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    Home » Recipes » Cakes

    Apple Praline Cake

    Published: December 19, 2020 · Last Updated: May 2, 2022 by Heather · This post may contain affiliate links · 15 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    closeup of apple praline cake

    This decadent apple praline cake has a surprise cream cheese filling. The flavors of cinnamon and apple meld together in a moist and flavorful cake. Perfect with or without the praline topping, this cake is the perfect dessert for the holiday season and is sure to have people coming back for seconds!

    closeup of apple praline cake on a platter

    It’s been a while, hasn’t it, friends?! I know you all understand when I say that 2020 has been a doozy of a year. Life has just been... crazy, insane, busy... let’s simply say it’s been quite the year. I’ve actually been quite busy in the kitchen lately. However, the theme of my recipes has been simple and easy. Take a pandemic, add a toddler into the mix, and throw working from home on top of that. What do you get? Super duper simple recipes. Are you on board with that? I hope so because that’s what I’ve got to share with you today!

    Jump to:
    • Why this recipe works
    • Key ingredients and why we use them
    • Frequently asked questions
    • Step-by-step instructions
    • Heather's helpful hints
    • Related cake recipes
    • Recipe
    • Comments

    slice of apple praline cake sitting on a plate

    Why this recipe works

    This apple praline cake is incredibly moist, thanks to canola oil and the addition of apples and carrots in the batter. The cream cheese filling is a special surprise that adds a smooth and creamy texture to the inside of the cake. On top, the praline mixture adds a crunchy sweetness that isn't too cloying. Together, all of these pieces make this cake incredibly luscious with lots of varied textures and flavors.

    Key ingredients and why we use them

    • Sugar: Sugar obviously adds sweetness to this recipe. Granulated sugar adds a fairly neutral sweetness to this cake.
    • Canola Oil: This cake recipe uses oil instead of butter. Oil, which remains liquid at room temperature, helps make this cake extra moist. You could easily substitute vegetable oil if that's what you have on hand.
    • Flour: A basic building block that gives our cake its structure. Use your basic all-purpose flour in this recipe. Either bleached or unbleached will be fine.
    • Eggs: Eggs are a multi-purpose player when it comes to baking. They add structure, leavening, color, and flavor! I always use large eggs when I'm baking.
    • Apples: I like using tart apples best for this recipe. They add a subtle contrast to the sweet cake and enhance the flavor profile.
    • Carrots: In this recipe, carrots add texture and moisture to our bundt cake.
    • Pecans: Pecans have high-fat content and subtly sweet taste. They are great for baking. Their texture is almost buttery, and they are a complementary accent to this cake both in the batter and as a garnish.

    Frequently asked questions

    What type of bundt pan is the best?

    I love my Nordic Ware bundt pan—no affiliate partnerships involved here! Perhaps it's because I'm a Minnesota girl at heart, and the company is based in Minneapolis. However, I can say that their bakeware honestly is the best! The pans hold up over the years, and they have tons of fun designs. I used my classic bundt pan for this recipe, but I've used different designs in the past.

    wide shot of apple praline cake on a platter

    Step-by-step instructions

    The entire recipe is below and can be printed to save for later. Before you get there, let’s walk through it step-by-step, so you understand what you’re doing beforehand.

    1. Start by toasting your pecans and chopping them. Next, shred your carrots and peel and chop your apples.

    apples, pecans, and carrots in measuring cup

    2. In a large bowl, combine your dry ingredients with a whisk. Then in a separate medium bowl, combine your wet ingredients. Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture.

    wet and dry ingredients in bowl for apple praline cake

    3. Add your apple, carrots, and pecans to the batter and mix just until combined. Be careful not to over-mix your batter, as this will give your cake a tough and rubbery consistency.

    apple cake batter in bowl

    4. Pour half of the bake batter into your prepared bundt pan. Then, top with your cream cheese mixture. Finally, pour the remaining batter on top and smooth with a spatula.

    closeup of bundt pan with batter

    Heather's helpful hints

    • One of the biggest problems you can have with a cake is over-mixing the batter. When you do this, you create too much gluten, and your cake can end up too tough. This is one reason it's a great idea to mix your dry ingredients first and then add the wet ingredients all at once. At the very end is when you want to add any last-minute additions!
    • Picking the best apple for baking is a bit of a personal choice. I think the most important component is finding an apple that is firm enough to hold it’s shape because no one likes mushy apple desserts… ugh. Ideally, you want an apple with a mix of tartness and sweetness. All of this being said, I like pairing fuji and gala apples together in a recipe. They have subtle differences that pair well together.

    Related cake recipes

    Did you make this recipe? First, let me say THANK YOU for giving it a try! Please leave us a rating above and leave any feedback in the comments section at the bottom of this post. I always love to hear your thoughts and ideas on what went well — and what didn’t — with a recipe! Be sure to check out some of our other recipes linked below!

