Apple Cider Donut Bundt Cake Recipe

Jessica Morone

December 1, 2023 at 11:45 AM·6 min read

apple cider bundt cake slice - Jessica Morone/Tasting Table

Apple-based desserts tend to please a wide variety of people, thanks to their versatility and range of styles. If you want the apples to be front and center, pick a dessert that showcases the fruit in larger slices. Meanwhile, if you're seeking subtlety, apple-based ingredients are an excellent alternative to include. Tasting Table recipe developer Jessica Morone brings us this apple cider donut bundt cake recipe that will please any palate.

"If you like apple cider donuts you will love this cake," she comments and describes, "It's the perfect fall dessert because it is moist, delicious, and full of apple flavor." While there is enough sweetness in this baked treat to satisfy your sweet tooth around dessert time, it also has certain qualities of a quick bread that make it a good candidate for other occasions. Morone agrees and suggests, "I think you could probably also serve it at a brunch."

Gather The Ingredients For This Apple Cider Donut Bundt Cake Recipe

apple cider bundt cake ingredients - Jessica Morone/Tasting Table

For this recipe, get all-purpose flour, apple pie spice, salt, baking powder, baking soda, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Next, you'll need vegetable oil, large eggs, apple cider, unsweetened applesauce, sour cream, and vanilla extract. Finally, for the topping, you'll need more granulated sugar, apple pie spice, and melted unsalted butter.

Step 1: Preheat

oven preheat display - Jessica Morone/Tasting Table

Preheat the oven to 325 F.

Step 2: Grease Pan

spraying oil in bundt pan - Jessica Morone/Tasting Table

Generously spray a bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.

Step 3: Combine Dry Ingredients

dry cake ingredients in bowl - Jessica Morone/Tasting Table

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, apple pie spice, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Whisk until well mixed. Set aside.

Step 4: Mix Sugar And Wet Ingredients

wet cake ingredients in bowl - Jessica Morone/Tasting Table

In a large bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, apple cider, applesauce, sour cream, and vanilla extract until combined.

Step 5: Combine Wet And Dry Batter Ingredients

cake batter in bowl - Jessica Morone/Tasting Table

Add the flour mixture into the large bowl of wet ingredients and mix until no streaks of flour remain.

Step 6: Fill Pan And Bake

pouring cake batter into pan - Jessica Morone/Tasting Table

Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan and bake in the preheated oven for 50-55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs on it.

Step 7: Cool Cake

baked apple cake in pan - Jessica Morone/Tasting Table

Let the cake cool for 20 minutes in the pan, then turn it over onto a wire cooling rack placed over a baking sheet.

Step 8: Mix Sugar And Spice

cinnamon sugar in bowl - Jessica Morone/Tasting Table

In a small bowl, combine the remaining granulated sugar and apple pie spice.

Step 9: Brush Butter

brushing melted butter on cake - Jessica Morone/Tasting Table

Brush the melted butter over the bundt cake on the cooling rack.

Step 10: Add Sugar

sprinkling cinnamon sugar on cake - Jessica Morone/Tasting Table

Sprinkle the tops and sides of the cake with the sugar mixture, use your hands if necessary to pat it into the cake so it sticks.

Step 11: Serve

bundt apple cake with slice - Jessica Morone/Tasting Table

Cut the cake and enjoy!

What Are The Key Ingredients In This Apple Cider Donut Bundt Cake Recipe?

apple bundt cake with slice - Jessica Morone/Tasting Table

Per the cake's name, apple cider is pretty essential to the final result, and Morone comments, "Taking out the cider part kind of makes it a different thing, but in a pinch, you could use unsweetened apple juice." You'll want to read the label carefully to see if there are added sugars. As Morone points out, "They don't usually add sugar to apple cider, so using apple juice with sugar in it will make this cake much too sweet."

Morone explains, "The apple cider and applesauce are mainly to flavor the bread, but they also do add moisture to the batter." This ensures the cake has a pleasant apple aroma in each bite while remaining tender and soft. Another ingredient that contributes to both the flavor and consistency is sour cream. "[It] helps to balance the sweetness out, and also adds more moisture, fat, and acidity to the cake," Morone says. Whereas butter or oil would improve the moisture and fat, sour cream is unique in its ability to tame the sweetness and infuse a bit of tang.

Can You Make This Apple Cider Donut Bundt Cake Recipe In A Different Format?

apple cider bundt cake - Jessica Morone/Tasting Table

A bundt cake is a fun shape to add to the table, and it produces nice slices that are easy to cut and serve. Still, you may not have access to a bundt pan or instead prefer to prepare your sweet treat in a different format. If so, Morone notes, "You could make this recipe in other types of pans," and provides a few suggestions to guide the way.

If the pan size and shape change, you'll naturally need to modify the baking time for optimal results. "You could divide it into two 9-inch round cake pans and bake it for about 30 minutes, or bake it in one 13×9-inch pan for about 45 minutes," Morone instructs. To be on the safer side, check the cake regularly to make sure it isn't burning. Then, test it with a toothpick -- the cake is ready when the toothpick comes out clean. Just like with the bundt pan, leave the cake to sit in the pan for about 20 minutes before cooling it on a wire rack.