A handpicked list of ten cozy fall cake recipes—from pumpkin spice to maple pecan—that bring warm flavors and easy baking tips together. This roundup gathers trusted favorites from top food blogs so you can bake seasonal cakes with confidence and delight family and friends.
When chilly days call for comfort, a slice of homemade cake feels just right. This post shares 10 fall cake recipe ideas featuring apples, pumpkins, spices, and more. Each recipe is carefully chosen from popular food blogs to guarantee flavor and ease. Whether you crave a simple Bundt or a show-stopping layer cake, these ideas will fill your kitchen with autumn aromas and cozy cheer.
Contents
Why This Recipe?
Fall cakes bring together everything we love about the season—warm spices, rich flavors, and simple baking steps. These fall cake recipe ideas work for busy weeknights or special holidays, and most use easy-to-find ingredients like apples, pumpkin, and maple. They’re versatile, too: adjust spices, swap flours, or add nuts to suit any taste. Many cakes even include fruit or nutrient-rich veggies, giving a wholesome touch. Whether you bake for a cozy family dessert or a festive gathering, these recipes deliver dependable flavor, soft texture, and that unmistakable autumn comfort—all without complicated techniques or hours in the kitchen.
10 Fall Cake Recipe Ideas
Here are ten fall-inspired cake recipes (with links to trusted food blogs) and a short summary of each. You can later flesh them out with full ingredient lists and step-by-step instructions.
🍁 1. Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake
Flavor Summary: Deep pumpkin note, cozy with cinnamon, nutmeg, and warm autumn spices. Moist texture with a slight crust from the bundt pan.
Quick 5-Step Summary:
- Preheat oven and grease a bundt pan.
- Mix wet ingredients (pumpkin purée, eggs, oil, sugar) with spices.
- Combine with dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, etc.).
- Pour batter into pan and bake until a toothpick comes clean.
- Let it cool a bit, then unmold and optionally dust with powdered sugar or glaze.
Time: ~ 1 hour (including bake + cooling)
Tags: Seasonal, Classic, Cozy
Recipe Credit: Minimalist Baker style (see their 1-bowl pumpkin cake approach) Minimalist Baker
💡 Tip: Grease the bundt pan carefully (including crevices) to prevent sticking.
👉 Check full recipe: [Minimalist Baker: 1-Bowl Pumpkin Cake]Minimalist Baker
🍏 2. Cinnamon Sugar Apple Cake
Flavor Summary: Sweet apple flavor, with warm cinnamon sugar topping and hints of apple cider or apple butter. Fragrant and homey.
Quick 5-Step Summary:
- Reduce apple cider (if used) to intensify flavor.
- Mix batter with eggs, oil, apple butter, and spices.
- Fold in thinly sliced apples.
- Top with cinnamon + sugar just before baking.
- Bake until golden and the center is set.
Time: ~50–60 minutes
Tags: Apple-forward, Rustic, Fall Favorite
Recipe Credit: Half Baked Harvest (Easy Cinnamon Sugar Apple Cake) Half Baked Harvest
💡 Tip: Use a tart apple variety for contrast (e.g. Granny Smith or Honeycrisp).
👉 Check full recipe: [Half Baked Harvest: Easy Cinnamon Sugar Apple Cake]Half Baked Harvest
🍂 3. Cinnamon Apple Crumble Cake
Flavor Summary: Apples mixed into a buttery cake base with a crunchy, cinnamon-spiced crumble topping. A lovely mix of soft and crisp.
Quick 5-Step Summary:
- Prepare cake batter with apples folded in.
- Make crumble topping separately (flour + butter + sugar + cinnamon).
- Pour batter into pan.
- Sprinkle the crumble over the batter.
- Bake until the top is golden and cake is set.
Time: ~50–60 minutes
Tags: Crumb topping, Apple cake, Homey dessert
Recipe Credit: Half Baked Harvest (Cinnamon Apple Crumble Cake) Half Baked Harvest
💡 Tip: Chill the crumble mix before sprinkling — helps it stay crumbly rather than melting into the batter.
👉 Check full recipe: [Half Baked Harvest: Cinnamon Apple Crumble Cake]Half Baked Harvest
🍃 4. 1-Bowl Pumpkin Coffee Cake
Flavor Summary: Tender, spiced pumpkin cake with a cinnamon-swirled interior and streusel topping. Vegan + gluten-free friendly.
Quick 5-Step Summary:
- Whip vegan butter (or substitute) with sugar until fluffy.
- Add pumpkin purée, vanilla, then dry ingredients (flour blend, almond flour, spices).
- Spread half the batter in pan, add swirl layer (brown sugar + spice).
