Get ready to meet your new favorite dessert: the incredibly delicious and wildly addictive Crack Cake Bundt Recipe. This cake is famous for its simple preparation and unbelievably rich flavor, featuring a moist, buttery cake with a crunchy, sugary topping that seeps into every bite. It’s the kind of dessert that has everyone coming back for a second slice, and it’s so easy to make, you’ll be whipping it up for every occasion. Perfect for potlucks, family gatherings, or just a sweet weeknight treat, this cake lives up to its name in the best way possible.
This recipe starts with a simple box of yellow cake mix, elevated with a few pantry staples to create a dessert that tastes completely homemade. The magic lies in the buttery, brown sugar glaze that gets poured over the cake while it’s still warm, creating a gooey, irresistible texture that is simply unforgettable. Let’s get baking!
What is a Crack Cake Bundt Recipe?
A “Crack Cake” gets its name from its supremely addictive quality. While the exact origin is a bit of a kitchen legend, the recipe has been passed around for years, beloved for its simplicity and decadent results. At its core, this Crack Cake Bundt Recipe is a type of pudding cake or cake mix hack. It uses a yellow cake mix and instant vanilla pudding to create an incredibly moist and tender crumb that stays fresh for days. The defining feature is the buttery sugar glaze that you pour over the warm cake, which crystallizes slightly on top and soaks into the cake, creating a truly unique texture and flavor.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Incredibly Easy: It starts with a cake mix, so most of the work is already done for you. It’s a perfect recipe for beginner bakers!
- Amazingly Moist: The addition of pudding mix and a rich glaze ensures this cake is super moist and flavorful.
- Crowd-Pleasing Flavor: The simple, rich flavors of butter, brown sugar, and vanilla are universally loved. It’s always a huge hit at parties.
- Make-Ahead Friendly: This cake is just as good, if not better, the next day, making it perfect for preparing in advance.
Key Ingredients
This recipe relies on a few key pantry staples to create its signature flavor and texture. Here’s what you’ll need:
For the Cake:
- Yellow Cake Mix: The foundation of our recipe. Any standard box of yellow or butter cake mix works perfectly.
- Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix: This is the secret to an ultra-moist cake. Make sure it’s the instant kind, not the cook-and-serve variety.
- Eggs: Provide structure and richness.
- Vegetable Oil: Adds moisture and tenderness to the crumb.
- Milk: Provides a richer flavor than water.
- Brown Sugar & Cinnamon: These are sprinkled in the bottom of the bundt pan to create a sweet, crunchy crust on top of the cake.
- Pecans: Toasted and chopped pecans add a wonderful nutty flavor and texture.
For the Glaze:
- Butter: The star of the show. Use unsalted butter for the best flavor.
- Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the glaze and helps it create that signature crackly topping.
- Evaporated Milk: Creates a creamy, rich consistency that won’t break.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Preparing the Cake:
- Preheat and Prep: First, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Generously grease and flour a 10 or 12-cup bundt pan. This is a critical step to prevent the cake from sticking!
- Prepare the Topping: In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle this mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared bundt pan. Top with the chopped pecans.
- Mix the Batter: In a large bowl, combine the yellow cake mix, instant vanilla pudding mix, eggs, vegetable oil, and milk. Using an electric mixer, beat on low speed until just combined, then increase to medium speed and beat for about 2 minutes, until the batter is smooth and well-mixed.
- Pour and Bake: Carefully pour the cake batter over the pecan and sugar mixture in the bundt pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Making the Glaze:
- Combine Ingredients: While the cake is baking, prepare the glaze. In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, granulated sugar, and evaporated milk.
- Cook the Glaze: Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Let it boil for exactly 5 minutes while continuing to stir. The mixture will thicken slightly. Remove from the heat.
- Glaze the Cake: Once the cake is out of the oven, do not invert it yet. While it’s still hot in the pan, poke holes all over the bottom (which will be the top) of the cake with a skewer. Slowly and evenly pour about half of the hot glaze over the cake, allowing it to soak in.
- Cool and Serve: Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10-15 minutes before inverting it onto a serving platter. Pour the remaining glaze over the top of the cake. Allow the cake to cool completely before slicing and serving. For another incredibly decadent dessert, you have to try this Chocolate Pecan Ooey Gooey Butter Cake.
