Apple Cinnamon Bundt Cake
This easy apple cinnamon Bundt cake is packed with fresh apples and warm cinnamon, then drizzled with a sweet apple cider glaze. It’s a lovely dessert for a crisp fall day!
Ahhhh, crisp fall weather. It always makes me want to make All The Apple Things!
For years, the Southern husband and I came home from Vermont with a peck of freshly picked apples. These days, our fall adventures are closer to our North Carolina home. One trip took us to Banner Elk, where the leaves were just starting to change and my sweet son-in-law had planned an activity for the whole family: ZIP LINING.
I had pictured one quick trip across a single line. There were ELEVEN. That first step off the platform was a little terrifying, but by the end I was having a fabulous time—especially with my son-in-law nearby cheering me on. The next day we played mini golf, which is much more my usual speed. 😅
We didn’t find an apple orchard on that trip, but luckily you don’t need one to make this cake. A few fresh apples from the grocery store go into the batter, and a drizzle of sweet apple cider glaze gives every slice a little extra autumn magic.
Jump to:
🔎 A quick look at this recipe
- 🍎 What it is: A tender Bundt cake filled with chopped fresh apples and warm fall spices.
- ⏰ Time: About 15 minutes to prep and 50 to 60 minutes to bake, plus cooling time.
- 🥣 Equipment: A 12-cup Bundt pan and an electric mixer.
- ✨ The finishing touch: A sweet apple cider glaze drizzled over the cooled cake.
⭐️ Why this recipe works
- 🍎 Fresh apples in every slice. Chopped apples bake right into the cake, adding little bites of fruit throughout.
- 🍂 Just enough fall spice. Cinnamon and nutmeg bring cozy flavor without overpowering the apples.
- 🥣 Easy to mix. The batter comes together in one bowl with an electric mixer.
- ✨ That apple cider glaze! A simple drizzle adds apple cider flavor and makes the Bundt cake look ready for a fall gathering.
🍎 Ingredients you need
📝 Ingredient notes
- 🍎 Apples: You’ll need about 3 medium apples, or 1 pound before peeling and coring. Chop them into small pieces (about 1/2 inch or so) so they’re spread throughout the cake.
- 🍂 Cinnamon and nutmeg: These give the cake its cozy fall flavor. The recipe uses a full tablespoon of cinnamon, so make sure yours is fresh and fragrant!
- 🥛 Milk and canola oil: These go right into the batter. Another neutral-flavored oil will work if that’s what you have.
- ✨ Apple cider: This goes into the glaze, where its flavor comes through. Add it a little at a time until the glaze is thick but pourable.
- 🍰 Bundt pan: Use a nonstick 12-cup pan and coat every curve thoroughly with cooking spray. Let the baked cake rest in the pan for 20 minutes before turning it out.
💡 Ingredient substitution ideas
Missing something or want to swap in something different? Check out the links below to find more ingredient substitution ideas. 👇🏻
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities and nutritional information.
Here’s how you make apple cinnamon Bundt cake!
Spray a 12 cup Bundt pan with cooking spray and preheat your oven to 350.
Next, put some flour, white and brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder and salt into a large mixing bowl and stir it all up. I like to use a whisk for this!
Add some milk, canola oil, eggs and vanilla to the flour mixture and beat it up with an electric mixture for one minute. Last but not least, stir in some fresh chopped apple.
Pour the batter into the Bundt pan and bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. (Your kitchen is going to smell ALL kinds of wonderful.)
Let your beautiful Bundt cake cool for 20 minutes and then carefully take the cake out of the pan – you can tap it on the counter a few times to loosen it up if you think it needs it.
Place the cake on a rack to cool completely (I know! So hard!) and when it is totally cool, make the glaze: Put some confectioner’s sugar into a large measuring cup and stir in some melted butter.
Drizzle in some apple cider until the mixture is thick but pourable.
Now the fun part! Pour the glaze evenly over the cake, letting it drip down the sides. Let it sit for another 10 minutes or so while the glaze sets, then slice and serve!
Oh, and if you need any zip lining tips, just let me know! :)
🤔 Recipe FAQs
Choose firm apples that hold their shape when baked, such as Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, or Granny Smith. You can use one variety or a mix.
Yes, I peel them for this cake so the chopped apples blend into the soft crumb. Chop them into small, fairly even pieces, too.
Use a nonstick 12-cup Bundt pan and thoroughly coat every curve with cooking spray. Let the cake cool in the pan for 20 minutes before carefully turning it out onto a rack.
Wait until it’s completely cool. Otherwise, the glaze will melt and run right off instead of making those pretty drips down the sides.
Yes, though apple cider will give the glaze a stronger apple flavor. Add either one a little at a time until the glaze is thick but pourable.
Not in this Bundt cake. Apple pie filling brings extra sauce and sugar that would change the batter. If you have a can waiting in the pantry, make our Easy One-Bowl Apple Cake instead—it’s designed for apple pie filling!
Pop your question in the Comments section under the recipe card and I will answer pronto!
Let’s slice it up with a cup of coffee or tea! 🍎☕
Apple Cinnamon Bundt Cake
This easy recipe for apple cinnamon bundt cake is a sweet taste of autumn on a plate! And the perfect way to use those freshly picked apples.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 3 cups flour
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk
- ¾ cup canola oil
- 4 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pound apples (about 3 medium), peeled, cored and chopped into roughly 1/2 inch pieces
- 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
- 1–2 tablespoons apple cider
Instructions
- Spray a 12 cup Bundt pan with cooking spray and preheat oven to 350.
- Put the flour, both sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder and salt into a large mixing bowl and stir to combine.
- Add milk, canola oil, eggs and vanilla to the flour mixture and beat with an electric mixture for one minute. Stir in chopped apple.
- Pour the batter into the Bundt pan and bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
- Cool for 20 minutes and then carefully take the cake out of the pan. Place on a rack to cool completely.
- When the cake is totally cool, make the glaze: Put the confectioner’s sugar into a large measuring cup and stir in the melted butter. Drizzle in the apple cider until the mixture is thick but pourable.
- Pour the glaze evenly over the cake, letting it drip down the sides. Let it sit for another 10 minutes or so while the glaze sets, then slice and serve!
The zip lining sounds like a lot of fun! My claim to fame in the Daring Department is a bungee jump. It was at our county fair, years and years ago. I don’t know what was scarier…getting weighed first so they used the correct band or stepping off that crane platform! :) We still have a few apples left on one of our trees so cake will be a good use for those late-season stragglers.
Ooooh, you are a braver woman than I!! I can’t imagine it – I think zip lining is my limit. Meantime, how wonderful to have apple trees – I love our pine forest but so far I haven’t figured out how to cook with all the cones in our yard! :)