Delicious and moist, this cake is filled with apples, cinnamon and nuts! It’s a great addition to any brunch, or to pair with a cup of coffee on Saturday morning! Topped with a drizzle of honey icing for the perfect treat.
We love comfort food, and apple cake is a perfect example. If you have extra apples on hand be sure to give our Apple Dumplings a try, and top them with a scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream.
Paula Deen’s Apple Cake
I owe this recipe to Paula Deen who claims to owe it to her Uncle Bob. It’s filled with fresh Granny Smith apples sweetened with cinnamon, and an out-of-this-world honey glaze.
The walnuts add a perfect crunch!
Paula Deen makes a delicious banana pudding recipe, so I knew I would love this cake too!
- Perfectly sweetened apple cake (with chunks of fresh apples).
- Bundt cake for beautiful serving.
- A touch of honey in the icing is a flavorful complement to this fall cake.
You’ll never find me turning away an opportunity to bake (and eat) more instant pot apple cake, so when I saw this recipe I knew I had to try it.
Love apples for breakfast? Try our apple cinnamon rolls next!
Ingredient Notes
- Apples – Fresh apples (not apple pie filling or canned). Peel, core and dice the apples before making the cake.
- Walnuts – Pecans can be substituted. Toast the nuts first for best results. This cake would be tasty without the nuts too, if you need it to be nut free.
- Honey – Maple syrup works as a substitute but (obviously) will give the cake a maple flavor–also delicious! You could also substitute agave nectar for a more mild flavor.
Step by Step Instructions
STEP 1. Divide ingredients into bowls
I get everything ready by dividing three combinations of ingredients into separate bowls.
In one bowl, toss the apples with walnuts, vanilla extract and cinnamon. In another bowl, sift together the flour with kosher salt and baking soda. In the third largest mixing bowl, beat the sugar with eggs and oil.
STEP 2. Make the batter
Now, add the flour mixture to the egg mixture, beating well until combined. Fold in the apple-walnut mixture.
STEP 3. Bake
Pour the batter into a greased bundt pan (or use my homemade cake release) and bake for about 1 hour and 30 minutes. For dark pans, you may need less time!
Let the cake cool in the pan completely, then turn it out on a cake plate.
STEP 4. Make the glaze
Combine the powdered sugar, honey and milk in a bowl or glass measuring cup and whisk until totally smooth.
Drizzle the honey glaze over the cooled apple cake. Slice and enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
Granny Smith are far and away my favorite apples for baking! If you don’t have any and can’t get them, choose the next tartest option for best flavor, such as Pink Lady.
A standard bundt pan (holds 12 cups of batter) or tube pan is preferred.
Use a long cake tester, inserted into the cake. If it comes out clean, your cake is ready to come out of the oven. This could take anywhere from 80 to 100 minutes, depending on your oven, environment and the color of your cake pan.
Keep it covered in the fridge–a cake plate with a cover works great to store the cake. It will keep well for up to 3 days. I love the way it tastes cold from the fridge!
More Dessert Recipes
- Apple Spice Muffins
- Apple Crumble Recipe
- Apple Cake in the Crockpot
- Caramel Apple Cinnamon Roll Cake
- Apple Hand Pies
- Apple Pie Doughnuts
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section below!
Pin this now to find it later
Pin It
Apple Cake with Honey Glaze
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 3 cups diced apples
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 ¼ cups vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
For the Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 Tablespoons honey
- 1 Tablespoon milk
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix together the apples, walnuts, vanilla, and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Using an electric mixer beat the sugar, oil, and eggs in a large bowl. Add in the dry ingredients and beat until completely combined. Fold in the apple mixture.
- Scrape the batter into a lightly greased Bundt pan or tube pan.Bake in a 325 degree F oven for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until a tester inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean (for dark pans it may be a little shorter).
- Allow the cake to fully cool in the pan, about 1 hour, and then turn it out onto a plate.
- For the glaze, add all the ingredients to a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Drizzle over cooled cake.
- Store covered cake in refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Drizzle the apple cake with some of the honey glaze, serve and enjoy!
Notes
- What kind of apples should you use for baking? Granny Smith are far and away my favorite apples for baking! If you don't have any and can't get them, choose the next tartest option for best flavor, such as Pink Lady.
