Y’all this Apple Cider Donut Cake recipe is giving all the apple cider donut vibes from fall. I stay skipping the donut shop when I can whip this baby up. I double the apple intensity by adding apple cider and applesauce. It also helps make the crumb moist and soft. That, along with cinnamon sugar on the buttered crust is just unreal boos.
My girl Cake by Courtney put her foot in it. Thanks for sharing it with me.
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Apple Cider Donut Cake Ingredient Notes
- Cinnamon and Nutmeg: You can also swap in apple pie spice.
- Sugar: We use a combo of brown sugar and white sugar here. Make brown sugar from scratch with granulated and molasses.
- Vegetable Oil: Or another neutral oil like canola. No olive oil.
- Apple Cider and Apple Sauce: No swaps for that cider boos! It creates more intense flavor instead of apple juice.
- Unsalted Butter: Salted also works.
How to Make Apple Cider Donut Cake
Step 1: In a mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients then in another bowl, combine both sugars and oil and mix. Add in eggs, then applesauce and vanilla and finally add flour and apple cider and mix until smooth.
Step 2: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F then grease your bundt pan. Pour the batter into the bundt pan.
Step 3: Bake for about 55 minutes. Once the cake has cooled, use a pastry brush then add the butter to the cake and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar.
Apple Cider Donut Cake
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Ingredients
For the Cake
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1 1/2 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs room temp
- 1 cup applesauce room temp
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup apple cider room temp
For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter melted
- 1/4 cup coarse sugar
- 2 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a bundt pan with non-stick spray and then dust with flour. Set aside.
- In a medium size mixing bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and baking powder. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the sugar, brown sugar and oil. Mix on medium speed to combine.
- Add the eggs to the sugar mixture and mix on medium speed for about two minutes.
- Add the applesauce and vanilla. Mix to combine.
- With the mixer on low speed, add ⅓ of the flour mixture, followed by half of the apple cider. Continue alternating the flour mixture and the apple cider, finishing with the flour mixture. Mix until no streaks of flour remain. The batter will be slightly thin, not thick.
- Pour the batter into the bundt pan and bake for 55-60 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs on it.
- Let the cake cool for an hour in the bundt pan before turning it over onto a cake plate or cooling rack.
- Using a pastry brush, coat the cake in butter.
- Combine the ¼ cup sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon and then sprinkle onto the top and sides of the cake. To coat the sides, it's best to fill your hand with the mixture and pat it on the cake.
Notes
How to Store Apple Cider Donut Cake
If you keep your cake in an airtight container like under a cake dome or tightly wrapped, this cake can be kept for up to 3 days at room temp.How Long Will Apple Cider Doughnut Cake Last in the Fridge?
It will typically last for about 5 days. Just remember to bring back to room temp before you serve it up.Can I Freeze Apple Cider Donut Bundt Cake?
Wrap the cake in plastic wrap then put it in a heavy-duty freezer bag. Make sure you add the date to the package. It should last for up to 3 months. When ready to dig in again, thaw overnight in the fridge or at room temp for a couple hours.Nutrition
Recipe Tips
- Intensify: To get a stronger apple flavor, reduce the apple cider by simmering it on the stove to concentrate the flavor before adding it to the batter boos.
- Room Temp Matters: Allowing all your ingredients to come to the same temperature allows all your ingredients to heat at the same rate for even baking.
- Don’t overmix!: It will overdevelop the gluten and create a tough, dry cake y’all. Mix the cake batter until it’s just combined!
- Grease it Up!: Grease every nook and cranny of the pan with cake release so it comes out easily.
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Recipe Help
The texture of this “cake” is more like a donut than a typical bundt cake boos. That’s part of its magic. It is super moist but it will be a bit more tender and dense than your typical fluffy light cake. Also remember that you must bake it all the way or it could give a soggy mouth texture.
The toothpick trick works every single time y’all. Make sure you remove from the oven once that toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out nice and clean boos.
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Absolutely delicious and I highly recommend this recipe! It’s moist and not too dense. Perfect for the fall season!
I never write recipe reviews, but I had to write one for this cake. It is absolutely DELICIOUS!! I made this cake this morning and just had my first bite, it tastes just like an apple cider doughnut. It is moist and flavorful, the apple and cinnamon really stand out. Will definitely be making this one again!!
This looks so yummy and with fall right around the corner I want to make it. I’ll be making it GF as I have Celiac Disease, but cooking that way for some time so hopefully I’ll have another yum recipe ~~~
Any chance you can provide the nutrition information. Looking for carb count especially .?
Thank you
Hi, I have a question as to the applesauce. Are you using sweetened applesauce or unsweetened?
Thanks.
I would use the classic sweetened for this.
Thank you so much, I will definitely try this cake.
Wow, this is incredible! So much flavor and so moist. Definitely a new favorite in my house. Thanks for the amazing recipe!
Yum! This cake is my answer to my never-ending search for recipes using apple sauce ( I always have a ton leftover from other recipes). Delicious cake: really nice and moist texture and the flavour of cinnamon and apple really comes though!
This apple cider donut cake looks amazing. I love how easy it is to make too. It’s a perfect Fall dessert.
This is amazing! It reminds me of the apple cider donuts I would get at our town carnival but in a cake form! Yum!
This is the perfect fall recipe! My kids loved helping making this yummy donut cake. It tastes just like the donutsyou get at the pumpkin patch…but better!