Bready or Not: Caramel-Apple-Pecan Bundt Cake
This Caramel-Apple-Pecan Bundt Cake is an absolute showstopper, a cake that looks incredible no matter the pan and tastes amazing, too.
Of course, to get those results, it takes work. This is a recipe that dirties a lot of dishes. Worth it, though? Oh yes.
I modified this recipe from the September/October 2025 issue of Bake from Scratch.
Bready or Not: Caramel-Apple-Pecan Bundt Cake
Equipment
- 10-cup bundt cake pan
- nonstick spray with flour
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks) melted and cooled slightly
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1/3 cup apple cider
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 large firm sweet apples (such as Honeycrisp or Cosmic Crisp) peeled and cored
- 5 tablespoons caramel sauce
Glaze
- 1/2 cup caramel sauce
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- chopped pecans for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 325 degrees. Thoroughly coat the interior of a 10-cup bundt pan with baking spray with flour.
- In a large bowl, mix together melted butter and sugars. Add the eggs, cider, and vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg.
- Dice up the apple into small pieces. This can also be done with a box grater.
- Mix half of dry mixture into the butter mixture. until just combined. Fold in apples along with any juice. Mix in remaining flour mixture. Scrape the bottom of the bowl, and make sure there are no white streaks.
- Scoop 2 cups of the batter into another bowl. Stir in the caramel sauce until the batter is fully incorporated and darker.
- Use two spring-loaded scoops or large serving spoons to dollop alternating lumps of the two batters into the prepared pan. Once all of the batter is inside lay out a folded kitchen towel and firmly tap the pan on it several times to help the dough settle and release air bubbles.
- Bake cake for an 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 25 minutes; the middle needs to pass the toothpick test. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then invert the cake onto a wire rack. Cool completely.
- For glaze, if the caramel sauce is cold or stiff, measure it into a microwave-safe bowl and briefly and carefully zap in microwave to loosen. Mix in the vanilla.
- Place cake on a serving platter or plate. Drizzle caramel over top. If desired, sprinkle pecan pieces on top.
- Serve at room temperature; store for up to three days, covered. Leftover cake can be individually wrapped and frozen for later.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not Original: Soft Chocolate Ginger Cookies
These Soft Chocolate Ginger Cookies look as delicious as they are. Sugar-coated with a crackled top, each cookie is soft, chewy, and loaded with ginger and spices.
I love the addition of candied ginger pieces in cookies like this. I don’t buy the pre-cut small pieces, as I think they are too tough. I like buying the larger pieces, like the ones sold by Trader Joe’s, and then I use kitchen shears to cut them into small pieces.
Bready or Not Original: Soft Chocolate Ginger Cookies
Equipment
- parchment paper
- small cookie scoop
Ingredients
Dough
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks) room temperature
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder sifted
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup candied ginger chopped
Topping
- 1/2 cup white sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, beat together butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg followed by vanilla and molasses.
- In another bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
- Gradually beat the dry ingredients into the wet, scraping the bottom of the bowl to incorporate everything. Fold in the candied ginger pieces.
- Place the topping sugar in a bowl. Use a small scoop to shape the dough, then roll in sugar. Set spaced out on baking sheet.
- Bake for 11-12 minutes. Let set on sheet a few minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Store in a room temperature sealed container up to 2 days.
OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not: Almond Croissant Bars
These Almond Croissant Bars can’t match the texture of the real-deal, but the flavors? Oh yeah. Honestly, I think of the pastry base here as a buttery conveyance for the glories of frangipane.
Frangipane is one of my favorite things on the planet. Oh, you ask, what is frangipane? To quote Wikipedia, which has scarily become one of the better media platforms in this doomed timeline: “…A sweet almond-flavored custard, typical in French pastry, used in a variety of ways, including cakes and such pastries.”
Frangipane can be part of some very fancy, complicated desserts. This bar recipe is incredibly straightforward. You don’t even need to wash the bowl between making the crust and frangipane. This is the kind of treat that works well as a dessert but is also a fantastic breakfast or brunch item.
Bready or Not: Almond Croissant Bars
Equipment
- 9×9 or 8×8 pan
- aluminum foil
- nonstick spray
- uneven spatula
Ingredients
Crust:
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 stick
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Frangipane:
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (3/4 stick) room temperature
- 1/3 cup white sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups almond flour or almond meal, sifted
Topping:
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
- confectioners’ sugar for dusting optional
Instructions
Make the crust:
- Melt the butter, either in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave or in a pot on the stove. Set aside to cool.
