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Apple Pecan Cake with Caramel Glaze

Apple pecan cake with caramel glaze: a dense bundt with melted-in diced apples and toasted pecans, then a warm brown sugar caramel ribbon that sets. Bakes low and slow at 325°F for a deep-golden, tender crumb with spiced flavor in every slice.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Cooling + setting 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 55 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cake
  • 3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1.25 cup vegetable oil
  • 3 large eggs room temperature
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp fine salt
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 3 cup peeled and diced apples about 3 medium Granny Smith
  • 1.5 cup chopped pecans toasted
Caramel Glaze
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 0.25 cup heavy cream
  • 0.25 tsp fine salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
Topping
  • 0.33 cup chopped pecans
  • 0.25 tsp flaky sea salt

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Bake the cake
  1. Heat the oven to 325°F. Generously grease and flour a 10-cup bundt pan, getting into every crease so the cake releases cleanly (no white flour pockets).
  2. In a large bowl, whisk the vegetable oil, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until thick and glossy, about 1 minute (it should look slightly lighter).
  3. Whisk in the eggs one at a time, then whisk in the vanilla, beating until the mixture is smooth and pale (about several smooth strokes each time).
  4. Add the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg, then fold with a spatula just until no dry streaks remain (batter will be very thick, like cookie dough).
  5. Fold in the diced apples and toasted pecans, mixing until evenly coated so the fruit loosens the batter (no dry flour around the apples).
  6. Spoon the batter into the bundt pan and press it level with the back of the spatula. Tap the pan once on the counter to settle (flattened top should look even).
  7. Bake 60–70 minutes, until the top is deep golden and a skewer inserted into the thickest part comes out with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter).
  8. Cool in the pan 20 minutes. Invert onto a wire rack and cool 30 minutes more (the cake should feel set and hold its shape).
Make and set the caramel glaze
  1. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, then stir in the brown sugar and heavy cream and bring to a gentle boil (bubbles should be steady).
  2. Boil 3 minutes without stirring, until slightly thickened and glossy (you should see it cling to the spoon).
  3. Off the heat, stir in the salt and vanilla, then cool 5 minutes so the glaze thickens enough to cling (it should look slightly syrupy).
  4. Pour the warm glaze over the cake, letting it run down the ridges, then scatter with chopped pecans and flaky sea salt (a soft ribbon should coat the sides).
  5. Let set 20 minutes before slicing (glaze will look matte and not smear easily).

Notes

For clean release and even cooking, grease-flour the bundt pan thoroughly into every crease, then press the batter level before baking. Store airtight at room temperature up to 3 days or refrigerate up to 5 days; freeze slices up to 2 months for best texture. For a lighter option, use part-swap baking (replace half the oil with unsweetened applesauce) while keeping the eggs—your cake will be slightly less dense but still tender.