Skip the donut shop and make this fall ready Apple Cider Donut Cake recipe right at the crib. It’s a beyond flavorful, moist and perfectly Autumn spiced cake that has the texture of a doughnut with it’s tender melt-in-your-mouth bite. We add in both apple cider and applesauce to get those apple notes popping then we smother the whole baked thing in butter and coat in cinnamon sugar like a boss! Get into it!
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They’re Lovin’ It! Here’s what They’re Sayin’:
“This cake was delicious! Made it for my son’s 14th birthday. Followed the recipe to the t and it worked out perfectly!”
—AMELIA
Ain’t nothing like an apple cider donut during Autumn. Whether you grab one at your local donut shop or while apple picking at the orchard, they are a major part of the fall season. This apple cider donut cake recipe is giving all that flavor and then some. It is a super moist, spiced cake made with both apple cider and applesauce that keeps the crumb moist and soft. After it’s been baked to tender perfection, the bundt is smothered in butter and coated in cinnamon sugar. My girl Cake by Courtney put her foot in it. Thanks for sharing it with me.
The Lowdown of This Apple Cider Donut Cake Recipe
Cuisine Inspiration: A fall classic with a cake remix
Primary Cooking Method: Baking
Dietary Info: Can be made gluten-free with ingredient swaps
Key Flavor: Warm spiced apple cider donut in a cake package
Skill Level: Easy y’all (No Sweat Fam!)
Fall Flavor Bomb
Apple cider, applesauce, cinnamon, and nutmeg all create a bomb explosion of autumn deliciousness getting you all the way in a cozy mood.
Easy Peasy Boos!
This cake couldn’t be easier to pull off. Grab a mixing bowl and a hand mixer and go to town on this simple recipe with the most straightforward instructions ever!
Texture of a Donut
Most of my followers are sometimes confused about the texture of this cake. You might be expecting a fluffy cake texture but you get more of a doughnut consistency instead. Think of this cake as a big ole giant donut baked in a bundt pan boos.
Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Apple Cider Donut Bundt Cake
- All Purpose Flour: This will add structure giving this bundt cake a dense yet soft crumb that tastes like a donut.
- Spices: We get super cozy with cinnamon and nutmeg in the mix.
- Baking Powder: Leavening will give you the perfect soft, cakey donut consistency.
- Salt: This helps cut sweetness while enhancing flavor!
- Sugar: We use a combo of brown sugar and white sugar here. The brown sugar will deepen flavor while the granulated sugar works as the perfect cinnamon sugar coating for the exterior!
- Vegetable Oil: Oil helps maintain a silky, soft and moist texture.
- Eggs: They will give your apple cider bundt cake just enough structure to hold up to all that cinnamon sugar apple flavor boos.
- Apple Flavors: We’re using both apple cider and apple sauce to pack the cake full of apple essence while keeping it super tender.
- Vanilla Extract: This is gonna give just enough aromatic brightness to intensify the flavors.
- Unsalted Butter: The richness is undeniable and necessary boos.
How to Make Apple Cider Donut Cake
How To Serve Apple Cider Doughnut Cake
- Serve Warm: This cake is best served fresh and warm out of the oven!
- A La Mode: Go indulgent and add scoops of vanilla ice cream or something super rich like cookie butter ice cream, apple pie ice cream or sweet potato ice cream.
- Dollop It Up: Just a spoonful of fresh whipped cream or some hard sauce can be the perfect pairing for a slice of this apple cider donut bundt cake.
- Bundt Cake Buffet: Entertaining a ton? Make a full dessert table with this cake, Bailey’s chocolate bundt cake, lemon pound cake, sour cream pound cake, and strawberry pound cake.
Recipe Subtitutions
- Apple Cider: You can easily swap in apple juice if you don’t have cider around. Just note that the apple flavors won’t be as intense so only swap in a pinch.
- Spices: Replace cinnamon and nutmeg with apple pie spice to keep it no-fuss.
- Brown Sugar: If you don’t have any around, you can make homemade brown sugar with granulated sugar and molasses.
- Vegetable Oil: Swap out this oil for canola or another neutral oil.
Recipe Additions and Variations
- Gluten-Free: While it may change the texture a bit, swap in your fave 1:1 ratio gluten-free baking flour.
- Spice it Up: If you’d like to add something a little extra, try a dash of ground allspice, cloves, or cardamom.
- Caramel Drizzle: Drizzle it up with this simple caramel sauce to add even more indulgence to this cake.
- Add Apple Texture: Toss in some finely chopped apple pieces to give you more texture.
Expert Tips and Tricks for Making the Best Apple Cider Doughnut Bundt Cake
- Use Apple Cider If You Can Boos: Apple cider and apple juice are not the same y’all. Cider is much more concentrated and flavorful, making for an apple cider bundt cake that tastes as good as a hot apple cider donut at the orchard.
- Intensify The Apple Flavor Even More: 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!: Overmixing will cause gluten to overdevelop and create a tough, dry cake y’all. Mix the cake batter until it’s just combined!
- Grease it Up!: The best way to avoid a stuck cake is to grease every nook and cranny of the pan with cake release and a light dusting of flour.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
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.
For sure boos. Just add the batter to lined muffin tins and start checking the cupcakes after 12-15 minutes of baking.
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.
More Apple Recipes
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.
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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!