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Cranberry-Apple-Pumpkin Bundt Cake

The flavors of fall in a cake and splurge-worthy Thanksgiving dessert with a maple glaze and topped with sugared pecans and pumpkin seeds.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: apple, bundt cake, cranberry, dessert, maple glaze, pepitas, pumpkin, Thanksgiving
Servings: 12 servings

Equipment

  • 12-cup Bundt pan

Ingredients

Cake

  • ¾ cup finely chopped pecans
  • 1½ cups peeled and diced Granny Smith apples
  • 2 tbsp butter, melted
  • ½ cup finely chopped sweetened dried cranberries
  • ½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 4 large eggs
  • 15 oz. can pumpkin puree
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • ½ tsp baking soda

Sugared Pecans and Pepitas

  • 1 cup pecan halves and pieces
  • ½ cup roasted, salted shelled pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
  • 2 tbsp butter, melted
  • 2 tbsp sugar

Maple Glaze

  • ½ cup pure maple syrup
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

To make cake

  • Preheat oven to 350°. Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 6 to 8 minutes or until toasted, stirring halfway through. Cool 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325°.
  • Toss diced apples in 2 Tbsp. melted butter to coat in a medium bowl; add cranberries, next 2 ingredients, and toasted pecans, and toss until well blended
  • Beat granulated sugar and 1 cup butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Add pumpkin and vanilla; beat just until blended.
  • Stir together 3 cups flour and next 3 ingredients. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended after each addition. Spoon half of batter into a greased and floured 10-inch (12-cup) Bundt pan. Spoon apple mixture over batter, leaving a 1/2-inch border around outer edge. Spoon remaining batter over apple mixture.
  • Bake at 325° for 1 hour and 10 minutes to 1 hour and 20 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 15 minutes. Remove from pan to wire rack; cool completely (about 2 hours).
    Meanwhile, prepare Sugared Pecans and Pepitas.

Sugared Pecans and Pepitas

  • Preheat oven to 350°. Stir together pecan halves and pieces, pepitas, and melted butter. Spread in a single layer in a 13- x 9-inch pan. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through. Remove from oven; toss with sugar. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack (about 30 minutes).

Maple Glaze

  • Bring maple syrup, butter, and milk to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring constantly; boil, stirring constantly, 2 minutes. Remove from heat; whisk in vanilla. Gradually whisk in powdered sugar until smooth; stir gently 3 to 5 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken and cool slightly. Immediately spoon onto cooled cake. Arrange pecans and pepitas on cake.