What if I were to tell you this Apple Spice Bundt Cake is as easy to make as falling off a log? What's more it has no apples to peel, core and slice and features a secret ingredient. Finished with a Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting, this cake is filled with the warm spices of fall and is sure to be your newest fall cake.
This cake is so easy to make it will go together in about 20 minutes after you measure the ingredients.
Other cakes I suggest are: Poppyseed Cake with Orange Curd and White Chocolate Buttercream, Chocolate Raspberry Marzipan Gateau, Lemon Rum Bundt Cake, Double Chocolate Mousse Cake and the, Amaretto Truffle Torte.
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The Secret Ingredient Is........
Apple Butter!! This is not to be confused with applesauce. Apple butter is made during the fall and is often offered then and retired until the next year. Apples are very slowly cooked with sugar and spices until they are dark, sweet, thick and very much apple! It makes the perfect addition to a simple bundt cake and takes it from good to outstanding.
And About the Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting
The second surprise is the Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting. Homemade caramel (it's very easy so don't be intimidated!) is teamed with cream cheese for an intense tasting finish to this special cake. That's it. No additional powdered sugar or butter. It's all in the caramel.
Why both Butter and Oil in the Cake?
This combination is often used in cakes to insure flavor from the butter and oil to keep the cake moist give it a longer shelf life.
You're Going to Love this Because:
- It's super easy to make.
- The frosting is smooth, delicious and easy to make.
- It's a fall cake with a difference. No apples to peel, core and slice. That alone has to intrigue you.
- The flavors pack a punch that makes this memorable.
- The frosting has the tang of cream cheese and the irresistible flavor of real caramel. It uses no additional ingredients and it's a dream to pipe.
Recipe Ingredients
Caramel
FRONT ROW: Unsalted butter, vanilla, corn syrup
BACK ROW: Water, granulated sugar, heavy cream
Apple Spice Bundt Cake
FRONT ROW: Salt, ginger, baking soda, cloves, cinnamon
SECOND ROW: Nutmeg, baking powder, unsalted butter, vanilla
THIRD ROW: Eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar
BACK ROW: All-purpose flour, canola or vegetable oil, apple butter
Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting
LEFT TO RIGHT: Caramel and Cream Cheese
Main Ingredients
- Heavy cream is essential to the outcome of the caramel.
- Thick apple butter (not applesauce) is used.
- Either canola or vegetable oil should be used.
- The cream cheese can be full fat or ⅓ fat.
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients & instructions.
Step by Step Instructions
Caramel
Heat the cream in a microwave or on the stove until steamy hot but not boiling. Set aside. For more information on making caramel, please see my post, Caramel, a Building Block of Pastry.
Step 1. Stir the water, corn syrup and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium high heat. Bring it to a boil. Step 2. Cover the pan tightly for 3 minutes or brush down the sides of the pan with cold water to remove any sugar crystals that could cause the caramel to granulate after cooling. Step 3. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil. Step 4. Boil it until it reaches a medium golden color.
Step 5. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter until it is melted. Step 6. Add the hot cream and stir it in. If it wasn't hot enough and it lumps somewhat, that's fine. It will be corrected in the next step. Step 7. Return to the heat and bring it back to a boil until the temperature reaches 228°F. Remove from the heat immediately and pour it into a bowl to cool or if in a hurry, pour it into a rimmed sheet pan where it can spread out.
Apple Spice Bundt Cake
Step 1. Place the flour, spices, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a medium bowl. Step 2. Whisk them together and set aside. Step 3. Place the brown and granulated sugar, the softened butter and oil in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Step 4. Mix on low to bring together and then raise to medium. Mix to combine, scraping often, especially on the bottom.
Step 5. Add the eggs and vanilla to the batter and mix to combine. Step 6. Add half the apples butter and beat until combined. Step 7. Add half the flour. Step 8. Beat in on low, scraping often. Repeat with the remaining apple butter and flour.
Step 9. Spray the bundt pan well with a non-stick baking spray. Dollop the batter evenly into the bundt pan and smooth it out. Step 10. Bake as called for. Step 11. Place the room temperature caramel and cream cheese in the bowl of a mixer. Step 12. Beat on low to mix and then raise to medium or medium high and beat until smooth and completely combined. Scrape often to ensure an even frosting.
Step 13. Cool the cake in its pan for about 20 minutes. Turn it out onto a rack to cool completely, then transfer to a serving dish or cardboard round. Step 14. Place a ½" plain tip in a piping bag and pipe frosting between the lines starting about 2" above the bottom as shown. Step 15. Pipe the frosting up the side of the bake in the natural divide, then up and over the top into the hole. Step 16. After all of these have been piped, go back and pipe in the same manner between the already piped lines as seen in the this photo. Alternatively, omit the frosting and dust with powdered sugar.
Recipe FAQS
They are easy to make, require no filling and no fancy finishes.
There used to be one design, but in ensuing years, there are many different designs including seasonal ones. Just make sure the cup size is correct for the recipe being made.
There are different sizes so it's important to check to make sure the pan you have will hold enough batter. The traditional Nordic Bundt pan holds 12 cups. However, the pan should only be filled to ⅔ to ¾ full with cake batter to allow it to rise without going over the edge of the pan.
Expert Tips
- Use a scale to measure the flour - it makes all the difference in the world. I just bought a new one that can be recharged - love the no more batteries. You can find it here. (I am not an affiliate.)
- Use a thick apple butter.
- The caramel can be made a week ahead. Just bring it to room temperature or microwave it briefly. Don't get it hot.
