With its moist texture, soft crumb and depth of apple flavor, this apple bundt cake is perfect for any occasion. I like to use a variety of apples in this cake such as Honey Gold, MacIntosh, Haralson and Prairie Spy. Drizzle with a simple honey cider glaze and serve.
I grew up in New England and the apples from my childhood were MacIntosh. They are deliciously tart and have a soft flesh that practically turns to applesauce on a hot day. It wasn’t until I moved to Minneapolis that my apple horizons were broadened and now I am spoiled by the riches of so many local varieties of apples.
This is a cake I have made for Rosh Hashanah for decades. It has evolved over the years and uses both shredded and chunks of apples to get the most flavor. I have a list below of the apples I like to use.
You can watch me make this cake on my TV show, Zoë Bakes (season 1 – apple episode) and I chatted with Jenn White on the NPR show 1A about fall baking and all things apples. Listen to the episode here.
More Favorite Apple Recipes
Best Apples for Cake
I always use at least a couple different kinds in a recipe. You’ll have your local favorites, but keep the flavor and texture profiles in mind when choosing, for example I chose:
- Honey Gold: Sweet
- Harlason: Tart
- MacIntosh: Saucy
- Prairie Spy: Firm
Infusing apples with a golden honey-cider caramel is like matchmaking two friends. Honey as a basis for caramel is a bold and absolutely spectacular flavor shift.
Grating the apples into this apple cake also retains the moisture, packs in the flavor, but also adds a measured consistency of apple throughout the cake that I just love.
Apple Bundt Cake With Honey Glaze
Apple season falls right around Rosh Hashanah, a time to celebrate the Jewish new year with family and friends. This cake will quickly become an old family tradition for the holiday.
Apple Bundt Cake Ingredients
- Apples: choose from the varieties above to add different flavors and textures.
- Hard Apple Cider: just a few tablespoons for a little extra kick
- Honey Glaze: the glaze adds just the right amount of sweetness
Apple Cake
- 1 1/4 cups (300ml) mild-flavored oil
- 1 1/2 cups (300g) granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup (130g) lightly packed brown sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp hard apple cider
- 3 eggs at room temperature
- 2 cups (300g) packed grated apples, plus 2 cups (300g) apple chunks about 4 medium apples
- 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour, plus 1 tbsp. for tossing with apple chunks
- 1 cup (130g) whole wheat flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
Honey Glaze
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp hard apple cider
- 1/4 cup (60ml) heavy whipping cream
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- pinch kosher salt
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Preheat oven to 325°F / 165°C. Generously grease and flour a 12-cup / 2.8L Bundt pan. Set aside.
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In a large bowl, combine the oil, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, hard cider, and eggs with a spoon. Stir in the grated apples.
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In a separate bowl, whisk together the 2 cups / 240g all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add dry ingredients to the apple mixture and mix only until it all comes together in a smooth batter.
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Toss apple chunks and 1 tablespoon flour, then fold the apples into the batter.
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Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Gently tap the pan on the counter several times to make sure the batter has fully settled into the nooks of the Bundt.
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Bake for about 1 hour 15 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a serving plate.
Honey Glaze
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Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to simmer for 2 minutes.
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Drizzle with half of the glaze over the still warm cake. Save the remaining glaze to drizzle over the cake when it is fully cooled and ready to serve.
Rate and Review!
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If you’ve made this recipe, please leave a rating and review! I love to hear how you’ve adapted my recipes to your own tastes, so please share how it went for you. It helps other people find my recipes. Thank you!