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Soft, moist, and bursting with warm apple cider flavor this Apple Cider Donut Cake is coated in a spiced cinnamon sugar exterior that gives it that perfect donut shop crunch! Serve it with a mug of hot cider or coffee for the ultimate autumn treat.

A Bundt cake with sugar all overthe outside.

In the fall there’s nothing like a warm mug of spiced apple cider. I tend to buy a gallon every year and while I do enjoy a mug most nights, after a while I’m always trying to find a way to use the rest of it.

What is Apple Cider?

Apple cider is a beverage made by pressing fresh apples to extract their juice. It’s unfiltered, so it often looks cloudy and may contain tiny bits of apple pulp.

While I enjoy drinking apple cider I also like baking with it. One of my all time favorite things to make are Apple Cider Donuts covered with cinnamon and sugar. Another favorite is the sweet flavors in Apple Cider Bundt Cake. For breakfast I really like Apple Cider Donuts with Pecan Sugar for the hints of savory and saltiness.

To get the full flavor from the apple cider when you are baking one of the first things to do is put the cider in a saucepan and heat in order to reduce the cider down to a concentrated syrup.

While you can make this Apple Cider Cake in a regular cake pan or springform pan, I prefer to make them in a decorative Bundt Pan as it just looks pretty.

This cake gets its apple flavor in three different ways. It gets it from the apple cider reduction in the cake batter, from the chopped apples in the cake batter, and from the apple cider soak that goes on the cake at the end.

The donut portion comes from the texture of the cake as well of the sugar and spice coating that goes on the outside of the cake. It’s literally like eating an apple cider donut!

Ingredients:

salted butter (or unsalted if you prefer)
fresh apples
apple cider (don’t use apple juice, it needs to be cider)
whole milk (or plant based milk)
all purpose flour
baking powder
salt
apple pie spice (see below for the recipe if you don’t have any on hand)
granulated sugar
brown sugar (I use light but you can use dark)
eggs
vegetable oil
vanilla extract

To make the cake preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a Bundt pan with baking spray and set aside.

In a medium saucepan combine the chopped apples and cider. Bring to a boil over medium high heat then reduce heat to medium and simmer. After 10 minutes smash the apples and heat for 2-3 more minutes.

In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and apple pie spice.

how do you make apple pie spice?

In a small bowl combine 3 Tablespoons of cinnamon, 2 teaspoons nutmeg, and 2 teaspoons of allspice. If you have ground mace add 1/2 teaspoon though it isn’t needed. Mix together and store in an air tight container.

In a large bowl cream together the butter, sugar, and brown sugar. Add in the eggs, oil, and vanilla and mix well. Add half the flour mixture and mix well. Add in one cup of the apple cider mixture plus the milk and mix well to combine. Add the remaining flour mixture and mix well to combine.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 40-45 minutes. Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges and flip the cake to release it from the pan.

To make it more like a donut you will brush the cake with apple cider. I took about 1/4 of the cake at a time and brushed it with the apple cider then quickly sprinkled the spiced sugar mixture on the cake, pressing to adhere.

This cake is really pretty. I like that the sugar mixture almost sparkles and the cake being baking in the decorative pan look amazing.

Do I have to put the spiced sugar on the outside of the cake?

You don’t have too. However, the sugar and apple cider being brushed on the cake add a lot of additional flavor. It also makes it look really pretty. An alternative could be drizzling a spiced glaze over top of the cake.

The cake has a lot of great spices in it along with a subtle apple flavor. The apple cider and sugar on the outside add more apple cider spice flavor to the cake. The cake has a nice crumb and is perfect for breakfast or dessert.

I chose to serve mine drizzled with caramel sauce and a dollop with whipped cream on top. You can eat it plain or with a little bit of apple butter or apple compote on top as well.

If you’ve tried my Apple Cider Donut Cake or any other recipe on Hezzi-D’s Recipe Box please take a minute to rate the recipe and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. I love hearing from you! You can FOLLOW ME on:

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