- Add remaining batter, then streusel on top.
- Bake until the top is golden and a skewer comes out mostly clean.
Time: ~55 minutes total (15 min prep + 40 min bake) Minimalist Baker
Tags: Vegan, Gluten-free option, One-bowl, Fall baking
Recipe Credit: Minimalist Baker (1-Bowl Pumpkin Coffee Cake) Minimalist Baker
💡 Tip: Don’t overmix — stop when ingredients are just combined to keep texture light.
👉 Check full recipe: [Minimalist Baker: 1-Bowl Pumpkin Coffee Cake]Minimalist Baker
🍏 5. Old Fashioned Caramel Apple Butter Cake
Flavor Summary: Layers of soft vanilla-apple cake, enriched with apple butter and maple, frosted with fudgy chocolate frosting and caramel notes.
Quick 5-Step Summary:
- Cream butter, maple syrup, apple butter, and eggs.
- Add dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, cinnamon) and spiced apple cider.
- Bake cake layers.
- Prepare chocolate fudge frosting.
- Assemble cake and drizzle caramel.
Time: ~2–3 hours (including assembly)
Tags: Layered, Apple & caramel, Show-stopper
Recipe Credit: Half Baked Harvest (Caramel Apple Butter Cake) Half Baked Harvest
💡 Tip: Chill layers slightly before frosting to reduce sliding.
👉 Check full recipe: [Half Baked Harvest: Old Fashioned Caramel Apple Butter Cake]Half Baked Harvest
🍎 6. Glazed Honeycrisp Apple Fritter Cake
Flavor Summary: Think apple fritter turned into cake form — lots of cinnamon, brown sugar, chunks of apple, with a salted vanilla glaze.
Quick 5-Step Summary:
- Mix cake batter with yogurt, butter, apple butter, and vanilla.
- Toss apple pieces with cinnamon + sugar.
- Layer batter and apples in cake pan.
- Bake until center is just set.
- Drizzle glaze while still warm.
Time: ~1 hour
Tags: Apple fritter twist, Fall classic, Glazed
Recipe Credit: Half Baked Harvest (Glazed Honeycrisp Apple Fritter Cake) Half Baked Harvest
💡 Tip: Use crisp apples (like Honeycrisp) for better bite after baking.
👉 Check full recipe: [Half Baked Harvest: Glazed Honeycrisp Apple Fritter Cake]Half Baked Harvest
🍂 7. Spiced Pecan Apple Cider Doughnut Cake
Flavor Summary: A bundt-style “doughnut cake” with pecans, apple cider, and warming spices. Rich, moist, and festive.
Quick 5-Step Summary:
- Combine wet ingredients: apple cider, apple butter, and maple.
- Mix dry ingredients and spices.
- Stir together batter with pecans.
- Pour into bundt pan and bake.
- Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar or glaze.
Time: ~1 hour
Tags: Bundt, Apple & pecan, Unique format
Recipe Credit: Half Baked Harvest (Spiced Pecan Apple Cider Doughnut Cake) Half Baked Harvest
💡 Tip: Make sure the cider is reduced to concentrate flavor before adding.
👉 Check full recipe: [Half Baked Harvest: Spiced Pecan Apple Cider Doughnut Cake]Half Baked Harvest
🍃 8. Cardamom Cognac Apple Cake
Flavor Summary: Elegant apple cake with cardamom warmth and a hint of cognac — lightly spiced, moist, and slightly boozy (but subtle).
Quick 5-Step Summary:
- Cream butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla.
- Add dry ingredients and cardamom.
- Stir in chopped apples.
- Optional: fold in small amount of cognac.
- Bake until top is golden and interior firms.
Time: ~1 hour
Tags: Upscale, Apple, Aromatic spices
Recipe Credit: Half Baked Harvest (Cardamom Cognac Apple Cake) Half Baked Harvest
💡 Tip: If you prefer no alcohol, omit cognac or replace with vanilla + apple cider.
👉 Check full recipe: [Half Baked Harvest: Cardamom Cognac Apple Cake]Half Baked Harvest
🍁 9. Salted Bourbon Apple Crumble Coffee Cake
Flavor Summary: Layered coffee cake with apple pieces, bourbon-vanilla batter, streusel, and a light glaze — sweet, salty, and full of fall character.
Quick 5-Step Summary:
- Mix batter with apple butter, cider, sour cream, bourbon.
- Add chopped apples into the batter.
- Make streusel crumble.
- Layer batter, apples, and streusel in pan.
- Bake, cool a bit, then drizzle glaze.