- What kind of pan do you need to make this? A standard bundt pan (holds 12 cups of batter) or tube pan is preferred.
- How can I tell when the cake is ready? Use a long cake tester, inserted into the cake. If it comes out clean, your cake is ready to come out of the oven. This could take anywhere from 80 to 100 minutes, depending on your oven, environment and the color of your cake pan.
- How should you store this apple cake? Keep it covered in the fridge–a cake plate with a cover works great to store the cake. It will keep well for up to 3 days. I love the way it tastes cold from the fridge!
Nutrition
This best-ever Apple Bundt Cake with honey glaze never fails to impress. Save this recipe for your next autumn brunch gathering. . . or just to share with all the apple dessert lovers in your life!
This looks spectacular! Can’t wait to try it this fall!
Nooo! That is just heart breaking! I say cry a lot, then plant new ones b/c even though this is devastating, eventually the new ones will yield bug – free fruit too. So sad you have to wait but it will be worth it (again) in the end. This cake is the perfect consolation – it looks so comforting! OK so since you linked to that other lovely apple cake – the caramel apple coffee cake, and this one also reminds me of a breakfast-worthy treat…I just have to know which you like best. I have a hankering for apple cake and wonder which I should try first. This one is calling my name, despite the caramel in the other. 🙂
The caramel glaze on the cakes is sooooo good. But this cake is chunky and amazing, tough call.
I love the trees at our house. We had an empty lot when we started and have picked out each one individually. If anything happened to any of them I would feel like I lost part of the family.
This cake looks delicious! We planted two apple trees this year so we are hoping for something next year!
Wonder how good it would be with peaches!?????
I bet it would be Delish!
Yum, this cake looks delicious. Saving recipe for Autumn baking.
Oh no, that is horrible! I adore apples:) This cake looks so amazing and especially after all the zucchini recipes I’ve been making or the no bake cookies I’ve been “no baking” since it is so hot outside! Wow, gorgeous pics and amazing looking recipe. I want some so badly right now!
Thanks MaryFrances, it was quite horrible. But the cake made me feel a bit better. For now 🙂
This is making me long for fall! Love apple cake and all the smalls that come with it.
Thanks Emily, my house did smell pretty amazing!
Mmm looks delicious!! We had an apple tree, too, but it didn’t last long. Now we’ve got an apricot and a pear. They didn’t yield much fruit this year but last year they were exploding with fruit that we even had people sneak into our front gardens and pick some off!!
I would love a pear tree and a peach tree. Maybe that’s what I’ll do…
I feel the exact same way about apples. I’m so sorry about your trees! I guess the good news is you still got to enjoy this dessert? 🙂
Good news indeed 🙂
Awww… I’m sorry about your apple tree. However, this apple cake sounds and looks delicious. I can’t wait to try it! Thanks for the recipe Aimee.
Oh your poor tree, how sad!! These cake looks gorgeous, love how moist apple cakes always are!! (Well, most of the time 😉 )
I love apples, too. One day, maybe I’ll have apple trees! I love baking with them, and this apple cake looks and sounds delicious! As much as I will miss summer, I’m ready for fall. More apples!
Beautiful apple cake, girl! I have been wanting to make Paula’s apple cake, too. But, so sorry to hear about your uprooted apple tree. So sad! Pinned to several group boards at Pinterest! xo
What an absolutely delicious looking cake! I think you need to make another one, so I can come over for coffee and taste testing 🙂
I am dying for a slice of this apple cake! Looks awesome, Aimee!
That is always so sad when a storm takes down any tree. I actually had my apple tree skip last year of producing apples. I’m excited for this fall to have some delicious apples for special treats. This recipe is definitely special…I love all of the cinnamon!
I’m so jealous, but I can’t wait to see what you create!!
Oh my goodness! I’m so sorry to hear about your poor apple trees! 🙁 That is such a travesty. We planted two little apples trees on our property several years ago, and they’ve never done very well. They’re just tiny little things, but I do hope that one day we’ll get some fruit off them. 🙂
This cake looks so yummy! and that drippy white glaze is gorgeous! <3
If apples are not Available, can I use canned apples, apple pie filling, or apple sauce? Also can I use a square cake pan, in place of a bundt pan?
What a gorgeous cake and I remember your Apple Week from last fall like it was yesterday. Is it already getting to be that time of year?! Wow. Time flies!