Cinnamon Apple Bundt Cake with Walnuts
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Apple Bundt Cake is not only the perfect fall dessert but also downright apple-licious! Studded with tart Granny Smith apples, crunchy walnuts, and cinnamon spice, this fresh apple cake is easy to prepare and stays fresh and super moist for days.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
There’s nothing more simple or delicious than an old-fashioned Bundt cake. Today’s spice cake is made from scratch using a tried-and-true recipe from an old church community cookbook.
Even if you don’t consider yourself a baker, don’t shy away from this recipe. Bundt cakes are much less trouble to make than a frosted layer cake and are pretty much foolproof.
Baking this easy apple walnut cake in a Bundt pan ensures that it bakes evenly and releases easily despite its dense texture and moist crumb. This apple cinnamon bundt cake is also a poke cake, meaning several deep holes are poked into the cake using a wooden skewer or the prongs of a meat fork after it has finished baking.
A warm sauce is poured all over the cake, penetrating through the holes to further sweeten and flavor the cake. It may all sound complicated, but it’s not at all. I’ll happily help you through every step!
Ingredient Notes
- Flour | All-purpose flour is your main ingredient, giving structure to the cake.
- Baking soda | This little powerhouse helps the cake rise and works best with the acidity of the orange juice and buttermilk.
- Salt | Kosher salt balances sweetness and enhances flavor. I prefer kosher salt because it’s easy to measure and mixes well.
- Cinnamon | Ground cinnamon adds warmth and a cozy vibe to the cake. You can also mix in a bit of nutmeg and other warm fall spices for extra flavor.
- Sugar | Granulated sugar sweetens the cake and keeps it moist. A bit of brown sugar can give it a richer taste, too!
- Large eggs | Eggs help bind everything together and add moisture.
- Oil | Canola oil keeps the cake nice and moist without overpowering it. You can opt for vegetable oil instead.
- Orange juice | Fresh orange juice brightens up the flavor and adds moisture.
- Vanilla | Vanilla extract really boosts the flavor of the cake.
- Chopped apples | Granny Smith apples are tart and hold their shape well in the cake. You can use your favorite apple variety or a mix.
- Chopped walnuts | Walnuts add a nice crunch and nutty flavor. If they are available, using black walnuts instead of English walnuts will add an earthy depth of flavor to this Apple Walnut Bundt Cake.
Sauce Ingredients
- Butter | Unsalted butter is perfect for the sauceโrich and creamy without being too salty.
- Sugar | Sugar helps create a sweet, caramel-like sauce that complements the cake perfectly.
- Buttermilk | Buttermilk adds a tangy flavor and extra moisture to the sauce.
- Baking soda | Baking soda in the sauce makes it bubbly and light, giving it a nice texture when you pour it over the cake.
What kind of apples should I use?
For this cake, I recommend using a tart apple, like Granny Smith, to balance the sweetness of the recipe. If Granny Smith apples aren’t available, you could substitute Fuji apples.
How to Make this Easy Apple Bundt Cake Recipe
This year, bring something freshly homemade to the family get-together or holiday celebration using this super easy bundt cake recipe!
STEP 1 | Preheat and prep
Start by preheating the oven to 325 degrees and generously grease a Bundt cake pan with butter. Dust with 1/4 cup of flour, shaking out any excess, coating sides of the pan and the bottom.
STEP 2 | Mix dry ingredients
Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl.
STEP 3 | Combine wet ingredients
Next, add the sugar, eggs, canola oil, orange juice, and vanilla extract to the bowl of a stand mixer and mix until well combined on medium speed.
STEP 4 | Finish the batter
Next, gradually add the flour mixture, beating until thoroughly incorporated. Then, gently fold the apples and walnuts into the cake batter with a rubber spatula.
STEP 5 | Bake
Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan and slip it into a preheated oven. Then, bake it for 1 1/2 hours or until a wooden pick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
STEP 6 | Start the sauce
Get started on the sauce about 10 minutes before the cake is done. First, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Then, stir in the sugar, buttermilk, and baking soda. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
STEP 7 | Remove cake and poke
Next, remove the cake from the oven and set the pan on a wire rack, poking holes in the cake with a long wooden skewer or the prongs of a meat fork.
STEP 8 | Pour sauce and cool
Then, pour the hot sauce all over the cake in the pan. Let the cake sit in the pan for 1 hour before removing it to a wire rack to cool completely. Finally, enjoy or store to dig in later!
