This Apple Caramel Bundt Cake recipe combines the tartness of apples with the sweetness of caramel - resulting in a delicious dessert. The caramel is baked into the cake creating a surprise tunnel of gooey goodness.
The beloved flavors of apple and caramel are generally well-received, making this apple caramel cake a hit at parties, potlucks, and family gatherings.
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Ingredients
You need the following ingredients for the Apple Caramel Bundt Cake:
- Cream cheese: use a full-fat cream cheese. Bring to room temperature before starting the recipe. Cream cheese is mixed with the dulce de leche for the filling and if cold it is difficult to create a smooth filling.
- Dulce de leche: cans of dulce de leche are most often found in the your grocer's baking aisle. You may also make your own dulce de leche in a crockpot - check out this recipe for instructions.
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Baking powder, baking soda and ground cinnamon
- Butter: use unsalted butter. Cut the butter into ¼" cubes and allow to come to room temperature before starting the recipe
- Eggs: this recipe uses 2 eggs and 2 egg yolks (save the whites for your next omelet, make macaroons, etc...). Use room temperature eggs.
- Sour cream: use full-fat, room temperature sour cream.
- Apples: peel, core and chop the apples into ¼" cubes. Any baking apple works well in this cake (Granny Smith, Gala, Honey Crisp, etc..).
See recipe card for quantities.
Bundt pan preparation
This Apple Caramel Bundt Cake is fairly simple to make and not much can go wrong except when you unmold it. Take the time to properly prepare your cake pan before creating the cake batter. I recommend one of the following methods:
- Generously spray the pan with baking spray making sure to get the spray into any little crevices. Using a paper towel, remove any excess spray that has pooled in the crevices.
- Combine ¼ cup flour, ¼ cup vegetable shorting and ¼ cup vegetable oil in a mixer. Mix until the ingredients are well combined. Using a pastry brush, apply the cake release to the inside of the pan.
Caramel filling and drizzle instructions
Mix together cream cheese and dulce de leche until well combined and no lumps remain.
Set aside ½ cup of the mixture. This is used to drizzle over the cake after it has finished baking. Spoon remaining mixture into a piping bag.
Apple caramel Bundt cake batter instructions
Combine eggs, yolks and sour cream in a small bowl and mix to combine. Set aside.
Add sugar, flour, baking powder, cinnamon and baking soda in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix for one minute on low speed to combine ingredients. Note: a hand mixer may also be used.
Add softened butter and mix on low speed for 3 minutes. Scrape sides of the mixing bowl occasionally using a rubber spatula.
Add half of the egg/sour cream mixture to the mixing bowl and combine on low speed for one minute. Scrap sides of bowl.
Add remaining egg/sour cream mixture to the mixing bowl and combine on low speed for one minute. Scrape sides of bowl and mix on low speed for another minute.
Add the chopped apples to the cake batter. Stir in by hand until well distributed.
Cake assembly and baking
Add ½ of the cake batter to the prepared pan and smooth with a rubber spatula. Use the back of a spoon to create a tunnel in the batter. Pipe the cream cheese / dulce de leche mixture into the tunnel you just created. Take care to keep the mixture away from the sides of the pan.
Add the remaining cake batter to the pan. Smooth gently with an rubber spatula. Bake for 50 minutes at 325° or until top is quite brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove pan from oven and cool upright for 15 minutes. Flip pan upside down onto a cooling rack and let cool completely. Remove pan - cake should release from pan on its own. If not, use blunt knife and gently loosen sides. Cool completely (approximately 1 hour).
Place the reserved ½ cup of dulce de leche/cream cheese mixture in piping bag. Drizzle over the top of the cake. Slice, serve and enjoy!
Variations
This apple caramel Bundt cake is easily adaptable to a variety of tastes. Consider the following variations:
- Walnuts - apples, caramel and walnuts are a match made in heaven! Walnuts add more flavor and a bit of crunch to this cake. Stir ½ cup of toasted and chopped walnuts into the cake batter when you add the apples.