Pro Tips for the Perfect Crack Cake
- Don’t Skip Greasing the Pan: A bundt pan has many crevices. Grease it thoroughly with butter or shortening and then flour it to ensure your beautiful cake comes out in one piece.
- Toast the Pecans: For a deeper, richer flavor, toast your pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-5 minutes until fragrant before chopping them.
- Don’t Overmix the Batter: Mix the cake batter until it’s just smooth. Overmixing can develop the gluten too much, resulting in a tougher cake. If you enjoy simple and delicious desserts, this Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake (coming soon) is a must-try.
- Pour the Glaze Slowly: Pour the glaze slowly and evenly to give it time to soak into the cake. This creates pockets of buttery, sugary goodness in every slice.
Delicious Variations to Try
- Different Cake Flavors: Try this recipe with a butter pecan, french vanilla, or even a spice cake mix for a different flavor profile.
- Add Extracts: Add a teaspoon of vanilla or even a splash of rum extract to the glaze for an extra layer of flavor.
- Nut-Free Option: If you have a nut allergy or preference, simply omit the pecans. The cake is just as delicious without them.
- Chocolate Drizzle: For the chocolate lovers, melt some chocolate chips and drizzle them over the top of the cooled cake. For another easy and impressive dessert, check out this No-Bake Oreo Pie.
Storing Your Crack Cake Bundt
This cake stores beautifully, making it a great make-ahead option. To store, cover the cake tightly with plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container.
- Room Temperature: It will stay fresh and moist at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Refrigerator: You can refrigerate it for up to a week. The glaze will become firmer when chilled.
- Freezer: For longer storage, you can freeze the cake. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then a layer of aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw it at room temperature before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! This cake is a great make-ahead dessert. Its flavor and texture actually get even better the next day as the glaze has more time to soak in and moisten the cake.
Yes, you can! If you don’t have a bundt pan, you can bake this recipe in a 9×13 inch baking pan. You will need to adjust the baking time; start checking for doneness around 35-45 minutes.
You can store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week. It also freezes very well for up to 3 months.
A crack cake is typically made from a yellow cake mix, instant vanilla pudding, eggs, oil, and milk. Its signature feature is a rich glaze made from butter, sugar, and evaporated milk that is poured over the cake while it’s still hot.
It’s called “Crack Cake” because of its incredibly addictive flavor and texture. The combination of the moist cake and the buttery, sugary glaze makes it so irresistible that people can’t stop at just one slice!
More Delicious Desserts
This Crack Cake Bundt Recipe is a true showstopper that proves you don’t need to spend hours in the kitchen to create a spectacular dessert. The combination of moist cake and a rich, buttery glaze is simply irresistible. We hope you and your loved ones enjoy every single bite of this addictive cake. If you try it, let us know how it turned out in the comments below and don’t forget to share your creations on Pinterest!
Crack Cake Bundt Recipe
Crack Cake Bundt Recipe (The Most Addictive Cake You'll Ever Make)
Ingredients
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Generously grease and flour a 10 or 12-cup bundt pan.
- In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle this mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared bundt pan. Top with the chopped pecans.
- In a large bowl, combine the yellow cake mix, instant vanilla pudding mix, eggs, vegetable oil, and milk. Using an electric mixer, beat on low speed until just combined, then increase to medium speed and beat for about 2 minutes until smooth.
- Carefully pour the cake batter over the pecan and sugar mixture in the bundt pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- While the cake is baking, prepare the glaze. In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, granulated sugar, and evaporated milk.
- Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Let it boil for exactly 5 minutes while continuing to stir. Remove from the heat.
- Once the cake is out of the oven, poke holes all over the bottom of the cake with a skewer. Slowly and evenly pour about half of the hot glaze over the cake, allowing it to soak in.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes before inverting it onto a serving platter. Pour the remaining glaze over the top. Allow the cake to cool completely before slicing and serving.
Notes
Glaze Timing: Pour the glaze while both the cake and glaze are hot. This helps it soak in properly to create that signature moist texture.
