Caramel Apple Breakfast Ring

Name: Caramel Apple Breakfast Ring
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature, softened, cut into pieces; 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar; 3 large eggs, at room temperature; ½ cup (120 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature; 1½ tsp (7½ ml) vanilla extract; 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour; 1½ tsp (7½ g) baking powder; ¼ tsp (1.2 g) baking soda; ¼ tsp (1½ g) table salt; 1 tsp (2½ g) ground cinnamon; 3 (450 g) medium apples (Honeycrisp or Granny Smith), peeled, cored, and diced, peeled, cored, diced into ½-inch (1.3 cm) pieces; 4 tbsp (57 g) unsalted butter; ¾ cup (165 g) packed light brown sugar; ¼ cup (60 ml) heavy cream; ½ tsp (3 g) table salt; ¾ cup (85 g) walnuts, toasted and chopped, toasted in a dry pan, coarsely chopped; 1 tsp (2½ g) ground cinnamon; 2 tbsp (25 g) granulated sugar

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A stunning bundt-style coffee cake with soft, buttery crumb, tender cinnamon-spiced apples, and a gooey caramel layer studded with toasted walnuts. Perfect for weekend breakfast or brunch, with a dramatic caramel crown when inverted.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 50 min
Wait: 15 min
Total: 1 hr 30 min
Makes: 1 ring cake (12 slices)

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Ingredients

12 servings

For the cake
¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature, softened, cut into pieces
1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
½ cup (120 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
1½ tsp (7.5 ml) vanilla extract
2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
1½ tsp (7.5 g) baking powder
¼ tsp (1.2 g) baking soda
¼ tsp (1.5 g) table salt
1 tsp (2.5 g) ground cinnamon
3 (450 g) medium apples (Honeycrisp or Granny Smith), peeled, cored, and diced, peeled, cored, diced into ½-inch (1.3 cm) pieces
For the caramel base
4 tbsp (57 g) unsalted butter
¾ cup (165 g) packed light brown sugar
¼ cup (60 ml) heavy cream
½ tsp (3 g) table salt
¾ cup (85 g) walnuts, toasted and chopped, toasted in a dry pan, coarsely chopped
For the apple layer
1 tsp (2.5 g) ground cinnamon
2 tbsp (25 g) granulated sugar

Equipment (10)

10-inch (25 cm) bundt pan
Medium saucepan
Large mixing bowl
Electric mixer or whisk
Medium bowl
Small bowl
Box grater or food processor
Wooden spoon
Measuring cups and spoons
Cooling rack

Steps

Before you start

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C)
Butter and flour a 10-inch (25 cm) bundt pan thoroughly, paying special attention to the center tube
Bring eggs and buttermilk to room temperature
Toast walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3–4 minutes until fragrant, then chop

