Apple-Pecan Pound Cake with Caramel Glaze

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This recipe for apple-pecan pound cake with caramel glaze is based on one I cut out of The Los Angeles Times over twenty years ago. I love making cakes in a bundt pan because I don’t have to fiddle with extra pans and worry about fancy frostings. This is a wonderfully rich cake to showcase apples at the peak of their season right now. Granny Smiths work well here, my favorite apple for baking.

I have learned to double the ingredients for the caramel glaze and my version reflects the adjusted amounts.  The original recipe called for cream instead of milk in the caramel sauce and either will make a thick glaze. No need to peel the apples unless you prefer to do so.

Apples, pecans and caramel sauce – what’s not to like?

TIP: This recipe makes a lot of caramel sauce. You can hold some aside to add to the cake as you serve it, or else freeze it. It is delicious over vanilla ice cream.

Yields one cake, about 10 servings

  • 2 1/2 cups Granny Smith apples, chopped into small pieces (2 large apples)
  • 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups white sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1/2 teaspoon Meyer lemon zest
  • 5 large eggs
  • 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 pinch kosher salt (optional)
  • 3/4 cup pecans, chopped
  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 pinch kosher salt (optional)
  • 1 cup whole milk or cream

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2. Using a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and sauté the apples over medium heat for 3 minutes. Set aside.

3. Using a standing mixer on medium speed, cream remaining butter with sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the vanilla, lemon zest, and then the eggs, one at a time.

4. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger and salt.

5. Turn on mixer to low and add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Next, fold in the apples and pecans.

6. Spoon the cake batter into a greased and floured bundt pan and bake for 1 hour.

7. While the cake bakes, make the caramel sauce. Using a medium-sized saucepan, combine the brown sugar, white sugar, salt and milk. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring, for 5 minutes, until sugars have melted.

8. When cake has baked and cooled for 15 minutes, turn out of bundt pan onto serving plate. Drizzle with caramel sauce.

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19 Responses to Apple-Pecan Pound Cake with Caramel Glaze

  1. TasteFood November 10, 2011 at 10:37 pm #

    Oh my, this sounds divine. Thanks for keeping this recipe and sharing!

    • lizthechef November 10, 2011 at 11:05 pm #

      Dessert after roasted boar, perhaps? Thanks, Lynda.

  2. sippitysupwww.sippitysup.com November 10, 2011 at 10:37 pm #

    I just recently bought a bundt cake pan. Isn’t that crazy. Something so essential and basic. GREG

    • lizthechef November 10, 2011 at 11:07 pm #

      Sorry – my reply skittered down the scroll – I just tossed mine and need a new bundt pan.

  3. The Wimpy Vegetarian November 10, 2011 at 10:43 pm #

    This has all my favorite fall ingredients (well except the pecans b/c of my allergies), but I love how this looks. I’ll bet your kitchen smells fabulous right now!!!

    • lizthechef November 10, 2011 at 11:03 pm #

      I forgot about your nut allergy. I’m not a huge fan of nuts anyway and think it would be delicious without – or maybe pignolis?

      • lizthechef November 10, 2011 at 11:04 pm #

        Good – I threw my old one out when I refused to give up part of my cake. Anyhow, I need a new one pronto.

  4. Bevi November 11, 2011 at 1:15 am #

    This will be the next combination of your recipe and my apples!

    • lizthechef November 11, 2011 at 1:17 am #

      Thanks, Bevi, I’m sure your apples will be an improvement on my recipe.

  5. current vintage November 11, 2011 at 1:33 am #

    Liz, sounds so delicious and I love apple cakes!! I love using a tube pan because I never trust the damn cake to come completely clean out of the pan. The bundt pan shaped like a rose really cured me!

    • lizthechef November 11, 2011 at 2:14 am #

      Please recommend a new one because I threw my old one in the trash after it didn’t co-operate. I think weight is a good thing in a bundt pan?

  6. Judy at Two Broads Abroad November 11, 2011 at 4:54 am #

    Liz this looks so delicious. I will always remember you very kind words while sitting on the deck at Camp Blog-Away, “Go for it. You light up when you talk about that dish”. Thanks so much for your encouragement.

    • lizthechef November 11, 2011 at 3:29 pm #

      And of course I remember you – coming to camp next May? I think I will.

  7. Jayne November 11, 2011 at 8:55 am #

    This looks so good! Im glad to see that Im not the only one with bundt problems! My bundt never comes out completely so I now suffer with bundt fear!

    • lizthechef November 11, 2011 at 3:28 pm #

      Truly, I was so mad that I threw it in the trash…And this is not the first time!

  8. Oui, Chef November 12, 2011 at 4:23 pm #

    Oh dear…. I MUST make this cake over the holidays, I just know it would be perfect!

    • lizthechef November 14, 2011 at 3:38 am #

      Oh dear, yes you must 😉 Thanks for being such a faithful reader, Steve – Happy Thanksgiving to you and your lovely family.

  9. Kim - Liv Life November 15, 2011 at 7:11 pm #

    So nice to meet you Liz!! A recipe that has been around for such a long time must surely be a hit. Thanks!

    • lizthechef November 15, 2011 at 8:11 pm #

      Thanks for your visit – so nice to meet you indeed.

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