Apple Cider Bundt Cake

Sooooo, I did a thing. I took everything I love about Fall and baked it up in to a simple and delicious bundt cake. It tastes exactly like a classic apple cider donut, but better!

Don’t get me wrong. Apple cider donuts are great and all.

But they can be a bit time consuming (not to mention messy!) and they’re really best served straight from the fryer. Behold the best apple cider donut cake recipe. It’s nothing fancy or fussy, but gosh, it’s goooood!!!

It’s a donut. It’s a cake. It’s a donut cake! I could go on and on {and on!} about how crazy delicious this spiced apple cider cake is. Imagine a cake that tastes exactly like those iconic donuts from your favorite apple orchard.

This jumbo cakey donut is the definition of comfort food. Filled with warm Fall spices and covered in a buttery, cinnamon sugar topping, this cozy cake is the perfect way to usher in the Fall baking season.

And the best part is you can bake one up in under an hour. Enjoy it for breakfast or dessert – and everything in between.

• Flour – regular all-purpose flour will give this cake a soft and fluffy crumb that tastes just like an apple cider donut. Adding too much flour makes for a dry cake so I recommend using a digital scale for the most accurate measurements.
• Dark Brown Sugar – adding dark brown sugar will enhance the flavor of the cake and adds a note of caramel and molasses that your sweet tooth will love. If you don’t have dark brown sugar, light brown sugar works too!
• Apple Cider – Not to be confused with apple juice, apple cider is not filtered and it’s unpasteurized. If you don’t have time to make a trip to your favorite apple picking farm, you can find it seasonally in the refrigerated section of the grocery store.
• Sour Cream – along with the apple cider, sour cream keeps this cake soft and perfectly moist. You can substitute plain Greek yogurt if you don’t have sour cream on hand.
• Eggs – 3 eggs will bind all of the ingredients together and help give the cake structure. Be sure to use room temperature eggs.
• Spices – this cake is the ultimate Fall dessert thanks to a combination of cozy spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.

Let’s set the record straight. Apple juice and apple cider are too very different things, especially when it comes to baking. Apple juice undergoes a filtering process that removes any apple solids, and is then pasteurized for a longer shelf-life.

On the other hand, apple cider is usually unpasteurized and unfiltered.

As a result, apple juice is clear and usually sweeter in taste while apple cider is cloudy and more tangy as it has no added sugar.

Apple cider delivers an extra apple-y punch to this apple cider bundt and the added acid in the juice gives the cake an extra boost for that soft and fluffy texture.

Before you transfer the batter to the bundt pan, be sure to choose one with plenty of nooks and crannies to catch all the crunchy cinnamon sugar coating and cider glaze.

The more crevasses the better!

The best bundt pans are those made with three key features. For best results, it should be made of metal, have a nonstick finish, and be light in color.

Bundt pans made of anodized aluminum work best since they are sturdy and conduct consistent heat. This helps to create an evenly baked cake.

I love this bundt pan from Nordic Ware. Not sponsored, just a fan.

1. Use room temperature ingredients. For the batter to incorporate well it’s important that all of your ingredients are at room temperature. Softened butter, room temperature eggs and sour cream are key to a light and fluffy cake crumb.
2. Do not over mix. Be careful of over mixing your batter as it will create a tough, dense cake. To avoid over mixing the glutens, only mix until a few crumbs of flour are remaining.
3. Prep your pan. Every good bundt begins with a well prepped pan. There’s nothing worse that spending an hour in the kitchen baking a bundt only to have it fall apart when you flip the pan over. For best results, spray your pan with generous amount of non-stick baking spray. Don’t apply so much that the oil pools in the bottom of the pan. When the cake is baked, remove it from the oven and cool it for 10 minutes exactly. Then invert the pan onto a cake platter or plate for an easy release.

If apple cider donut cake isn’t the quintessential fall dessert, I don’t know what is. It’s as perfect with a cup of coffee or tea for breakfast as it is with a glass of brandy or bourbon for dessert.

Or serve it with a tall glass of milk or a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a treat the kiddos will love. A drizzle of salted caramel never hurt either!

I love that this cake is so versatile. Feel free to use apple cider or milk for the glaze. Add splash of maple syrup if you will. You can even brown the butter before brushing it on the cake for next-level flavor.

Frequently Asked Questions