Apple Cider Doughnut Cake
This Apple Cider Doughnut Cake is a delectable fusion of two harvest season flavors. Baked in a bundt pan, this flavorful cake is generously coated with cinnamon and sugar to complement the cider infused batter.
Easy Apple Cider Doughnut Cake Recipe
When the weather begins the countdown to cooler days, we naturally turn our attention to all things apple. Apple butter, apple pie, apple cakes and apple desserts are only to be eclipsed by all things pumpkin. This fusion cake brings together apple cider doughnuts with apple bundt cake combining them into one glorious fall treat. How to make Apple Cider Doughnut Cake: (Scroll down for full printable recipe.)
- Prepare Pan – Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour or spray a 12 cup bundt pan with baking spray. Set aside.
- Dry Ingredients – Use a whisk to sift together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, apple pie spice and salt. Set aside.
- Wet Ingredients – In a separate bowl, whisk together cider and applesauce. Set aside.
- Creamed Ingredients – Using a mixer cream together butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar and vanilla until fluffy.
- Eggs – Add the eggs one at a time beating well after each addition.
- Combine – Lower the speed of the mixer and add dry ingredients alternately with the wet ingredients beginning and ending with flour. Stop and scrape the sides of the bowl periodically.
- Transfer to Pan – Spread evenly in prepared pan.
- Bake – Bake per the recipe until the cake springs back when touched and a toothpick inserted into the center comes back clean. Cool in the pan on a cooling rack for 20 minutes.
- Brush with Butter – Turn cake out onto a baking rack. Brush the cake on all sides with melted butter.
- Make Cinnamon Sugar Coating – Mix together sugar and cinnamon and press on all sides of cake. Repeat several times, pressing sugar on cake until all is used. The cake should be fully covered.
- Cool to warm, then slice and serve.
How to Make the BEST Apple Cider Doughnut Cake
The batter for this cake is infused with both apple cider and Granny Smith apples along with apple pie spice to complete the flavor profile. This super sized doughnut version of cake is a spectacular way to serve those loveable fall flavors to a crowd.
- Ingredients you’ll need to make homemade Apple Cider Doughnut Cake: All purpose flour, baking powder, apple pie spice, cinnamon, apple sauce, apple cider, large eggs, butter, salt, shredded Granny Smith apples.
- To make the Coating: Melted butter, granulated sugar and cinnamon.
- Kitchen tools you’ll need: Stand mixer or hand mixer, measuring cups and spoons, whisk, large bowl, medium bowl, small bowl, Bundt pan, cooling rack, pastry brush and cooling rack.
- I recommend using Granny Smith apples to balance the sweetness of this cake. That said, you can certainly adapt using the variety of apples that you have on hand or the variety that you prefer.
- The melted butter brushed on the cake forms the glue to hold on the cinnamon sugar coating. Be generous, this is no time to skimp.
- When applying the cinnamon sugar coating, it’s a messy job it just goes with the territory. It will take several coatings, so just keep applying it and gently pressing onto the sides so it will stick.
- To help with clean up, place wax paper strips around the edge of the cake plate or stand to catch the coating. When finished, gently pull to remove.
- Store Apple Cider Doughnut Cake in an airtight container chilled for up to one week or at room temperature for up to 3 days.
How to Store Apple Cider Doughnut Cake
This cake can be stored at room temperature for up to three days or chilled for up to one week. To lengthen the shelf life, chilling in an airtight container is best. It can also be sliced into four wedges, individual slices or in half and wrapped in freezer wrap and frozen for up to 1 month. This is ideal to keep it fresh and have dessert ready when you’re ready to eat.
More Apple Dessert Recipes to Make
There’s no shortage of harvest recipes to try this time of year. A few more recipes that you may like to try:
- Start the day with these freshly baked Apple Muffins.
- The kiddos will love this Toffee Apple Pizza for dessert.
- Southern Fried Apples can be enjoyed as a side dish, over pancakes for breakfast or with pound cake for dessert.
- A warm piece of Apple Crumb Pie a la mode is a dream dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
- Glazed Apple Fritters are impossible to resist!
- Caramel Apple Poke Cake is a pot luck rock star.
- Warm Apple Cobbler with vanilla ice cream will cure what ails ya!
- Apple Pie Waffles from Belly Full will have the family waking up happy.
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Helpful Kitchen Items:
Apple Cider Doughnut Cake
Ingredients
- Cake:
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 tsp apple pie spice
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup apple cider
- 3/4 cup apple sauce
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup peeled and shredded Granny Smith apple
- Coating:
- 2-3 Tbsp unsalted butter melted
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour or spray a 12 cup bundt pan with baking spray. Set aside.
- Cake: In a medium size mixing bowl, use a whisk to sift together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, apple pie spice and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together cider and applesauce. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer on medium high speed in a large bowl cream together butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar and vanilla until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time beating well after each addition.
- Lower the speed of the mixer and add dry ingredients alternately with the wet ingredients beginning and ending with flour. Stop and scrape the sides of the bowl periodically. Once all is added beat for 20 seconds, or just until fully combined. Mix shredded apple in by hand.
- Spread evenly in prepared pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until the cake springs back when touched and a toothpick inserted into the center comes back clean. Cool in the pan on a cooling rack for 20 minutes.
- Cinnamon Sugar Coating: Turn cake out onto a baking rack. Brush the cake on all sides with melted butter. Mix together sugar and cinnamon and press on all sides of cake. Repeat several times, pressing sugar on cake until all is used. The cake should be fully covered.
- Cool to warm, then slice and serve. May serve with ice cream and a drizzle of caramel, if desired.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.
Great tasting recipe. I didn’t add all the cinnamon-sugar to the outside of cake and it still was great. I also forgot to add the applesauce to recipe, really made a difference to the cake as it didn’t have that apple flavour otherwise would have had, don’t forget to add it. Otherwise, it was still good tasting just more spices taste to it.
do you have to use apple cider
This is an apple cider cake. If you’re wondering if you could use apple juice, you could.
can you replace apple butter for the apple sauce just wondering
I haven’t tested it but you likely could, sure.
I’m getting ready to make this, does this cake rise? I don’t see either baking soda or baking powder in it.
Thank you!
This cake does rise and calls for 3 teaspoons baking powder.
Would baking this cake in a 9”x 13″ Pan work instead of the bundt pan? No matter how hard I try by preparing the bundt pan it always breaks ~ I have even purchased several different bundt pans.
I’m not sure that would work as this cake has to be coated in cinnamon and sugar.
You need to make sure you use an oiled and flour coated pan. Bake the cake until a wooden pick comes out clean. Let it cool in the pan. When it’s cool, place a plate or platter over the cake, then turn over. Take a kitchen towel and dampen it. Place it on your upside down bundt pan. After about 3 minutes, try lifting the pan and simultaneously give it a little shake. The cake should come free from the pan.
Oh my goodness, this cake is delicious!!! I wanted to try something different for when we get together with friends for cards and dessert. Your recipes never fail to impress and are so good! Thank you
Hi Linda, thank you so much!
sweetened or not applesauce, yhanks.
Either will work in this recipe.