Apple Cider Donut Cake Recipe

This Apple Cider Donut Cake Recipe is the shortcut to your favorite fall donut without a pot of hot oil. Apple cider is reduced to a concentrated syrup and baked into a cinnamon spiced bundt cake, then the warm cake is brushed with butter and rolled in cinnamon sugar, just like a donut. The crumb is moist, the coating is crunchy and sweet, and the whole cake tastes like autumn.

For more favourites, try our Apple Crisp, our Cinnamon Monkey Bread and our Cinnamon Apple Scones.

What Makes This Apple Cider Donut Cake So Good

Reducing the cider is the key step. Simmering two cups of apple cider down to half a cup concentrates the apple flavor so it actually tastes like cider, not just sweet cake. The spices, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a touch of cardamom, echo a real donut shop cake donut, and the butter and cinnamon sugar coating gives every slice that signature crunchy exterior.

A bundt pan does the rest of the work. It bakes evenly, looks beautiful with no decorating skill required, and the ridges hold extra cinnamon sugar in every groove. It is a cake that feeds a crowd and travels well to potlucks and holiday tables.

The Key Ingredients

Simple baking staples plus one special step make this cake.

The Reduced Cider

Start with two cups of apple cider, not apple juice, and simmer it until it reduces to half a cup. This takes about 20 minutes and is worth every minute; it is the difference between a cake that whispers apple and one that sings it.

The Spices

Cinnamon leads, with nutmeg and cardamom in support. A pinch of cloves adds warmth without overpowering. Freshly grated nutmeg, if you have it, makes a noticeable difference.

The Coating

Melted butter brushed over the warm cake helps the cinnamon sugar stick and soak slightly into the crust. Use granulated sugar with plenty of cinnamon for a coating that crunches rather than melts.

How to Make Apple Cider Donut Cake

Reduce, mix, bake, and coat. No fryer, no fuss.

• Reduce the cider: simmer 2 cups of apple cider until it reduces to 1/2 cup, then cool.
• Mix the batter: whisk the dry ingredients, then beat in butter, sugar, eggs, and the reduced cider.
• Bake in a bundt pan: butter and flour the pan well, pour in the batter, and bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes.
• Coat while warm: cool for 10 minutes, turn out, brush with melted butter, and press cinnamon sugar all over.
• Slice and serve: serve warm or at room temperature with coffee or cider.

Mistakes to Avoid

Skipping the Reduction

Unreduced cider waters down the batter and barely flavors the cake. Reduce it; the concentrated syrup is the whole point.

Coating a Cold Cake

Cinnamon sugar sticks best to a warm, butter brushed cake. Wait until the cake is cool and the coating will slide right off.

Under Greasing the Pan

Bundt cakes stick. Butter every ridge generously and dust with flour, or use baking spray with flour, for a clean release.

What to Serve with Apple Cider Donut Cake

This cake is a star on its own, but a few pairings make it shine:

• Hot coffee or spiced apple cider, the classic pairing
• Vanilla ice cream, for a warm slice dessert
• Caramel sauce, drizzled over each slice
• Whipped cream, lightly sweetened, for a lighter finish

Make It Your Own

The cake welcomes variations. Fold in diced apples for extra texture, add chopped pecans to the batter for crunch, or swap the cinnamon sugar coating for a simple apple cider glaze. A cream cheese glaze also works beautifully for a richer finish. The cake keeps for 3 days at room temperature and freezes well uncoated.

Make This Apple Cider Donut Cake Today

Spiced, sugary, and smelling like an orchard in October, this donut cake is the fall bake your kitchen has been waiting for. Reduce the cider tonight and bake tomorrow morning. Browse more of our Desserts recipes for more fall baking.