Apple Cinnamon Bundt Cake Recipe

Apple cinnamon cake is one of the most beloved varieties of homemade cakes. Especially during the winter months, its delightful aroma makes it irresistible alongside a warm cup of coffee or tea. Apple cakes are usually made by adding chopped apples to the batter, allowing you to feel the apple pieces inside the cake. While this is enjoyable when the cake is fresh, once it cools down the apple pieces tend to become mushy and are not as pleasant. To avoid this problem, I used grated apple in this recipe.

But if you enjoy seeing apple chunks in your cake, I strongly recommend my apple cinnamon moist cake recipe.

The Effect of Using Applesauce

Moisture balance: Unlike milk, purée contains water, natural sugars, and pectin. Pectin binds the crumb together and provides uniform moisture, allowing the slices to stay soft and moist over time instead of drying out.

Texture: Since you are using purée instead of apple pieces, “wet apple pockets” do not form during baking. The interior becomes spongy, uniform, and balanced. This is precisely why apples do not become mushy as the cake rests.

Apple Selection and Purée Preparation

Variety: Apples that are not overly juicy and have a slightly grainy texture with a strong aroma released immediately upon cutting provide enough flavor to make the cake distinctly apple flavored. Very soft and juicy apples may weigh the cake down and are therefore not suitable for this recipe.

Weight: Two medium-sized apples, approximately 400 g, are enough to provide the desired aroma and moisture. This weight is measured before removing the cores. I used the apples with their skins. If you prefer peeling them, it is better to increase the weight by 20–30 g.

Oxidation: If you let the puréed apple sit after processing, it may oxidize and turn brown. For this reason, make sure to process the apples right before you begin preparing the cake.

Possible Issues and Solutions

Wet interior: The most likely cause of a wet interior is insufficient baking time. To check if the cake is fully baked, insert a toothpick into the thickest part once it looks golden and baked. You should see tiny cooked crumbs on the toothpick. This method can be used for all cake recipes.

Overly browned top, undercooked interior: Your apples may have been very juicy, resulting in too little flour in the batter. Since you cannot measure the apples’ water content at home, focus on the flour measurement, the only adjustable variable. Always add flour gradually, checking the batter consistency as you go. Refer to the video in the recipe to see the correct texture.

Crumbly slices: Too much flour or overmixing may cause this. Too much flour means not enough wet ingredients, which results in a crumbly structure. When a cake batter is overmixed, the ingredients begin to separate instead of binding together. Consider how cream turns into butter when overwhipped as an example.

Flavor Variations

Citrus: If you do not like cinnamon, try adding one tablespoon of grated lemon or orange zest to the apple purée for a different aroma.

Instead of walnuts: Hazelnuts or almonds yield the same result at the same weight. If adding raisins, coat them lightly in flour and add them at the final stage.

Topping: If you like, gently dusting the cake with powdered sugar just before serving adds a pleasant visual touch.

Enjoy…

Bon appétit…