    • Cherry Coffee Cake
    • Peach Cobbler Pound Cake
    • Strawberry Oreo Crunch Pound Cake
    • Pig Pickin' Cake

    Recipe

    apple praline cake on a platter

    Apple Praline Cake

    This decadent apple praline cake has a surprise cream cheese filling. It's the perfect dessert for the holiday season and is sure to have people coming back for seconds!
    Print Pin Comment
    4.80 from 5 votes
    Prep Time: 40 minutes
    Cook Time: 50 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
    Yield: 12 slices

    Equipment

    • fluted bunt pan (12 cup capacity)

    Ingredients

    Cream Cheese Filling

    • 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
    • ¼ cup sugar
    • 1 egg large

    Cake Mixture

    • 1 ¾ cups sugar
    • 1 cup canola oil
    • 3 eggs large
    • 2 cups all-purpose flour
    • 2 teaspoons baking powder
    • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
    • 2 cups apples peeled and chopped
    • 1 cup carrots shredded
    • ½ cup pecans toasted

    Praline Icing

    • ½ cup brown sugar packed
    • ¼ cup butter cubed
    • 2 tablespoons 2% milk
    • ½ cup confectioner's sugar
    • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
    • ¼ cup pecans chopped and toasted

    Instructions

    • Place a rack in the center of your oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit 20 minutes before baking your bundt cake. Grease and flour your bunt pan and set aside.
    • For the cream cheese filling, mix cream cheese and sugar in a bowl until smooth. Add your egg to the mixture and stir until incorporated.
    • In a large bowl, whisk sugar, oil, and eggs until combined. In a medium bowl, stir flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda. Slowly stir the flour mixture into the large bowl with sugar. Finally, incorporate apples, carrots, and pecans. Take care not to over-mix the batter at this point.
    • Pour half of your cake batter into the pan. Add a layer of your cream cheese mixture. Then top with the remaining cake batter. Tap your pan a few times on the counter to remove any air bubbles and then smooth the top.
    • Bake your cake for 50-60 minutes. To check for doneness, gently press down on the cake. If it bounces back completely, your cake is done! If your finger leaves an indent in the cake, it needs more time. Cool for 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.
    • While the cake is cooling, make your icing. Bring brown sugar, butter, and milk to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir continuously for one minute. Remove the pan and immediately stir in the confectioner's sugar and vanilla until combined. Drizzle the cooled mixture over the cake and sprinkle with pecans.

    Notes and Tips

    All ingredients should be at room temperature. That means you’ll want to take your cream cheese, eggs, and butter out ahead of time and let them rest at room temperature. I usually like to give them 3-4 hours sitting out on the counter.
    Recipe adapted from Taste of Home's William Tell's Never-Miss Apple Cake. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1slice | Calories: 596kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Cholesterol: 86mg | Sodium: 345mg | Potassium: 233mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 51g | Vitamin A: 2244IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 83mg | Iron: 2mg
    Did you try this recipe?!Mention @mysweetprecision on Instagram and hashtag it #mysweetprecision!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Renia

      February 02, 2021 at 7:00 pm

      This cake tastes as delicious as it looks. You made this recipe clear and easy to follow. We gobbled it up about as quickly as it was made!

      Reply
      • Heather

        February 03, 2021 at 7:37 pm

        I'm so glad you enjoyed it Renia! Thanks for stopping by and giving the recipe a try!

        Reply
    2. Odester

      February 01, 2021 at 7:26 pm

      I definitely want to try this out. I love adding the carrots for hay extra texture!!!!!

      Reply
      • Heather

        February 02, 2021 at 9:50 am

        I hope you enjoy the recipe! Let me know how it turns out!

        Reply
    3. Je’Tara

      February 01, 2021 at 4:10 pm

      I just purchased some mini Bundt pans and I think this would be perfect to break them in!

      Reply
      • Heather

        February 02, 2021 at 9:49 am

        Absolutely! I think mini bundt pans would be perfect... let me know how it works out!

        Reply
    4. Keiristin

      February 01, 2021 at 12:10 pm

      I am so excited to try this recipe. It looks amazing. It contains everything that I like...apples, cinnamon, carrots, and of course sugar! LOL.

      Reply
      • Heather

        February 01, 2021 at 1:45 pm

        Yes, I'm so glad it sounds delicious! You can't go wrong with all of those flavors!!

        Reply
      • Nathifa Cummins

        February 02, 2021 at 6:41 pm

        This cake looks to die for. I can’t wait to try this recipe. The praline icing is calling me.

        Reply
        • Heather

          February 03, 2021 at 7:38 pm

          The icing is the best part! You could honestly, put it on any type of cake and it'd be delicious.

          Reply
    5. Bernie

      December 23, 2020 at 3:34 pm

      Welcome back I missed you, or shall I say I really missed your blog.
      While the pandemic has allowed EXTRA time to cook I still believe in K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Stupid) recipes and this was a good one.

      Reply
      • Heather @ Sweet Precision

        December 24, 2020 at 10:17 am

        It's safe to say that I missed blogging! I agree that the KISS principle applies to all facets of life—baking included!

        Reply
      • Kate

        February 01, 2021 at 5:15 pm

        My daughters and I had so much fun making this recipe! Thank you!

        Reply
        • Kate

          February 01, 2021 at 5:15 pm

          My daughters and I had so much fun making this recipe! Thank you for such an amazing and tasty recipe!

          Reply
          • Heather

            February 02, 2021 at 9:51 am

            Hi Kate, I’m so glad you and your daughters enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for giving it at try! ♥️

            Reply

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    Hi, I'm Heather!
    I am a wife and mother, baker, photographer, blogger, and cupcake lover. I've been baking from a young age. With my easy-to-follow recipe ideas, you can create delicious desserts in your home kitchen! Let's get started baking!

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