1
Prepare caramel base
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 4 tbsp (57 g) butter with 0.75 cup (165 g) brown sugar, stirring constantly, until combined and bubbling at the edges, about 2 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in 0.25 cup (60 ml) heavy cream and 0.5 tsp (3 g) salt.
- The mixture will bubble gently—this is normal.
- Let cool for 1 minute, then stir in 0.75 cup (85 g) toasted chopped walnuts.
- Pour this mixture evenly into the prepared bundt pan, making sure it coats the bottom and center tube.
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Ready when: Caramel is smooth and bubble gently; walnuts are fully coated
Tip: Don't skip letting the caramel cool—pouring boiling caramel into the pan and directly onto eggs can cause steam pockets in the cake.
2
Mix apple cinnamon coating
- In a small bowl, combine 1 tsp (2.5 g) cinnamon and 2 tbsp (25 g) sugar.
- Toss the 3 cups (450 g) diced apples with this mixture until evenly coated.
- Set aside.
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Ready when: Apples are evenly coated with cinnamon sugar
3
Cream butter and sugar
- In a large mixing bowl, beat 0.75 cup (170 g) softened butter and 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar together with an electric mixer on medium-high speed for 2–3 minutes, until the mixture is pale, fluffy, and about doubled in volume.
- Scrape down the bowl as needed.
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Ready when: Mixture is pale, light, and noticeably fluffy
Tip: Don't rush this step—creaming incorporates air that helps the cake rise evenly.
4
Add eggs
- Add the 3 eggs one at a time to the creamed mixture, beating well after each addition (about 30 seconds per egg) on medium-high speed.
- The batter should look smooth and slightly thick; if it looks curdled or separated, it's fine—it will come together as you continue to mix.
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Ready when: Batter is smooth and pale; eggs are fully incorporated
Tip: Room-temperature eggs incorporate more smoothly than cold ones, reducing the risk of a curdled-looking batter.
5
Add vanilla
- Pour in 1.5 tsp (7.5 ml) vanilla extract and beat on medium speed for 15 seconds until combined.
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Ready when: Vanilla is evenly distributed; no streaks visible
6
Combine dry ingredients
- In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, 1.5 tsp (7.5 g) baking powder, 0.25 tsp (1.2 g) baking soda, 0.25 tsp (1.5 g) table salt, and 1 tsp (2.5 g) cinnamon until no lumps remain.
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Ready when: Mixture is uniform in color with no white streaks or lumps
7
Alternate flour and buttermilk
- Reduce the mixer to low speed.
- Add one-third of the dry mixture to the wet batter and mix until just combined (about 15 seconds).
- Add half of the 0.5 cup (120 ml) buttermilk and mix for another 15 seconds.
- Repeat with another third of the dry mix, the remaining buttermilk, and finish with the last third of the dry mix, mixing after each addition until just combined.
- Do not overmix; some streaks of dry flour are okay and will disappear during baking.
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Ready when: Batter is smooth with no visible streaks; flour is barely combined
Tip: Overmixing the batter at this stage develops gluten and creates a tough, dense cake. Stop as soon as you don't see dry flour.
8
Fold in apples
- Using a flexible spatula or wooden spoon, gently fold the cinnamon-coated apple pieces into the batter with about 8–10 folds, just until they are evenly distributed.
- Don't worry if a few small streaks of batter remain visible.
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Ready when: Apples are evenly distributed throughout the batter
Tip: Fold gently to avoid breaking the apple pieces and crushing air out of the batter.
9
Fill bundt pan
- Carefully pour the batter over the caramel and walnut base in the bundt pan, spreading it gently with a spatula to fill all the nooks and ensure an even layer.
- The caramel should stay at the bottom; don't mix it into the batter.
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Ready when: Batter completely covers the caramel base and fills the pan evenly
Tip: Pour slowly and spread gently to keep the caramel and walnuts from being pushed around.
10
Bake cakeOven 350°F / 175°C
- Place the bundt pan in the preheated 350°F (175°C) oven and bake for 45–50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the thickest part of the cake (avoiding the apples) comes out with a few moist crumbs, or the cake registers 205–210°F (96–99°C) on an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center.
- The top should be lightly golden and spring back when gently pressed.
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Ready when: Toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs; internal temperature is 205–210°F; top is golden and springs back
Tip: Start checking at 40 minutes; bundt pans vary in heat distribution. A few moist crumbs are fine—pulling the cake out slightly underbaked ensures it stays moist.
11
Cool and invert
- Let the cake cool in the pan for exactly 10 minutes—no more, no less.
- Run a thin knife or offset spatula around the inner and outer edges of the bundt pan to loosen the cake.
- Place a serving plate over the bundt pan and, using both hands, quickly and confidently flip the plate and pan together so the cake lands caramel-side up on the plate.
- Leave the pan in place for 1–2 minutes, then carefully lift it away.
- If any caramel sticks to the pan, gently warm the pan briefly and encourage the caramel onto the cake with a spatula.
- Let the cake cool on the plate for another 3–5 minutes before serving.
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Ready when: Caramel has set slightly but is still warm and pliable; cake is loose all around the edges
Tip: The 10-minute window is critical: too short and the cake will fall apart, too long and the caramel will be too firm to release from the pan. Be decisive when inverting.

Good to know

Tips

Room-temperature eggs and buttermilk emulsify more smoothly into the butter mixture, preventing a curdled-looking batter.
Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet before chopping—this intensifies their flavor and ensures they're not raw or rubbery.
If the caramel is still in the pan after inverting, gently warm the outside of the bundt pan with a kitchen torch or hold it briefly over medium heat to warm and soften the caramel so it releases fully.
This cake is best served warm or at room temperature, when the caramel is soft and gooey. Cold cake can have a harder caramel layer, though it will soften as it sits at room temperature.

Storage & reheating

Store the cooled cake covered at room temperature for up to 2 days. The cake does not freeze well due to the caramel base. To reheat a slice, warm it gently in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 5–7 minutes to soften the caramel slightly.

Substitutions

medium apples (Honeycrisp or Granny Smith), peeled, cored, and diced → pears or a mix of apples and pears. Use the same weight. Pears are slightly softer and will dissolve a bit more into the cake; dice them just before mixing to prevent browning.
walnuts, toasted and chopped → pecans or toasted sliced almonds. Use the same weight. Pecans are slightly sweeter; almonds add a more delicate crunch. Toast before chopping.
packed light brown sugar → 0.75 cup (150 g) granulated sugar plus 1 tbsp (15 ml) molasses. Whisk the molasses into the melted butter before adding the granulated sugar to replicate the depth of brown sugar.
buttermilk, at room temperature → Greek yogurt thinned with milk (0.25 cup Greek yogurt plus 0.25 cup whole milk). Whisk together until smooth. Greek yogurt makes a slightly denser, more tender crumb.