- Cinnamon chips - want more cinnamon flavor in this cake? Stir ½ cup of cinnamon chips into the cake batter when you add the apples.
Equipment
Use a high-quality 12-cup Bundt cake pan for this banana Bundt cake.
A stand-mixer works best for this recipe but a hand-mixer may also be used.
You also need measuring cups and spoons and a pastry bag.
Storage
Bundt cakes will stay fresh for longer periods compared to lighter, airier cakes. This is helpful when you need to prepare a dessert a few days in advance. Store the cake at room temperature wrapped in foil or plastic for up to 3 days.
To freeze, wrap the apple caramel cake well and freeze for up to 2 months. When ready to serve, remove from the freezer and allow to defrost at room temperature (approximately 2 hours).
FAQ
Yes! Simply substitute an equal amount of 1 to 1 gluten-free flour replacement for the all-purpose flour. King Arthur and Bob's Red Mill are both good brands for gluten-free flour.
More apple desserts
Love desserts with apples? Check out a few of these delicious recipes:
📋 Recipe
Apple Caramel Bundt Cake
Equipment
- Stand Mixer (a hand mixer may also be used)
- Bowls, measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
Caramel Filling and Drizzle
- ¾ cup Cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 can Dulce de Leche (13.4 ounce can)
Cake Batter
- 2 Cups All-Purpose flour
- 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 10 Tablespoons Butter, room temperature (5 ounces)
- 2 Large Eggs, room temperature
- 2 Large Egg yolks, room temperature
- 1 Cup Sour Cream, room temperature (8 ounces)
- 2 Medium Apples Peeled and chopped into ⅓" cubes (approximately 1 ¼ cups)
Instructions
- Prepare a 9" or 10" Bundt pan by generously spraying the inside with non-stick baking spray or melted butter. Lightly dust with flour.
Filling and Drizzle
- Mix together cream cheese and sweetened dulce de leche until well combined and no lumps remain.
- Set aside ½ cup of the mixture. This is used to drizzle over the cake after it has finished baking.
- Spoon mixture into a piping bag. Set aside.
Cake Batter
- Preheat oven to 325°.
- Combine eggs, yolks and sour cream in a small bowl and mix to combine. Set aside.
- Add sugar, flour, baking powder, cinnamon and baking soda in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix for one minute on low speed to combine ingredients. Note: a hand mixer may also be used.
- Add softened butter and mix on low speed for 3 minutes.
- Add half of the egg/sour cream mixture to the mixing bowl and combine on low speed for one minute. Scrap sides of bowl.
- Add remaining egg/sour cream mixture to the mixing bowl and combine on low speed for one minute. Scrape sides of bowl and mix on low speed for another minute.
- Add the chopped apples to the cake batter. Stir in by hand until well distributed.
- Add ½ of the cake batter to the prepared pan and smooth with a rubber spatula. Use the back of a spoon to create a tunnel in the batter.
- Pipe the cream cheese / dulce de leche mixture into the tunnel you just created. Take care to keep the mixture away from the sides of the pan.
- Add the remaining cake batter to the pan. Smooth gently with an rubber spatula.
- Bake for 50 minutes at 325° or until top is quite brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove pan from oven and cool upright for 15 minutes.
- Flip pan upside down onto a cooling rack and let cool completely. Remove pan - cake should release from pan on its own. If not, use blunt knife and gently loosen sides.
Drizzle
- Place the reserved ½ cup of dulce de leche/cream cheese mixture in piping bag. Drizzle over the top of the cake.
Jacqueline says
This apple caramel bundt cake is so very good. I loved the combo of the apples with the caramel filled centre! Great recipe!
Claudia says
Just tried this Apple Caramel Bundt Cake recipe, and it was a huge hit! The caramel drizzle was the perfect touch. Thanks for sharing!