This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This crack cake recipe is famous for a reason. Made with yellow cake mix, vanilla pudding, cinnamon, and white wine, it’s incredibly moist, rich, and packed with flavor in every bite.
What makes this cake truly irresistible is the buttery white wine glaze that’s poured over the warm Bundt cake. The glaze soaks into every nook and cranny, creating a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture that keeps people coming back for another slice.
Don’t worry about the wine tasting overpowering. As the cake bakes and the glaze cooks, the alcohol cooks off, leaving behind a subtle flavor that makes this old-fashioned cake extra special. Whether you’re serving it for dessert, brunch, or a holiday gathering, this crack cake always disappears fast.
If you love easy Bundt cake recipes, be sure to try my Kentucky Butter Cake, Tom Cruise Cake, and Chocolate Bundt Cake. You can also browse my Cake Recipes collection for even more family-favorite desserts.
✨ Before You Begin
✨ Prep your Bundt pan well. Crack cake is famous for its buttery glaze, which can make sticking especially frustrating. Grease every nook and cranny of the pan thoroughly before adding the batter.
✨ Use a dry white wine. Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, or Sauvignon Blanc all work well and add subtle flavor without making the cake taste strongly of wine.
✨ Don’t overmix the batter. Mix just until the ingredients are combined to keep the cake tender and moist.
✨ Glaze while the cake is warm. The warm cake absorbs the buttery wine glaze much better, creating the rich, gooey texture that makes this cake so irresistible.
✨ Allow time for the glaze to soak in. The flavor improves as the cake rests, making it an excellent make-ahead dessert.
Crack Cake Ingredients + Key Notes
Yellow Cake Mix: The shortcut that makes this recipe so easy. Yellow cake mix provides a rich, buttery flavor and tender crumb that works perfectly with the wine glaze.
Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix: One of the secrets to an exceptionally moist crack cake. The pudding mix adds flavor, richness, and helps keep the cake soft for days.
Ground Cinnamon: Adds subtle warmth and enhances the buttery, vanilla flavors throughout the cake.
Granulated Sugar + Brown Sugar: The combination creates sweetness with a deeper caramel-like flavor from the brown sugar’s molasses content.
Vegetable Oil: Keeps the cake moist and tender. Use any neutral-flavored oil you have on hand.
Milk: Adds richness and helps create a smooth batter. Whole milk works best, but 2% will also work well.
White Wine: The signature ingredient in both the cake and glaze. A dry white wine such as Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio adds incredible flavor. Don’t worry—the alcohol cooks off during baking and glazing.
Eggs: Provide structure, richness, and help create the cake’s soft texture.
Vanilla Extract: Enhances the warm, buttery flavors and rounds out the sweetness.
Unsalted Butter: Used in the glaze to create the rich, buttery finish that makes this cake so irresistible.
🥣 How To Make Crack Cake
Prepare the batter. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cake mix, pudding mix, cinnamon, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Add the oil, milk, white wine, eggs, and vanilla, then beat until the batter is smooth and well combined.
Fill the pan. Thoroughly grease a Bundt pan, making sure to coat every nook and cranny. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly.
Bake until golden. Bake until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean and the cake springs back lightly when touched.
Make the glaze. While the cake bakes, prepare the buttery wine glaze. The warm glaze is what gives crack cake its signature moist texture and irresistible flavor.
Glaze the cake. Slowly pour the glaze over the warm cake, allowing it to soak into the crumb. Let the cake rest for several minutes so it can absorb all that buttery goodness.
Unmold and serve. Carefully invert the cake onto a serving plate while it’s still warm. Allow it to cool slightly before slicing and serving.
See the recipe card below for complete ingredients and instructions.
⭐ Pro Tips
⭐ Grease the Bundt pan thoroughly. Be sure to coat every nook and cranny of the pan to prevent sticking and preserve the decorative shape of the cake.
⭐ Don’t leave the cake in the pan too long. Let it cool for about 10-15 minutes, then invert it onto a serving plate. Waiting too long can cause the glaze to set and the cake to stick.
⭐ Pour the glaze over a warm cake. The warm cake absorbs the buttery wine glaze much better, creating the moist texture that makes crack cake so famous.
⭐ Use a wine you’d enjoy drinking. A dry white wine such as Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio adds the best flavor to both the cake and glaze.
⭐ Make it a day ahead. Crack cake tastes even better after several hours as the glaze has time to soak into every bite.
Storing + Freezing + Make-Ahead
How Long Can You Keep This in The Fridge? Once made, your crack pound cake will last up to three days in the fridge.
Can You Freeze This? Wrap the cooled crack cake with wine tightly, label, and freeze for up to three months. When ready to eat, full thaw and enjoy!
