaky sea salt, adding a visible nutty crunch layer.
  6. Let the cake set for 30 minutes before slicing so the glaze firms up into a thin sweet shell.

Notes

For the best crumb and glaze set, wait until the cake is warm (not hot) before glazing, and pour the caramel slowly into the ridges. Store covered at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days. Freezing is yes: wrap slices tightly and freeze up to 2 months. If you want a lighter swap, use a neutral-tasting oil substitute like refined coconut oil in the same amount.