Nothing bundt thankful for bundt cakes !! LOL, seriously I love easy cakes baked in a simple tube pan with a nice thick glaze drizzled on it. This granny smith apple bundt cake is simply everything fall crammed into one cake. In south Louisiana when we get our first cool front I want two things…Gumbo and this cake. I have the chicken and sausage gumbo simmering and this cake baking .. I can honestly say this is what heaven must smell like. The cake is tender on the inside with big chunks of apples in every bite. The spices are perfectly balanced with the citrus undertones and has a nice crunch from the pecans.This is an altered version of a cake I have been making for years and I have the recipe posted on Just a Pinch. https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/dessert/cake/granny-smith-apple-bundt-cake-3.html?r=8
Why did I alter a perfectly good recipe that has been pinched over 22,000 times you ask? I consider this one of my most controversial recipes I have ever posted on the recipe website Just a Pinch. How can a recipe cause that much drama? Wait for it……..2 whole cups of oil……apparently I committed some sort of baking felony. Feel free to read the 200 plus comments or I can just tell you, this really upset some people. Even though some bakers have said they cut the oil or added applesauce I decided to do both. To me the cake has a slightly different texture but equally delicious . My original recipe with the 2 cups of oil the outside of the cake is slightly crunchy with a sugary crust. This version the outside is just as moist and tender as the inside of the cake.
This bundt cake is really easy to throw together and is great for any occasion . I make it just because we love it and I eat it for a dessert, snack and even breakfast with coffee. I have also added this to my dessert table at Thanksgiving and Christmas for my guest that want a change from the pies.
This is super easy to throw together for a made from scratch cake. First start off by spraying your bundt pan with cooking spray with flour and preheat your oven to 350.
Then mix all of the dry ingredients and set aside.
Then mix sugar, eggs, oil, applesauce, vanilla , and juice from 1 orange. Save the peel for later you will need to zest it for the glaze.
Add the dry ingredients about a 1/2 cup at a time until blended well.
Peel , core and dice 3 granny smith apples and chop pecans
Fold the apples and pecans into the cake mixture
Pour into prepared pan and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes..I tested should come back clean
One the cake is baked allow it to cool for 10 minutes
Invert the cake onto a cake plate
Mix the glaze ingredients to desired consistency
Spoon onto cooled cake
ENJOY!!

Granny Smith Apple Bundt Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 2 cups sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup applesauce
- 2 Teaspoons pure vanilla
- 1 medium orange juiced approx 1/4 cup
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 Teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 3 medium to large granny smith apples peeled cored and diced
- 1 cup pecans chopped
- 1 medium orange
For the Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp orange zest
- 1/4 teaspoon orange extract
- 2 Tablespoon milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350
- Spray Bundt pan with cooking spray with flour
- Mix dry ingredients ..flour, salt , baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside
- Mix sugar , eggs, oil, applesauce, orange juice and vanilla
- Once the wet ingredients are blended add the dry ingredients 1/2 cup at a time
- Fold in Apples and chopped pecans
- Pour into the prepared bundt pan
- Bake 1 hour and 15minutes
- Let cool 10 minutes and then invert onto a cake plate
- Let cool completely before glazing
- Mix glaze ingredients until the desired consistency
- Drizzle glaze over cake
Haha comment drama is just the funniest, weirdest thing ever. Everyone has so much to say about how you make your food! I’m glad you were able to use all the feedback to create two equally delicious recipes!
It seriously is funny Melissa! Mostly people wanting to make desserts a little healthier objected .
Granny smith apples, pecans and spice, this bundt cake looks nothing… bundt… delicious! Especially with that gorgeous orange glaze! This is perfect for Thanksgiving!
LOL, baking felony…indeed! 2 cups of oil certainly seems excessive. The new version may take some getting used to but it’s much better for you. I bet it smells amazing while baking!
Oh yes..I swear I never knew 2 cups of oil could be so upsetting. LOL
You had me at fresh crisp apples in a bundt cake. I can smell it baking now and will be perfect for this holiday season.
I love bundt cakes and this one looks so moist, delicious and perfect for Fall. I am definitely making this cake this weekend!
Your apple bundt cake looks like pure perfection! I recently was using an online recipe that required 1 cup of oil and I thought it was a misprint! haha…I only used about 1/2 cup and the recipe still turned out well. I think it’s funny though that people were upset about using 2 cups of oil!
I’m always looking for excuses to use my bundt pan. This looks great!!
Love the crumbly texture to this Bundt cake. Apple sounds delicious and interesting and healthy and nutritious.I have to make it .
I already love bundt cakes and love apple cakes so I knew I needed to make this as soon as I saw it. Such a great recipe and easy to follow! Can’t wait to make it again.
I swear, I can smell this through my screen. And that drizzle? Ohhhhh man. Would you judge me if I just ate this for all three meals?!
What a beautiful cake!! This will be a perfect centerpiece at my thanksgiving dessert table! Thank you!
I realize this is an older post, but I have to ask this question in hopes of getting a reply. 🙂 I don’t see the amount of applesauce substituted for oil. Was it one to one – 1 cup oil/1 cup applesauce? Or did you experiment with 1 1/2 oil – 1/2 applesauce? Would hate to screw up all those wonderful ingredients.
Hi Sharon .. it is 1 cup apple sauce and 1 cup oil . My original recipe on just a pinch calls for 2 cups of oil. I have experimented with this recipe many ways to reduce the oil and found 1/2 and 1/2 seemed to work well. I hope this helps .
Thank you for your reply. I’m gonna try this very soon.
My cake seems to have had the apples all settle in one spot and seems too gooey. I tested it and it seemed to be done but when I cut it I was disappointed it didn’t look done but think it’s only the apples settled in on area!
Hi Anneal ..This cake bakes for 1 hour and 15 minutes so you are correct it should be done if your oven is keeping the temperature correct. This cake is very dense and moist and the apples can put off a lot of moisture during the baking process. This cake like other apple cakes can have a different texture than a regular cake without fruit. I hope I am explaining this correctly.