Tips from the Home Chef’s Kitchen
Use up all your fresh apples this season by learning how to make Homemade Apple Pie from scratch!
Variations and Substitutions
- Other Toppings and Sauces. If you’re not a fan of buttermilk sauce, try a rich caramel sauce or creamy and tangy cream cheese frosting.
- Different Fruits. Swap out apples for finely chopped pears, peaches, or whatever is in season. Or use dried fruit, like raisins or dried cranberries, for added sweetness and texture.
- Pumpkin Spice. For a seasonal twist, mix in some pumpkin pie spice.
- Nut Variations. Use chopped pecans or sliced almonds instead of walnuts for a different crunch.
- Nut-Free Bundt Cake. If you prefer a nut-free cake, simply omit the nuts altogether.
Storage and Reheating Tips
- When the cake cools, carefully transfer it to a serving plate and wrap it in plastic wrap or cover it to store at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- You can also transfer the cooled cake to an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Often, I like to toast nuts before adding them to baked goods so that they hold their crunch. However, toasting the walnuts is optional with this cake, so save yourself a step and use them raw.
Bundt and tube pans bake round cakes into a doughnut shape with a hole in the middle. Both are useful for baking particularly dense cakes so the cake bakes evenly without getting overdone on the outside edges. A Bundt pan has fluted edges, while the edges of a tube pan are smooth and usually taller.
You could use either pan for this apple walnut cake. You wouldn’t want to substitute one pan for the other when baking a tall-rising angel food cake. For that, you should always use a tube pan.
All the grooves inside a Bundt pan must be well-greased and floured so the cake will release easily. Use a pastry brush to coat the inside of the pan with melted butter, being sure to get into all the grooves. You may also use wax paper to spread butter all over the inside. After the pan is coated with butter, sprinkle a quarter cup of flour into the bottom of the pan, then shake it around until the pan is lightly dusted all over.
Carefully slide the tip of a thin knife around the inside edges and the hole of the pan to gently loosen the cake. Invert the cake onto a wire rack and give it a light tap or shake to remove it. Be sure to follow the recipe instructions to determine how long to leave the cake in the pan after baking before removing it.
Looking for more Apple Desserts?
For more of my favorite desserts for apple season, try my Apple Cinnamon Bread, Rustic Apple Tart or Apple Cider Muffins with Apple Filling โ Yum! And if you’re thinking of making a traditional apple pie this season, try a recipe with the slightest twist, like Apple Crumb Pie.
What to Serve With Cinnamon Apple Cake
Just about any apple treat pairs perfectly with classic vanilla ice cream. However, if you want to switch things up this time, try serving this apple bundt cake with my easy No Churn Blueberry Ice Cream or sweet Homemade Peach Ice Cream.
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Cinnamon Apple Bundt Cake with Walnuts
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 – 2 tablespoons butter for greasing the pan
- 3 cups all-purpose flour plus 1/4 cup for the pan
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ยผ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 2 cups sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 ยฝ cups canola oil
- ยผ cup orange juice
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups peeled and finely chopped Granny Smith apples
- 1 ยฝ cups chopped walnuts
Sauce
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup sugar
- ยฝ cup buttermilk
- ยฝ teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Generously grease a Bundt pan with butter and dust with 1/4 cup of flour, shaking out any excess.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
- To the bowl of a stand mixer, add the sugar, eggs, canola oil, orange juice, and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Gradually add the flour mixture, beating until thoroughly incorporated.
- Gently fold the apples and walnuts into the batter with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan and bake for 1 1/2 hours, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Sauce
- About 10 minutes before the cake is done, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Stir in the sugar, buttermilk, and baking soda. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Remove the cake from the oven and set the pan on a wire rack. Poke holes in the cake with a long wooden skewer or the prongs of a meat fork.
- Pour the hot sauce all over the cake in the pan. Let the cake sit in the pan for 1 hour before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Store the cake covered at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
- I used a 12-cup bundt pan for this recipe, but you can split it into two smaller pans and adjust the baking time/temperature if preferred.
- Consider adjusting the baking time according to your oven for a perfectly moist cake. In other words, if you know, it tends to bake quicker and hotter, reduce the time, and vice versa.
Nutrition
Life Love and Good Food does not claim to be a registered dietician or nutritionist. Nutritional information shared on this site is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
I made the Apple walnut Bundt cake many different ways and always get raves. I have problems peeling apples, so therefore I add apple sauce instead and just as good, especially with a cup of tea. Also, I put butter on the cake โ bon appetite!
How much applesauce do you use?