- Preheat oven at 350. Line an 8×8 or 9×9 baking pan foil to extends up all four sides. Apply nonstick spray to base and sides.
- Mix together the unsalted butter, brown sugar, egg, both extracts, and kosher salt. It will become smooth and glossy.
- Beat in the flour and baking powder to form a thick batter. Spread into an even layer.
Make the frangipane:
- Beat together the butter, white sugar, and kosher salt the mixture is pale and fluffy. Scrape the bottom of the bowl.
- Add the two extracts followed by the eggs one at a time. The mixture may look curdled. Scrape down the bottom of the bowl again. Fold in the almond flour, mixing until everything is smooth.
- Dollop the frangipane over the base layer and smooth out using an uneven spatula. Evenly sprinkle the sliced almonds over the top and gently press in.
Bake and finish:
- Bake until golden brown and passes the toothpick test in the middle, 38 to 42 minutes. Let cool completely. Speed process in the fridge.
- Use foil to lift the contents onto cutting board. Sprinkle on confectioners’ sugar, if desired. Cut into pieces. Store in a sealed container in the fridge.
OM NOM NOM!
Nebula Weekend Schedule 2026
I’m attending Nebula Weekend in Chicago (well, Rosemont, as my Chicagoan friends are quick to specify). I’ll arrive late Wednesday and be present into Sunday morning. My public schedule is pretty light, but I’ve already arranged various meetings and foodie adventures with friends.
Follow my social media for schedule updates, food pics (hmm maybe there will be cheesy things?), and general trip news!
See me at the Red Wing Library this Saturday!
My cozy mystery, Cheddar Luck Next Time, was the Community Read pick for the Red Wing Library! They gave away copies of the book (apparently, they went fast) and I’ll be a guest at the library this Saturday from 10am to 11:30am. I’m going to talk about my personal journey as an autistic person and why I wrote the book, and also, about CHEESE. I have it on good authority that cheese will be available, too.
Come on by if you’re anywhere in the area!
Bready or Not: Fig, Hazelnut, and Herb Crackers
You might know that I have a small interest in cheese. (Ahem.) That interest also extends to good accompaniments for cheese. I’m always on the lookout for delicious crackers–either store-bought or recipes.
These Fig, Hazelnut, and Herb Crackers, greatly modified from a Bake from Scratch recipe, are reminiscent of crackers from Trader Joe’s or the fairly common Raincoast brand. They have a hearty flavor thanks to a mix of flours.
Use different herbs to adjust the flavor, too, especially if you’re pairing with particular cheeses. I used fennel because I had some around, but rosemary or thyme would be great here.
Note that this is a two-step recipe, too, with a break in the middle to freeze the loaf for slicing and a second bake.
Bready or Not: Fig, Hazelnut, and Herb Crackers
Equipment
- loaf pan
- parchment paper
- large serrated knife like a bread knife
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 Tablespoon dried fennel
- sprinkle Italian herbs
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup dried figs chopped
- 1/4 cup hazelnuts coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup half & half or milk
- 2 Tablespoons runny honey
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Cut parchment paper to fit like a sling into an 8.5 by 4.5-inch loaf pan. Apply nonstick spray inside pan then on the paper positioned within the pan.
- In a large bowl, combine both flours, herbs, baking soda, and salt. Add figs and hazelnuts. Gradually stir in the half & half and honey, scraping the bottom of the bowl. Pour into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 20 minutes. Go ahead and turn off the oven, as it’s not going to be used for this recipe again for a couple hours, minimum. Let the little loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift it out to completely cool on a rack.
- Wrap it in plastic wrap and stash in the freezer for 2 hours, or until whenever you plan to finish the recipe.
- Preheat oven at 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Use a large serrated knife, such as a bread knife, to slice loaf into 1/8-inch thick pieces. Lay pieces on pan.
- Bake 10 minutes. Gently flip to other side. Bake for an additional 20 to 35 minutes, until pieces are crispy and dried, not squishy at all. Keep in mind, bake time will be impacted by cracker thickness; a thin cut will cook quickly, a thick cut, at the higher end of the spectrum.
- Let them cool on pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack to fully cool. They will keep well in a sealed container at room temperature for up to a week, but are also great to freeze (and will thaw quickly, too).