- ⅓ less cream cheese works as well as full fat.
- McCormick Imitation vanilla is fine here.
More Fall Treats
A lot of work goes into each of my recipes and my only ask is that if you like the recipe or even the looks of it, please leave me a star rating to help me rank better. It’s important and I appreciate it and I appreciate you.
Caramel Apple Spice Bundt Cake
Equipment
- 10 to 12 cup Bundt Pan
Ingredients
Caramel
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup corn syrup
- 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar (250 grams)
- 4 tablespoons butter (60 grams)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
Apple Spice Bundt Cake
- 2 cups +2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (300 grams)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon ginger
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon cloves
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (114 grams) or 1 stick
- ½ cup canola or vegetable oil
- ⅞ cup brown sugar, packed (175 grams) [1 cup less 2 tablespoons]
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups thick apple butter (430 grams)
Caramel Cheesecake Frosting
- 8 ounces caramel, room temperature (225 grams)
- 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature (225 grams)
Instructions
Caramel
- Heat the cream until hot to make it easier to mix with the sugar syrup. Set aside.
- Place the water, sugar and corn syrup in a 2 quart saucepan.
- Stir over medium high heat until the sugar is dissolved completely. Bring to a boil. Cover the pan with a tight fitting lid for 3 minutes. Remove the lid and continue boiling. Alternatively, wash the sides of the pan down with a natural bristle pastry brush dipped in cold water.
- Boil without stirring until the mixture becomes a medium golden color. Swirl in the pan to even out the color.
- Remove from the heat and immediately add the butter to the saucepan and stir until melted.
- Pour the hot cream in all at once and stir. If some of the cream lumps up, don't worry.
- Clip a thermometer onto the side of the pan if possible. Return to medium high heat and bring to a hard boil.
- Continue to boil until the thermometer reaches 228°F. Cool to room temperature. To cool it quickly, after it comes to temperature, pour it onto a rimmed sheet pan where it will spread out and cool while you prepare the cake.
- This yields 2 cups are about 1 pound.
Apple Spice Bundt Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F with the rack in the center of the oven. Have the bundt pan nearby.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt. Whisk to mix.
- Place the softened butter, oil, brown and granulated sugars in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat until completely combined.
- Add the eggs and vanilla and incorporate into the mixture, scraping often and into the bottom of the bowl.
- Mix in half of the apple butter, followed by half of the flour. Repeat with the remaining apple butter and flour.
- Spray the bundt pan well with a non-stick baking release. Dollop the batter evenly into the pan. Smooth it out.
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Place the pan on a cooling rack and allow to cool for about 15 to 20 minutes. Place a round cake cooling rack over the top of the bundt pan and carefully flip it over to release the cake. Allow it to cool completely before finishing.
Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting
- It is important that the ingredients are at room temperature. Place them in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
- Beat them on low to bring them together and then on medium high until they are completely combined. Scrape the sides and bottom often.
Finishing the Cake
- Fit a pastry bag with a ½" plain pastry tip. Fill the bag and pipe the frosting onto the cake as shown in the pictures above.
- Let the frosting set up briefly and the cake is ready to cut and serve. It can be held at room temperature for a day and then refrigerated if held longer. Bring to room temperature to serve.
- Alternatively, omit the frosting and dust with powdered sugar.
- Yields 12 servings.
Notes
Nutrition
Mark says
Very tasty and an "appealing" alternative to coring apples. I made the caramel frosting and then tasted it. Convinced it would be delicious on a dark chocolate cake, I froze it and opted for the powdered sugar dusting. Guests were pleased. Next door neighbor asked for the recipe.
Donna L. says
Hi Helen, this apple spice cake was fantastic! It is every bit as easy to make as you say. As always, I find your step by step pictures to be reassuring whenever I attempt a new recipe. The cake had a moist tender interior and the spice level was perfectly balanced.. I did 2 things differently... I used a tube pan because I measured my bundt capacity at 8 to 10 cups and didn't want to test my luck. I did have to add an extra 10 minutes of baking time. I suspect I need to check the calibration of my oven temperature. The second change I made was to use the cream cheese frosting from your Classic American Carrot Cake instead of the Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting as called for. This was a birthday cake for my dear mother in law and I decorated it to look like a wreath of fall flowers to celebrate her turning 68. She was so pleased! Everyone loves the cake and we will definitely make it again, this time with the Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting.
Many thanks for this delicious recipe and all the things you have taught me with this blog!
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Donna, your cake sounds like a beautiful tribute to your mother-in-law. She is a lucky person to have you in the family.
Nikki P says
this cake is great. I will be frosting it tomorrow and I have a quick question.
I make caramel in advance and I have a jar with 4 cups in my fridge. How much caramel does your recipe make so that I can portion out what I have rather than make more for this cake?
Thanks.
And as always your photos are great, I love the detail you provide.
Sorry just saw that the caramel recipe makes 2 cups.
Helen S Fletcher says
I was just about to write that. However, the recipe for the caramel makes almost a pound of caramel and the recipes states to use 8 ounces, which would be 1 cup.
Beth Bird says
This looks great! Finally a recipe to showcase my homemade apple butter :)
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Beth - You are the lucky one having homemade apple butter. This will be a great use for it.
Anne Hines says
I appreciate the ease of making this cake and, the apple butter is genius. These posts are always full of helpful information and well researched processes, ingredients and procedures. Thanks!
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Anne - Thanks so much for your kind words. I love what I do and it is good to know others do also.