Honey Apple Pound Cake

Friends, I’m admittedly a bit weepy as I type this last blog post. Kinda like when I’m 1/3 of the way through the most delicious black beans and rice, and I get sad thinking that there will be a time when those black beans will be literal history. Because today is Day 12 of the Twelve Days of Pound Cake, and that means that our 2023 season is coming to an end. And oh, what an end. Because today? TODAY? We’ve got Honey Apple Pound Cake.

Honey Pound Cake is one that’s been requested a number of times by Begin with Butter family members, so I hope you really love this take as much as I do.

About this Honey Apple Pound Cake

I savored, er, SAVED this one for last, my friends. Because she is a stunner. She is show-stoppingly gorgeous, decadently appointed, and the hilt of pound cake perfection. I just love this cake so, so much.

‘Tis the season to indulge in the sweet symphony of holiday delights, and what better way to tantalize your taste buds than with a slice of honey-kissed perfection in the form of a Honey Apple Pound Cake? Picture this: a decadent dance of golden sweetness, where every crumb whispers tales of warm, festive cheer. As you sink your fork into the moist embrace of this heavenly creation, your senses are transported to a winter wonderland of flavors. The honey, a mischievous accomplice, lends its golden nectar to the velvety batter, creating a cake that’s not just dessert but a festive celebration in every bite. So, let the Christmas spirit infuse your palate with the magic of honeyed joy, as this incredible pound cake steals the show at your holiday table!

The honey gives this cake such a beautiful texture and flavor. The unmistakable scent. of honey wafts heavily and lazily in the air when you open this one, creating a delicious anticipation among your consumers. When you cut into this cake, the moist crumbs make the mouth water as your friends and family await their first bite. And when they see that brown sugar cinnamon caramel…the anticipation will hit fever pitch.

But make them wait. 😂 Because when they get the first look at the apples, Friends, they’re either going to really, really love you, or really, really love you and also be mad at you for making them wait for this cake.

Ingredients in this Honey Apple Pound Cake

Let’s get into this one. Because the lusciousness of this cake would make it seem really difficult, when in actuality it’s actually quite easy!

All-Purpose Flour: All-purpose flour is the star of a pound cake, IMHO. The higher protein content helps create the incredible texture that reminds me so much of those pound cakes of my youth. Also, if you want a pound cake that conforms to these beautiful bundt pans and creates a stunning masterpiece, you’ll want all-purpose flour; cake flour doesn’t hold those gorgeous designs nearly as well.

Baking Soda: This cake uses buttermilk as the liquid. For this reason, baking soda is the appropriate leavening. Don’t substitute baking powder in this recipe; it’s not the right tool for the job.

Kosher Salt: Every baked good needs salt to counteract the sugar. A little goes a long way, so be careful when you’re measuring!

Unsalted Butter: Room temperature, unsalted butter is perfect for this cake. I love cultured butter, but what you use is entirely up to you! The butter helps create the perfect texture in this cake; the creaming process creates beautiful little air pockets that help the leavening work even better!

Vegetable Oil: Oil helps add additional richness to this ultra-decadent cake! My personal favorites for this cake are avocado oil and vegetable oil, but use whatever you like.

Granulated Sugar: Sugar adds sweetness to our cake, but it also aids in caramelization! And with bundt cakes, that beautiful golden crust is largely due to the caramelization from the sugar!

Honey: Honey is the star of this show. Aside from lending that unmistakable honey taste, honey is also a humectant, which means that it adds moisture to your pound cake.

Eggs: The egg whites in this cake add structure to the cake, while the fatty yolks add flavor. Make sure to take your time whilst adding the eggs! Too much liquid at one time will cause your batter to separate.

Pure Vanilla Extract: I know I’ve been on a vanilla bean kick as of late (sorry-not-sorry), but this cake uses vanilla extract. It’s the perfect accompaniment for the richness of this cake. 😊

Buttermilk: You’ll want to use full-fat buttermilk for this recipe. Fat=flavor and you don’t want to skimp on flavor!

Apples: Use crisp apples for this recipe. No Gala or Red Delicious. You want an apple that stands up to the rigors of baking, like Honeycrisp or Fuji.

Beginners Start Here

If you’re new to baking, or if you want to learn how to do some of the more tricky baking techniques, here are a couple of super helpful articles from the BwB site (and also from the BwB Home Baking Academy!) that will help you get set up for success with this Honey Apple Pound Cake.

• BwB Masterclass: Perfect Pound Cakes Encore! Learn my secrets for making the absolute most delicious pound cakes over and over again!
• BwB Home Baking Academy: Creative Cakes Workbook: Learn how to create your very own cake recipes with this fun workbook! Only $99 this holiday season!
• My Favorite Bundt Pans
• Meet Your Kitchen BFF–Your Digital Kitchen Scale!
• Technique Tips for the Best Pound Cakes (& Big News!)
• How to Cream Butter and Sugar (With New Video!)
• Baking 101: How to Measure Ingredients
• How to Grease a Bundt Pan
• The Best Tools for Perfect Pound Cakes
• Knowing When to Stop a Technique

These resources are super helpful to help you build consistency and confidence on your baking journey. Happy Reading!

