Spice Bundt Cake Recipe

frosted and sliced bundt cake on a white platter.

5 from 10 votes

Homemade spice bundt cake tastes like autumn, with warm fall spices, brown sugar, and added moisture from applesauce. The rich caramel frosting complements the spices, and no fancy decorating skills are needed. It's a beautiful addition to your holiday table, and it's customizable.

Prep Time15

Cook Time35

Total Time50

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: servings

Calories: 529kcal

Author: MaryAnne

Equipment

1 Bundt pan

Ingredients

For the cake:

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon allspice
1 cup vegetable oil
1 ¾ cup dark brown sugar, packed
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup shredded apple

For the caramel frosting:

½ cup unsalted butter
1 cup brown sugar
¼ cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups confectioner's sugar

Instructions

Make the cake:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray or coat lightly with butter or oil.
In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk the oil, brown sugar, applesauce, eggs, and vanilla extract. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk just until combined. Gently fold in the shredded apple.
Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top of the cake is browning too quickly, cover it loosely with foil.
Let it sit for 15 minutes, then invert cake onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

Make the caramel frosting:

While the cake is cooling, make the frosting. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.
Whisk in brown sugar and bring to a boil.
Lower heat to medium-low and boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the milk, vanilla extract, and salt, and bring back to a boil, continuously stirring.
Remove from heat and cool to lukewarm. Gradually whisk in confectioner's sugar until mixture becomes thick and frosting-like in texture. Drizzle over cooled cake.

Notes

Storage: Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
How to freeze: Wrap individual slices in foil and place in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. To thaw, place in refrigerator overnight.
How to serve: You can serve this cake at room temperature, cold, or reheated. It's delicious at any temperature!
Let it cool. Allow the cake to cool partially in the pan before inverting it. Run a thin knife around the edges if it seems like it’s a bit stuck.
Mix just until combined. Over-mixing could produce extra gluten, creating a chewier cake, and we are going for a lighter texture.
Cake recipe adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction.

Nutrition