Plop store-bought cake mix batter in a sheet pan and it’s nothing to write home about. Pour it into an ornate Bundt pan, and boom: It’s a million times more elegant and impressive—without you doing more work. Rooted in the German word bund, meaning a gathering of people, a Bundt cake is a great way to serve dessert to a crowd. The round, fluted tube pan allows more of the cake to make contact with the pan’s edges, which disperses the heat and lets the whole confection bake evenly. Read on for 51 of the best Bundt cake recipes to make for all occasions. (Despite their looks, they’re basically foolproof.)
51 of the Best Bundt Cake Recipes for Birthdays, Holidays and Every Fancy Dinner in Between
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Published Oct 31, 2022
1. Cardamom Cream-Filled Bundt Cake
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 50 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, make ahead
This layered, light-as-air beauty is inspired by a Swedish dessert called semlor, a type of yeasted cream bun. Every bite is like eating an herb-kissed cloud.
2. Snickerdoodle Chocolate Chunk Bundt Cake
- Time Commitment: 2 hours
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
Two iconic cookies unite to create this cinnamon-laced cake. Don’t even get us started on the two-ingredient chocolate glaze on top.
5. Mini Citrus Monkey Bread
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 50 minutes
- Why We Love It: beginner-friendly, kid-friendly, make ahead
The only thing better than a Bundt pan is a dozen teeny-tiny Bundt pans. The minis are the key to baking these orange-lemon gems. Did we mention they start with store-bought pizza dough?
6. Baileys Pumpkin Spice and Original Irish Cream Bundt Cake
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 55 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
Due to the duo of liqueurs, this dessert is essentially two cakes in one. It’s begging for a spot on your Thanksgiving dessert table.
7. Strawberry Rhubarb Bundt Cake
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, make ahead
Spring has sprung in this light and fruity treat. Think an impossibly moist vanilla cake (thanks, Greek yogurt) studded with freshly chopped rhubarb and strawberries. Finish it with a dollop of fresh whipped cream.
8. Gingerbread Bundt Cake
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, make ahead
Not only is the batter loaded with spices like ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom, but it’s also spiked with molasses and buttermilk for depth of flavor and tenderness. Top it with a flurry of snow-like confectioners’ sugar.
9. Glazed Vegan Chocolate Bundt Cake
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why We Love It: vegan, dairy free, crowd-pleaser
Because no one’s diet should stand between them and dessert. Since the recipe is egg- and dairy-free and calls for vegan semisweet chocolate chips, it’s just the compromise for your plant-based dinner guests.
10. Sweet Potato Bundt Cake with Maple Icing
- Time Commitment: 50 minutes
- Why We Love It: vegetarian, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
Your go-to fall veggie actually works wonders in desserts like pies, brownies and cookies, even without the help of mini marshmallows. (You can use butternut squash or pumpkin purée instead of sweet potatoes if you’d like…just sayin’.)
12. Cheesecake Swirl Carrot Bundt Cake
- Time Commitment: 5 hours
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
A generous scoop of applesauce infuses the cake with fruity flavor and extra moisture. But of course, the best part of this crowd-pleaser is the four-ingredient cheesecake filling. (The two-ingredient orange glaze is pretty great, too.)
14. Devil’s Food Bundt Cake with Chocolate Espresso Ganache
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser, make ahead
Bake it for Christmas Eve night and wash it down with homemade hot chocolate. Save on time (and pantry staples) by using store-bought chocolate cake mix. Your secret is safe with us.
15. Spiced Pecan Apple Cider Doughnut Cake
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, kid-friendly
The most beloved fall delicacy of all time has a whole new look, thanks to a stunning, leaf-adorned Bundt pan. We’ll bring the mulled cider.
16. Chocolate Peppermint Bundt Cake
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes
- Why We Love It: kid-friendly, make ahead, special occasion-worthy
We’re going out on a limb here, but we’re betting Santa Claus would prefer a slice of this sour cream cake over cookies. Top it with crushed candy canes or go wild with coconut flakes, powdered sugar and holiday sprinkles.
17. Baileys Chocolate Bundt Cake
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, beginner-friendly
This treat couldn’t be easier to pull off, since it starts with store-bought yellow cake mix and instant chocolate pudding mix. And just so the Baileys isn’t lonely, there’s also a glug of Jameson Irish whiskey in the batter.