Important Tools Used in this Honey Apple Pound Cake

Below, you’ll find some tools that I used for this pound cake. These are the tools that I use all the time in my own kitchen.

**I get paid a small commission if you purchase directly from these links, but they are truly amazing products that you’ll find in my kitchen.**

If you have them already, great! Think of this as a checklist to help you build the confidence that you’ll need to execute this recipe!

• Oven Thermometer
• Digital Food Scale
• KitchenAid Hand Mixer
• KitchenAid Stand Mixer 
• Stainless Steel Mixing Bowl Set
• OXO Spatula Set
• Sifter

Friends, this marks the end of the Twelve Days of Pound Cake, and it’s a little bittersweet this year. From concept to implementation, this was my absolute favorite of the three years, and I’m more than a little sad that it’s done.

BUT

I hope you have an incredible time with these recipes around your holiday table, and I hope you and your family love them for years and years to come.

Happy Holidays, Friends!

Honey Apple Pound Cake

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

This Honey Apple Pound Cake delivers the best kind of dessert punch. Enjoy this with family around your holiday table for an unforgettable experience.  Drizzle extra brown sugar caramel sauce for an even more delightful treat!

• Total Time: 5-7 hours
• Yield: 18 servings 1x

Ingredients

Units MUS Scale 1x2x3x

For the Batter:

• 384 g (3 c) all-purpose flour, plus 2 tbsp for the apples
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1.5 tsp kosher salt (if using table salt, halve the amount)
• 227 g unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 300 g (1.5 c) granulated sugar
• 160 g (1/2 c) honey
• 5 eggs
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 250 g (1 c) buttermilk
• 2 medium baking apples, peeled and diced (I love honey crisp apples for this recipe)

For the Brown Sugar Cinnamon Caramel Sauce:

• 100 g (1/2 c) brown sugar
• 57 g (1/4 c) unsalted butter
• 125 g (1/2 c) heavy cream
• 1/2 tbsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

To Make The Batter:

1. Set your oven to a true 325°F.  An oven thermometer is extremely useful here, since most ovens will not reach 325°F when set to 325°F.
2. Sift together the all-purpose flour, kosher salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl.  Set aside.
3. Add the room-temperature butter, vegetable oil, and honey to the bowl of your stand mixer or a large mixing bowl.  Mix with your hand mixer or stand mixer until the mixture is completely smooth and combined. Add the granulated sugar and cream until the mixture is light and fluffy.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing each egg until completely incorporated into the mixture.  Scrape the sides and bowl as needed to ensure even mixing.
5. Add the pure vanilla extract and mix thoroughly.
6. Add half of the flour mixture and mix until just combined.
7. Add all of the buttermilk and mix until just combined.
8. Add the second half of the flour mixture and mix until just combined.  Using a rubber spatula, give the sides and bottom of the bowl a final scrape to ensure that the batter is evenly mixed.
9. In a medium bowl, place the diced apples and two tablespoons of flour.  Stir gently to coat.  Then, very gently fold the apples into the batter.
10. Prep a 10- or 12-cup bundt pan as you normally would (I use butter and flour to prep pans for this cake)
11. Bake for 65-75 minutes in a true 325°F oven, or until an instant-read thermometer reads 212°F-215°F.

To Make the Brown Sugar Cinnamon Caramel Sauce:

1. Start with caution.  Caramel is hot sugar and the steam it produces can cause burns, so please do this step when you’re fully engaged.  I don’t want you to get burned!
2. Place brown sugar in the bottom of a large (at least 2.5-qt), heavy-bottomed saucepan.  Turn heat to high medium and watch sugar carefully as it begins to melt.
3. Once the sugar begins to melt, stir constantly with a balloon whisk like this one.  It’s important that the whisk not have a metal handle, since a metal handle will conduct heat from the pan.
4. Turn the heat down to medium and stir constantly until all of the lumps of sugar melt and the sugar has a slightly nutty smell.
5. Add all of the butter and continue whisking.  The mixture will bubble A LOT when you add the butter and there will be a lot of steam, so be careful with this step.
6. Stir butter into the mixture gently until it’s fully incorporated, then remove the mixture from the heat.
7. Add all of the heavy cream at one time while the mixture is off the heat.  Again, the mixture will bubble so be careful!  Stir the mixture until everything is fully combined.
8. Add the salt and cinnamon and stir to combine.  Caramel will be very loose at this point and that is normal!
9. While the caramel sauce is still hot, use a pastry brush to brush on the cake.  Allow the remaining caramel sauce to cool for about 10-15 minutes, then drizzle atop the cake.
10. Enjoy!

• Author: Shani
• Prep Time: 45 minutes
• Cook Time: 60-70 minutes
• Category: Dessert
• Cuisine: American