Honeynut Bundt Cake with Walnut Praline and Maple Glaze

December 31, 2024marissamakes
A bundt cake topped with glaze and walnut praline, styled on a rustic table with honeynut squash.

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 1 hour

Serves: 8-10

I’ve always been a big fan of butternut squash and pumpkin, but I was amazed to find something even more delicious and perfect for baking: honenynut squash. I wanted to do a spin on the classic pumpkin bundt cake, so I created this honeynut bundt cake with walnut praline and maple glaze. It’s perfect for the cooler, cozier months, and is filled with so much spiced flavor. It’s a personal favorite bake for fall and winter!

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What is a honeynut squash?

If you aren’t familiar, honeynut squash is a smaller version of a butternut squash (they are SO cute), with a deeper colored flesh and more concentrated flavor. They’re excellent for cooking, and my particular favorite for baking. I find them to be a bit more versatile than pumpkin and butternut squash, as they have the best characteristics of both.

This honeynut bundt cake recipe calls for making your own puree, which is so easy, and so worth the little bit of extra effort. Simply cut the squash in half, roast until tender, and puree until smooth. Honeynut squashes can really vary in size, so I recommend roasting more than you think you might need, and freezing the leftover puree to use in other bakes, as pasta filling, or in soups.

How to prepare a bundt pan

Everyone has a different method for this that they swear by, and I’m no different. The only method that has ever consistently worked for me is to liberally grease the bundt tin with melted butter, and to let it cool slightly before adding the batter so that it forms a bit of a barrier between the batter and the tin.

That said, some bakers swear by using the butter and flour method, which involves using a coating of melted butter, followed by a light dusting of flour. Also, some bundt tin manufacturers have their own recommended ways of greasing the tin to ensure a clean turn out. Go with the method that feels right for you (for me, that’s butter!).

Ingredients for the perfect bundt cake

This honeynut bundt cake is filled with autumnal flavor. Aside from the honeynut squash, it has cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, cardamom, ginger, and vanilla, for plenty of extra warmth. I’ve dialed up the spices a bit for this recipe, because I love a very rich, spiced flavor in my bakes.

The glaze has a classic maple flavor, which can be achieved with either maple butter, or maple syrup. I like to use maple butter, because I find the flavor to be a bit more concentrated in glazes.

The walnut praline is an extra layer of seasonal crunch. Choose whole walnut pieces or halves, because we will be chopping it up further once we add the nuts to the caramel.

Tips for making this bundt cake

Making this cake is quite straight forward. It does require a few extra steps, but they are not complicated and don’t require too much prep work.

Whisk the dry ingredients, then the wet, and then combine until no lumps remain. Bake for about 55 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Let the cake rest in the tin for about 10 minutes before turning out onto a rack and allowing to cool fully before adding the glaze.

Take some extra care when making the praline. Melted sugar gets VERY hot, so don’t underestimate the sugar once it has fully melted. Caramel has a bad rep for being fussy. I have the best success with my caramel when I stir it slightly to encourage melting, but don’t mess with it too much. You just need the sugar to be fully melted and amber in color.

Tools you’ll need for this cake

To make this bundt cake, you’ll need a 10-12 cup bundt pan of your choosing. You may mix the ingredients in a mixer if you prefer, but you can just as easily make it by hand with a whisk (which is what I do).

You will also need an immersion blender, food processor, or blender for the honeynut puree, and a food processor or blender for the praline.

More holiday recipes

Looking for more festive treats for this holiday season? Why not check out:

Pear and Pecan Pie with Salted Caramel

Maple and Black Pepper Pumpkin Pie

Persimmon Tart with Pecan Frangipane

Apple Berry Pie with Cardamom Crust

How to store this cake

This cake will last up to a week in the fridge, wrapped well. Allow to come to room temperature before serving.

I hope you give this Honeynut Bundt Cake with Walnut Praline and Maple Glaze a try! Be sure to tag me on instagram so I can see your bakes, and leave me a comment below! Your feedback helps other bakers who are giving this recipe a try, and I love hearing about what you’ve made!

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Honeynut Bundt Cake with Walnut Praline and Maple Glaze

  • Prep time: 30 minutes
  • Cook time: 1 hour
  • Total time: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Serves: 8-10

I've always been a big fan of butternut squash and pumpkin, but I was amazed to find something even more delicious and perfect for baking: honenynut squash. It's so special for the cooler, cozier months, and is filled with so much spiced flavor. It's a personal favorite bake for fall and winter!

Ingredients

For the honeynut puree

  • 6-8 medium honeynut squash, enough to make about 2 cups of puree

For the bundt cake

  • 3 cups all purpose flour, (360g)
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 cup avocado oil, or other neutral tasting oil of choice (240ml)
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 cup light brown sugar, (210g)
  • 1 cup granulated white sugar, (200g)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups prepared honeynut puree, (454g)

For the maple glaze

  • 2 cups powdered sugar, (200g)
  • 2 tbsp maple butter, or maple syrup
  • heavy cream, if needed, by the tbsp, to thin

For the walnut praline

  • 1 cup walnuts, (100g)
  • 1/2 cup granulated white sugar, (100g)

Method

Make the honeynut puree

  • 1)

    Preheat the oven to 400°F. Carefully cut each of the honeynut squashes in half, and scoop out the seeds and pulp. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (face up or face down is fine).

  • 2)

    Bake for 30-45 minutes, depending on the size of your honeynuts, until the flesh is fork tender. Allow to cool.

  • 3)

    Once cool, scoop out all of the soft flesh and blend, using an immersion blender, food processor, or blender, until pureed and smooth. You will need 2 cups for this recipe: save any leftovers in the fridge for up to a week, and in the freezer for 3 months.

Make the bundt cake

  • 1)

    Preheat the oven to 350°F, and grease a 10-12 cup bundt tin with melted butter.

  • 2)

    In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, powder, salt, and spices.

  • 3)

    In another large bowl, whisk together the sugars, eggs, oil, vanilla, and pumpkin until smooth and combined. In two increments, add the dry ingredients to the wet, making sure to fully incorporate without overmixing.

  • 4)

    Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan, and bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to sit in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out, and allow to fully cool before glazing.

For the maple glaze

  • 1)

    Whisk together all of the glaze ingredients, adding heavy cream as needed to reach your preferred consistency. I like my glaze a little on the thick side.

For the walnut praline

  • 1)

    While the cake is cooling, make the praline. In a large saute pan, add the sugar, and cook over medium heat until the sugar has completely melted.

  • 2)

    Once the sugar is a rich amber color, turn off the heat, and add the walnuts. Stir with a silicone spatula to fully coat, and carefully pour the coated walnuts onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Allow to fully cool and harden.

  • 3)

    Once cool, break the praline into chunks and then pulse in a food processor or blender until broken into small to medium sized chunks, or finer if you prefer.

Assemble the cake

  • 1)

    Once all the elements are cool, pour the glaze over the bundt cake, and top with the walnut praline. Serve at room temperature.

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