18. Key Lime Cake
- Time Commitment: 2 hours and 5 minutes
- Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
Cream cheese adds tangy deliciousness to both the cake and the citrus glaze. Use sifted cake flour for an impossibly tender, light texture.
19. Cream Cheese Swirled Coconut Tres Leches Cake
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, special occasion-worthy
Complete with cinnamony condensed milk glaze. If you want to up the sweet-and-sticky ante, drizzle some canned dulce de leche on top to boot.
20. Chocolate Marble Banana Bundt Cake
- Time Commitment: 6 hours
- Why We Love It: kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
Face it: You baked more than enough banana bread in quarantine. Repurpose your overly ripe bananas in this cake instead since it’s guaranteed to impress your guests.
21. Orange Glazed Bundt Cake
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes
- Why We Love It: beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser, make ahead
Sorry, eggs Benedict, but this citrusy beauty is going to steal your thunder at brunch. Might we suggest pairing the buttermilk cake with fresh fruit and a mimosa?
22. Cookies and Cream Bundt Cake
- Time Commitment: 50 minutes
- Why We Love It: kid-friendly, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
Not a single person will be able to tell that you used boxed white cake mix. Chalk that up to the Bundt pan’s elegant design (and all the crumbled Oreos).
23. Peach Bundt Cake with Brown Butter Icing
- Time Commitment: 5 hours
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, beginner-friendly
The fresh peaches are combined with cinnamon and sugar before being added to the cake. And the brown butter icing? Revelatory. Bring it to a summer barbecue and let the praise roll in.
24. Buttered Rum Monkey Bread
- Time Commitment: 3 hours and 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, special occasion-worthy
Fall’s most delicious flavors (brown sugar! cinnamon! pecans! spiced rum!) in every bite. It tastes even more heavenly with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
25. Red Velvet Bundt Cake
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 20 minutes
- Why We Love It: kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
We’ll never get sick of this timeless dessert. Store the leftovers in a cool, dry place for up to five days (if there are any, that is).
28. Praline Apple Bundt Cake
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 25 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
Anyone up for a swim in a vat of brown sugar praline glaze? Use Pink Lady, Honeycrisp, Granny Smith or Golden Delicious apples, since their tart-sweet flavor makes them ideal for baking.
29. Mini Citrus Bundt Cakes with Sweet Lemon Glaze
- Time Commitment: 55 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, make ahead
A flourish of edible flowers and lemon zest on top make these cuties look like they came from a fancy bakery. We won't tell your guests if you don't.
30. German Chocolate Bundt Cake
- Time Commitment: 2 hours
- Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, make ahead, crowd-pleaser
German chocolate cake is traditionally topped with frosting made from evaporated milk, brown sugar, butter and egg yolks. Once it’s frosted, the cake is finished with sweet coconut flakes and chopped pecans.
31. Homemade Confetti Bundt Cake
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes
- Why We Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
Surprise the kids with this sprinkle-laden masterpiece at one birthday and they’ll request it for years to come. Sour cream and buttermilk in the batter boost the cake’s moisture big time.
32. Cranberry Orange Bundt Cake
- Time Commitment: 5 hours and 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, special occasion-worthy
A wintry confection that’s eager for an invite to Christmas breakfast (just look at those sugared cranberries). There’s a surprise inside too: cinnamon swirl filling.
33. Raspberry Swirl Pound Cake
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 35 minutes
- Why We Love It: kid-friendly, special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser
Nailing the marbled interior is easier than you might think. Simply separate the batter, mix a third of it with raspberry jam and alternate pouring them into the Bundt pan.
34. Peach Pound Cake
- Time Commitment: 2 hours and 20 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy
Its Southern-inspired flavor is courtesy of homemade peach jam, spiced cinnamon streusel and three-ingredient maple glaze. We'll take ours with a glass of sweet tea, please.
35. Marble Bundt Cake
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, make ahead
Like a vanilla-chocolate swirl cone in cake form. Instead of being topped with a thin, runny glaze, it’s enrobed in thick, decadent chocolate ganache.
36. Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake with Lemon Glaze
- Time Commitment: 2 hours and 5 minutes
- Why We Love It: beginner-friendly, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser
Sure, this sweet-tart dessert was made for summer picnics and cookouts. But since the recipe calls for fresh or frozen blueberries, you can make it in the dead of winter if a craving strikes.
