Brown Sugar Cinnamon Apple Bundt Cake

Apple cinnamon bundt cake meets a brown sugar swirl and fresh apples in this easy, from-scratch bake. No glaze needed, just a dusting of confectioners’ sugar for the final touch.

Cinnamon Apple Bundt Cake Season Starts Here

My apple trees are throwing fruit like confetti right now. Even with the tallest ladder I can’t reach half of them, but the deer are thrilled with whatever hits the ground.

This brown sugar cinnamon apple bundt cake is my opening move every fall. It’s buttery, tender, and streaked with cinnamon sugar that runs through the cake. The smell coming out of the oven is exactly what fall should smell like, and the apples melt just enough to make every bite soft and sticky in the best way.

There’s nothing crazy on top – just a quick snow of confectioners’ sugar before slicing. You tell yourself one piece and then, whoops, half the pan is gone.

Why I Love This Recipe

• Brown sugar + cinnamon. The best fall duo.
• Reminds me of apple pie, but in cake form.
• Perfect for dessert, can double as breakfast, tastes best at midnight.

Ingredients

Everything you need for an apple cinnamon bundt cake that smells like fall.

• All-purpose flour – basic, but necessary.
• Baking powder + baking soda – the lift team.
• Brown sugar – molasses-y and rich, melts into the cake, just like it does in my pumpkin brown sugar muffins. Brown sugar gives the crumb its warmth. If you’re out, my how to make brown sugar tutorial fixes it fast.
• Granny Smith apples – tart and bossy, like the ones baked into my fresh apple bars.
• Cinnamon – fall’s favorite perfume.
• Salt – necessary flavor.
• Butter – gives the best cake flavor.
• Eggs – the glue.
• Confectioners’ sugar – just a quick snowstorm on top.

How to Make This Apple Cinnamon Bundt Cake

Find the complete printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the BOTTOM OF THE POST.

• Step One (prep the pan and dry mix)
  Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 12-cup Bundt pan (2.8 L). Mix up the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and a good spoonful of cinnamon in a bowl. That’s your dry base.
• Step Two (butter + sugar + eggs)
  Melt the butter, let it cool a bit so it doesn’t scramble the eggs, then whisk in the brown sugar until it looks smooth and glossy. Crack in the eggs and whisk again.
• Step Three (bring it together)
  Fold the dry mix into the butter mixture. Don’t beat it into oblivion, just fold until it looks combined. Toss in the apple chunks and give it a gentle stir.
• Step Four (build the swirl)
  Spoon half the batter into your pan. Mix a little brown sugar and cinnamon together, the same swirl layering I use in my Amish apple fritter bread. Cover with the rest of the batter and smooth it out.
• Step Five (bake and finish)
  Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for half an hour, then flip it onto a rack to cool completely. Before serving, hit it with a quick snowfall of confectioners’ sugar and call it done.

Recipe Tips

A few tips for baking the best apple cinnamon bundt cake at home:

• To keep it tender, don’t overmix the apple bundt cake batter once the flour’s in.
• Add a handful of chopped walnuts or pecans to the apple cake batter for crunch.
• Always cool the apple bundt cake in the pan for 30 minutes before flipping, it keeps the shape clean.
• For extra spice, stir nutmeg or allspice into the cinnamon sugar swirl, the kind of warm-up I use in this apple chai cake.
• Dust confectioners’ sugar right before serving, it melts if it sits too long.

Storage and Freezer

This brown sugar cinnamon apple bundt cake keeps its flavor and texture if you stash it the right way.

• Room temp: Cover the whole cake in foil or plastic wrap and keep on the counter for up to 3 days.
• Fridge: Store slices in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Bring to room temp before serving so the texture isn’t dense.
• Freezer: Wrap whole cake or individual slices tightly in plastic, then foil. Freeze up to 2 months. Thaw at room temp before dusting with confectioners’ sugar.

FAQs

• What glaze works best on apple bundt cake?
  A simple vanilla glaze or caramel drizzle works, but I usually stick with just confectioners’ sugar. It keeps the apple bundt cake from getting too sweet and lets the brown sugar swirl shine.
• Can I bake apple bundt cake in a loaf pan?
  Yes. A tube pan works just like a bundt. If you want to turn it into an apple cinnamon loaf cake, split the batter into two loaf pans and start checking for doneness around 40 minutes.
• How do I keep apple cinnamon bundt cake from sticking to the pan?
  Grease every curve and edge of the Bundt pan (2.8 L) with butter or baking spray, then dust it with flour. Bundt pans love to trap cake, so take the time to get in all the grooves.

