Cooking, eating, entertaining, having a good time… it’s why I collect recipes and share them. Plus I’m half Hungarian, that explains a lot.
The Apple Bundt Cake from the Szegedi Region of Hungary

Not-too-sweet apple cake
Hungarians make wonderful Desserts!
Apple cakes are perhaps the favorite Hungarian cake recipe known by most Americans.
Sometimes they are intricate and fancy affairs, like apple pite, but most of the apple cakes are delicious home-baked cakes which are loved by all. You know the ones: cakes that Grandma used to bake.
I wanted to share our family favorite with you, adding to the Hungarian Food collection of pages.
The Szegedi cake (named for a region of Hungary) is perfect for company.
Szegedi Cake
The name ‘Szegedi’ means this recipe came from the Szeged region of Hungary. Located on the Great Plain on the southern border of Hungary, Szeged is renowned for their paprika, their salami, and goulash stews cooked in open pots.

Szegedi Cake
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 cups chopped walnuts
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 3 eggs -separated whites stiffly beaten
- 3 cups flour
- pinch salt
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 medium apples chopped
- confectioners sugar
Instructions
Instructions
- Stir 2 tsp. butter and brown sugar, cinnamon and walnuts 'til crumbly.
- Beat butter and white sugar 'til creamy. Add egg yolks. Add flour, salt, and baking powder, alternating with sour cream.
- Fold in stiff egg whites. Turn 1/2 batter into greased tube pan Sprinkle with the walnut mixture, then apples.
- Top with remaining batter.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes
Swirl Bundt Cake Pan For Stylish Baking Results
Give Your Cake a Beautiful Shape
I love the molded shapes of bundt cakes, they are a great way to show off your enticing apple cake or rich pound cakes. Just a dusting of powdered sugar or a lick of glaze will present a pretty look. The center will hold a dollop of whipped cream or pile of sweet fruit. This particular shape with the swirls is one of my favorites.
Hungarians Love a Beautiful Cake Presentation
The sophisticated swirl design gives your cakes panache. Just dust with confectioners sugar or drizzle with glaze. It gives the bundt cake its distinctive shape.
Your cake is presentable to company with just its shape and your baking talents!
I use a Fluted Baking Pan
A Bundt pan gives a decorative shape to your apple cake, and this is the one I use. I bought it back when I first started learning to bake, so many years ago. Little did I know how long and dependably it would serve me!
Owned my Nordic Ware brand Bundt pan for decades.
I love the original shape, and it has been used for countless batches of cakes- Hungarian apple, Peanut Butter pound cake, and more…
There are gorgeous and unusual Bundt pan shapes. A very pretty one would have a multitude of uses: these are perfect for pound cakes, too.
Apple Cake Tip
When sprinkling confectioner’s sugar on the cake, use a paper doily to make a lace pattern. Simply hold the doily over the cake,sprinkle powdered sugar through it.
Removing the Cake Perfectly
The fluted shape pan is the one I personally use. I loved the pretty arches covered in a light dusting of powered sugar. Watch the video for tips on getting this perfect look.
Like Apple Cakes?
If you try any of these recipes I’d just love to hear how you liked it or any tweaks or suggestions you would like to make.
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