37. Chai-Spiced Cinnamon Swirl Bundt Cake
- Time Commitment: 5 hours and 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser, make ahead
If you’re not washing it down with a soul-warming chai latte (or a PSL), you’re doing it wrong. (But coffee works too, if you insist.)
38. Pistachio, Coconut, Lime and Rosewater Bundt Cake
- Time Commitment: 55 minutes
- Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser
It may sound fancy, but it’ll take you less than an hour to pull off. Feel free to take the floral flavor up a notch with a sprinkle of edible rose petals atop the lime glaze.
39. Banana Pudding Bundt Cake with White Chocolate Ganache
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why We Love It: beginner-friendly, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser
Who knew boxed banana cream pudding mix could do all this? Don’t look now, but we’re crowning it with a layer of crumbled vanilla wafers for good measure.
40. Strawberry Lemonade Cake
- Time Commitment: 2 hours
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, special occasion-worthy
Every bite tastes like straight-up sunshine. Freeze-dried strawberries star in the interior strawberry swirl, while strawberry preserves turn the glaze on top a pretty shade of pink.
41. Raspberry Chocolate Coffee Cake
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: beginner-friendly, make ahead, crowd-pleaser
Bookmark it now, bake it for Valentine’s Day later. Garnish it with plenty of raspberries, edible rose petals and white chocolate chips.
42. Glazed Apple Bundt Cake
- Time Commitment: 2 hours and 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
Not only is this bad boy loaded with fall spices, apples and a whole tablespoon of vanilla extract, but it’s also drenched in creamy brown sugar glaze.
43. Red Wine Chocolate Bundt Cake
- Time Commitment: 50 minutes
- Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, make ahead, crowd-pleaser
Red wine and chocolate is like the grown-up equivalent to a PB&J. Use a vino that’s fruity and medium-bodied, like pinot noir or cabernet Franc.
44. Almond Poppy Seed Bundt Cake
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
- Why We Love It: beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser, make ahead
Almond paste, almond extract and slivered almonds unite for a nutty treat that tastes just as good first thing in the morning as it does after dinner.
45. Sour Cream Cinnamon Coffee Cake
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 35 minutes
- Why We Love It: beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser, make ahead
Meet your daily cold brew’s new best friend. Bake it on a Sunday and you’ll have breakfast for the week and then some.
46. Doughnut Cake
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 35 minutes
- Why We Love It: kid-friendly, special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser
There’s a layer of sweet strawberry jam in every bite, in addition to the strawberry icing. Homer Simpson would be thrilled for a slice.
47. Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
- Time Commitment: 2 hours
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, beginner-friendly
Whole wheat flour and Greek yogurt in the batter make this cake a bit more wholesome than the usual. But don't worry, it's still soaked in sugar and lemon juice for maximum citrusy flavor.
48. Chocolate Gingerbread Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Time Commitment: 2 hours and 30 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, kid-friendly
Dark chocolate and cream cheese frosting meet for an unexpected twist on gingerbread. The tangy icing is the ultimate pairing for warm winter spices.
49. Peach Vanilla Bundt Cake with Peach Soaking Syrup
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 40 minutes
- Why We Love It: beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
The recipe calls for diced fresh peaches in the batter and fresh peach puree in the syrup, but you can attempt using frozen or canned in the off-season.
50. Pink Cake
- Time Commitment: 2 hours
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, make ahead
Wondering how this chic confection (which would be ideal for a bachelorette or bridal shower, BTW) got its rosy hue? Chalk it up to orange rosé wine syrup and beets.
51. Dark Chocolate Bundt Cake with Blood Oranges
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
- Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
Citrus and chocolate scream winter, and this cake even more so, thanks to hot coffee and orange liqueur in the batter and the bold blood orange soaking syrup.
Taryn Pire is PureWow’s associate food editor. A former bartender and barista, she’s been writing about all things delicious since 2016, developing recipes, reviewing restaurants and investigating food trends at Food52, New Jersey Family Magazine and Taste Talks. When she isn’t testing TikTok’s latest viral recipe, she’s having popcorn for dinner and posting about it on Instagram @cookingwithpire.