Apple Bundt Cake Recipe with Oil and Applesauce

This easy Apple Bundt Cake is packed with fresh apple flavor, warm cinnamon, and a little bright lemon zest. It’s moist and tender without being overly rich. I use a combination of oil and applesauce to reduce the fat without sacrificing that soft, flavorful crumb.

TRY THIS APPLE BUNDT CAKE

• Easy to make: You can mix this cake entirely by hand, no mixer needed. The method is similar to making a quick bread, so it’s an easy recipe to reach for whenever you have apples on hand.
• Plain or frosted: It’s wonderful on its own as a simple snack cake, but during apple season I love serving it with a drizzle of tangy Apple Cider Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting. The caramel adds just the right touch of sweetness and makes this humble apple cake feel a little more special.
• Moist without being overly rich: I use a mix of oil and applesauce to cut the fat while keeping the cake wonderfully moist and tender. You get a soft, flavorful apple cake without it feeling too heavy.

CAKE BATTER

Cake batter comes together quickly. To prevent overmixing, which can lead to a dense crumb, combine wet and dry ingredients just until combined. Using the 4-prong wire beater helps combine the wet and dry ingredients quickly and evenly in just a few strokes.

Make the most of the lemon zest: Before mixing the sugar into the batter, rub the freshly grated lemon zest into the sugar with your fingertips. This releases the fragrant lemon oils and gives the cake a brighter, more pronounced lemon flavor.

APPLE CIDER CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

I know, apple cider caramel can be hard to find on grocery store shelves. Honestly, it’s out of this world, made using apple cider from a local orchard. If you have time to try it out, it’s totally worth it. However, if you don’t have time to make it yourself, you can use store-bought caramel sauce or skip it altogether. A simple lemon-cinnamon butter glaze (use 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon) works beautifully, or enjoy the cake plain.

Print Pin

Apple Bundt Cake

Author Hani

Ingredients

Cake Batter

• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour 325 grams
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon 3 teaspoons
• 1 cup sugar 200 grams
• 1/3 cup brown sugar 70 grams
• 1 tbsp lemon zest from one lemon
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil 120-125 ml
• 3 large eggs
• 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce 120-125 ml
• 3-4 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice from one lemon
• 3 cups 3-4 medium-sized apples 360 grams, peeled, chopped into medium-sized chunks, 1/2 inch thick

Apple Cider Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 package cream cheese 226 grams
• 1/4 cup room temperature butter 60 grams
• 1/4 cup Apple Cider Caramel Sauce homemade or store-bought caramel sauce
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar 60-65 grams, use more if you desire sweeter frosting

Apple Cider Caramel Sauce

• 2 cups apple cider cooked over low heat,and reduced to 1/4cup
• 3/4 cup sugar 150 grams
• 1/4 cup water 60 grams
• pinch of salt
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice alternatively use 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
• 1/4 cup warm heavy cream 60 grams
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract

Instructions

Apple Bundt Cake Batter

• Preheat oven to 350°F/180℃.
• Butter and flour a bundt pan,  tap out the excess flour, set aside.
• Into a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.

  In a small dish, rub sugar with lemon zest with your fingers until fragrant.

  Whisk together the oil, eggs, applesauce, vanilla extract, and lemon juice.

  Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until just combined, with no large chunks, but don't overmix. Gently stir in chopped apples.
• Spoon the batter into the prepared Bundt cake pan.

  Bake for about 55-70 minutes or until the toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Check it at the 55-minute mark, and if needed, add 5 minutes at a time and check again.

  If the top browns too much, loosely cover the top with foil.
• Remove from the oven and set aside for 20-30 minutes on a cooling rack, covered with a kitchen towel, then invert the cake onto a cooling rack and cool completely.
• Once cooled, spoon or pipe the frosting onto the cake and then drizzle with the remaining Apple Cider Caramel Sauce.

Cream Cheese Apple Cider Frosting

• Beat the cream cheese with room-temperature butter until smooth, about 30 seconds to a minute.

  Then gradually beat in cooled, thick apple cider caramel sauce. Beat in powdered sugar to taste, beating until smooth, about a minute.

Apple Cider Caramel Sauce

• In a saucepan, combine apple cider reduction, granulated sugar, and apple cider vinegar.

  Heat over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves completely. You can rub the mixture between your fingers and check the sides of the pan for sugar crystals, too.

  Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil. Do Not Stir!

  Occasionally swirl the pan around to prevent the mixture from scorching.

  If you notice sugar crystals forming on the sides, cover the pan with a lid, let the steam build up inside, and wash the sides clean. Check after 30 seconds. Don't leave the caramel unattended.

  Cook until caramel reaches an amber color. Pour in warm cream. The mixture will sizzle loudly; cook until smooth.

  Stir in salt and vanilla. Cover and let cool completely and store in the fridge.

Notes

• Can I use regular caramel sauce? Yes, absolutely, you can use store-bought caramel sauce.

This post was first published on November 29, 2012. On September 16, 2026, I updated this post with a printable recipe card, recipe instructions, and useful tips.

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