More Apple Desserts to Try

A few more apple desserts to bake throughout the season.

• Caramel Apple Layer Cake – spiced apple layers, caramel frosting.
• Butterscotch Apple Cake – sweet, sticky, and butterscotch loaded.
• Apple Cinnamon Granola – crunchy clusters that taste like apple pie.
• Snickerdoodle Apple Cobbler – apple pie filling and a cookie crust topping.
• Baked Apples – brown sugar and maple-walnut sauce.

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Print Recipe

5 from 5 votes

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Apple Bundt Cake

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Apple Bundt Cake baked with fresh apples and a cinnamon sugar swirl. No glaze needed, just confectioners’ sugar before serving.

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time50 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: apple bundt cake recipe, apple cinnamon bundt cake, brown sugar cinnamon apple bundt cake, cinnamon apple bundt cake, cinnamon sugar swirl cake, easy fall apple cake

Servings: 12 slices

Calories: 420kcal

Author: Cathy Pollak

Equipment

• 12-cup Bundt pan (2.8 L) Right volume so the cake bakes evenly.
• mixing bowls One for dry, one for wet ingredients.
• whisk For sugar, eggs, dry mix.
• Saucepan To melt butter gently.
• rubber spatula For folding the batter.
• cooling rack To cool the cake after unmolding.
• peeler To peel the apples.
• measuring cups and spoons Consistent results.

Ingredients

• 2½ cups (312 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp (8 g) + 1 tsp (3 g) ground cinnamon divided
• 2 tsps (8 g) baking powder
• ½ tsp (2.5 g) baking soda
• 1 tsp (6 g) table salt
• 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter melted
• 2 cups (440 g) light brown sugar divided
• 4 large eggs room temperature
• 4 medium-sized (~ 500 g) Granny Smith apples peeled, cored, chopped into ½-inch (1.25 cm) pieces
• confectioners' sugar for dusting

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 12-cup Bundt pan (2.8 L).
• In a small bowl, whisk the flour, 1 tablespoon cinnamon (8 g), baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  2½ cups (312 g) all-purpose flour, 1 tbsp (8 g) + 1 tsp (3 g) ground cinnamon, 2 tsps (8 g) baking powder, ½ tsp (2.5 g) baking soda, 1 tsp (6 g) table salt
• Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat and let cool slightly, about 10 minutes. Whisk in 1 ½ cups brown sugar (330 g) until smooth, then whisk in the eggs.
  1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, 2 cups (440 g) light brown sugar, 4 large eggs
• Fold the flour mixture into the butter mixture until just combined. Do not overmix. Gently fold in the apples.
  4 medium-sized (~ 500 g) Granny Smith apples
• Spoon half of the batter into the prepared pan. In a small bowl, mix the remaining ½ cup brown sugar (110 g) with 1 teaspoon cinnamon (3 g). Sprinkle this over the batter. Top with the remaining batter and smooth the surface.
• Bake for about 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Cool the cake in the pan for 30 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack. Cool completely. Dust with confectioners’ sugar before serving.
  confectioners' sugar

Notes

• A true 12-cup (2.8 L) Bundt pan gives the right rise.
• Apple pieces at ½ inch (about 1.25 cm) keep their shape without turning mushy.
• Fold dry into wet just until you no longer see streaks of flour. Overmixing makes a tough cake.

 

If you’re making this brown sugar cinnamon apple bundt cake, check out the full post. That’s where I keep extra tips, FAQs, and details that don’t always make it into the recipe card.

 

 

Nutrition info is an estimate and will vary depending on the brands you use.

 

 

©Noble Pig. All content and photos are copyright protected. Sharing the recipe link is always appreciated, but copying and pasting the full recipe anywhere else isn’t allowed.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Apple Bundt Cake

Amount Per Serving (125 g)

Calories 420 Calories from Fat 162

% Daily Value*

Fat 18g28%

Saturated Fat 10g63%

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 5g

Cholesterol 103mg34%

Sodium 421mg18%

Potassium 151mg4%

Carbohydrates 63g21%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 41g46%

Protein 5g10%

Vitamin A 725IU15%

Vitamin C 2mg2%

Calcium 60mg6%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Have you made this Brown Sugar Cinnamon Apple Bundt Cake? I’d love to hear how it turned out – leave a comment below and let me know.

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