Time: ~1 hour
Tags: Coffee cake, Apple & bourbon, Layered
Recipe Credit: Half Baked Harvest (Salted Bourbon Apple Crumble Coffee Cake) Half Baked Harvest
💡 Tip: Let it cool slightly before glazing so your glaze doesn’t run off entirely.
👉 Check full recipe: [Half Baked Harvest: Salted Bourbon Apple Crumble Coffee Cake]Half Baked Harvest
🍂 10. Salted Caramel Apple Snickers Cake
Flavor Summary: Indulgent apple + caramel + chocolate + nuts — like a candy bar transformed into cake. Rich, sweet, and dramatic.
Quick 5-Step Summary:
- Bake a spiced cake base (often chocolate or spiced).
- Prepare salted caramel sauce.
- Make nougat/peanut butter filling or frosting.
- Layer cake with fillings and frost.
- Drizzle caramel over the top and garnish with apples and peanuts.
Time: Several hours (including cooling & assembly)
Tags: Showpiece, Caramel apple, Decadent
Recipe Credit: Half Baked Harvest (Salted Caramel Apple Snickers Cake) Half Baked Harvest
💡 Tip: Use a candy thermometer to keep caramel from overcooking or burning.
👉 Check full recipe: [Half Baked Harvest: Salted Caramel Apple Snickers Cake]Half Baked Harvest
More Recipe Details
These cakes are all about simple prep and big flavor. Here’s what to expect and how to make each one fit your kitchen and schedule.
- Seasonal Ingredients: Pumpkins, apples, pears, and maple syrup bring rich, natural sweetness and deep autumn color.
- Flexible Flavors: Adjust spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, or cardamom for a stronger or milder kick.
- Easy Swaps: Many recipes adapt to gluten-free, vegan, or lower-sugar versions with simple substitutions like almond flour, plant-based butter, or coconut sugar.
- Serving Tips: Add a drizzle of caramel, a dusting of powdered sugar, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream for extra indulgence.
- Make Ahead: Most cakes keep well for 2–3 days at room temperature or can be frozen for up to a month, making them ideal for early holiday prep.
History & Origin of Fall Cakes
Fall cakes have deep roots in harvest celebrations. Apples, pumpkins, and warm spices like cinnamon and cloves were plentiful after the harvest and stored well through winter. Early American and European bakers folded these ingredients into simple butter cakes, fruit cakes, and spice cakes. Over time, regional touches—like maple syrup in New England or bourbon in the South—shaped today’s favorites.
Pumpkin spice gained fame in the 20th century, inspired by classic pumpkin pie seasoning. Modern bakers now blend these traditions into new styles like coffee cakes, Bundts, and even vegan desserts—keeping the cozy essence alive while meeting today’s tastes.
Tools & Equipment Needed
- Cake Pans & Bundt Pans: Choose the right size for each recipe (round, square, or Bundt).
- Mixing Bowls & Whisks: For quick batter mixing without overworking.
- Stand or Hand Mixer: Speeds up creaming and keeps texture airy.
- Measuring Cups & Spoons: Accurate measurements mean consistent results.
- Cooling Racks: Prevent soggy bottoms by letting cakes cool evenly.
- Optional Decor Tools: Piping bags, offset spatulas, or edible flowers for special occasions.
Tip: Lay out all tools and ingredients before starting—known as mise en place—for stress-free baking.
FAQ
1. Can I reduce sugar without losing texture?
Yes. Cut sugar by up to one-third or swap part with maple syrup or coconut sugar.
2. How do I keep cakes moist in dry fall air?
Use oil or applesauce in the batter and store cakes in airtight containers.
3. Can I freeze these cakes?
Most freeze well for a month. Wrap tightly and thaw overnight in the fridge.
4. What frosting works best with spiced cakes?
Cream cheese frosting pairs beautifully, as do maple glaze and whipped cream.
5. How can I make these gluten-free or vegan?
Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend and plant-based butter or flax eggs.
6. Do I need special spices?
No. Common pantry spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves are enough, but cardamom or allspice can add depth.
7. Can I bake these cakes in cupcakes or muffins?
Yes. Reduce baking time to about 20–25 minutes and check doneness early.
8. How long do leftovers last?
Covered at room temperature: 2–3 days. Refrigerated: up to 5 days.
Conclusion
A cozy kitchen, the scent of cinnamon and pumpkin, and a warm slice of cake—this is what autumn baking is all about. These 10 fall cake recipe ideas bring together seasonal ingredients and straightforward methods, so every baker can create something special. Whether you’re planning a holiday feast or just want a comforting treat, these recipes offer rich flavors and dependable results.
Share your favorite in the comments, or tag your bakes on social media to inspire other fall cake lovers.