Make-Ahead: This crack breakfast bundt cake can be made several hours ahead of time. Just loosely cover (don’t seal tightly).
Frequently Asked Questions
◆ Can you taste the wine in Crack Cake?
No. The wine adds depth of flavor and helps create the cake’s signature taste, but it doesn’t make the cake taste strongly of wine. As the cake bakes and the glaze cooks, the alcohol cooks off, leaving behind a subtle richness.
◆ What kind of wine is best for Crack Cake?
A dry white wine such as Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, or Sauvignon Blanc works best. Use a wine you enjoy drinking since its flavor contributes to both the cake and glaze.
◆ Why is it called Crack Cake?
The nickname comes from how irresistibly moist and flavorful the cake is. Between the buttery glaze and tender crumb, it’s the kind of dessert people keep coming back for another slice.
◆ Can I make Crack Cake ahead of time?
Yes! In fact, many people think it tastes even better the next day after the glaze has had time to fully soak into the cake. Store it tightly covered at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
◆ Do I have to use a Bundt pan?
A Bundt pan is traditional and helps the glaze soak into every crevice of the cake. While other pans may work, baking times and results can vary.
Still have questions? Drop them in the comments — I love helping you bake with confidence!
More Delicious Bundt Cakes
Hummingbird Cake – A Southern classic packed with bananas, pineapple, and pecans.
Apple Bundt Cake – Moist, warmly spiced, and loaded with fresh apple flavor.
Pumpkin Bundt Cake – Rich, tender, and filled with cozy fall spices.
Red Velvet Bundt Cake– A beautiful Bundt version of the classic red velvet favorite.
Margarita Cake – Bright citrus flavor with a fun tequila-lime twist.
❤️ Tried This Recipe?
I’d love to hear what you think! Did you make this Crack Cake recipe for a family gathering, holiday dessert table, brunch, or just because you were craving something sweet?
Leave a comment and a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ star rating below to let me know how it turned out. Your reviews help other readers and always make my day.
📸 If you snapped a photo, share it on Instagram and tag @gonna_want_seconds so I can see your beautiful cake!
Want more easy, family-favorite recipes delivered straight to your inbox? Be sure to subscribe to my free newsletter and never miss a new recipe.
Thanks for stopping by my kitchen today — happy cooking, friends! ❤️ Kathleen
Crack Cake
Ingredients
- 1 (15.25-ounce) box yellow cake mix
- 1 (3.4-ounce) box instant vanilla pudding
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Glaze
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 ounce White Wine
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Arrange oven rack to lower-middle position. Preheat oven to 325ºF (163ºC).
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk cake mix (1 box), instant vanilla pudding (1 box), cinnamon (2 teaspoons), 1/3 cup white sugar, and brown sugar (1/4 cup) together until evenly combined.
- To the cake mix mixture, add vegetable oil (3/4 cup), milk, (1/2 cup) white wine (1/2 cup), eggs (4), and vanilla (1 tablespoon).
- Using an electric mixer beat until batter is smooth.
- Heavily spray a 10 or 12-cup bundt pan with Bakers nonstick cooking spray. Immediately pour batter into bundt pan. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes or until a bamboo skewer inserted in the cake comes out clean.
- When the cake has about 15 minutes left to bake, start making the glaze
Glaze:
- In a small saucepan, cook butter (1/2 cup), sugar (1 cup), and wine (1/4 ounce) until the sugar is dissolved, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla (2 teaspoons).
- While the cake is very hot and still in the bundt pan, use a long bamboo skewer, poke holes all over the cake.
- Set the hot cake on the wire baking rack. Slowly, and in stages, pour glaze over the cake and allow it to soak up the glaze. This takes 15-20 minutes.
- After all the glaze has been applied to the cake, let the cake cool on the wire rack for 1 hour.
- Turn the cake onto a serving plate. Enjoy!
Fans Also Made:
Notes
- The best advice I can give you is to thoroughly prepare your bundt pan, just before you pour your batter into it. If you want the beautiful pattern to show on your cake, you will want to remove the cake as instructed. If you leave it in the pan too long, it will stick.
- This cake is seriously addictive. I had to put the leftovers in the freezer because my family couldn’t stop snacking on it!
- Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Nutrition
On your phone? Check the web story here.
I’m into bundt cakes lately! This one is one of the best I made. I followed the recipe to the t.
Wowza! Thank you so much, Rachel. I hope you’ll try our other bundt cakes 🙂
Can this recipe be made into cupcakes?
Hi, Maureen! I haven’t tried this as cupcakes. Sorry, can’t advice.
What type of white wine do you recommend for the glaze? This looks so good!
Hi, Rhonda! A chardonnay or pinot grigio is recommended. Enjoy and let us know how it turns out 🙂