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Cozy Apple Cider Donut Cake with Cinnamon Sugar

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This cozy apple cider donut cake with cinnamon sugar captures everything you love about classic cider mill donuts—warm spice, tangy apple flavor, and a satisfying crunch—without the mess of frying. It’s tender, moist, and perfect for fall gatherings.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups apple cider, divided (1½ cups for reducing, ½ cup for batter)
  • 2½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (1 stick)
  • ⅓ cup vegetable oil (canola or avocado)
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ½ cup buttermilk
  • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
  • For the cinnamon sugar coating:
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1½ tablespoons ground cinnamon
  • 3 tablespoons melted butter

Instructions

  1. Reduce the apple cider: Pour 1½ cups apple cider into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about ⅓ cup. Remove from heat and let cool.
  2. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Generously grease a 10-cup bundt pan with butter or baking spray containing flour.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, beat softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3–4 minutes with a hand mixer on medium speed.
  4. Add vegetable oil and beat for 1 minute. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
  5. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.
  6. With mixer on low speed, add one-third of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing just until combined. Add half of the buttermilk and the reduced cider, mixing gently. Repeat with another third of dry ingredients, remaining buttermilk and fresh cider, then last of dry ingredients. Stop mixing as soon as flour disappears. Fold batter with a rubber spatula to ensure no pockets of flour remain.
  7. Pour batter into prepared bundt pan and spread evenly. Tap pan on counter a few times to release air bubbles. Bake for 40–45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
  8. Let cake cool in pan on a wire rack for exactly 15 minutes. Invert onto rack and lift pan off gently. Let cool completely, about 1 hour.
  9. While cake cools, mix ½ cup sugar and 1½ tablespoons cinnamon in a shallow bowl. Once cake is cool, brush entire surface with melted butter. Generously sprinkle or spoon cinnamon sugar mixture all over cake, pressing gently to adhere.

Notes

Don’t skip reducing the cider—it concentrates the apple flavor. Bring all ingredients to room temperature for best texture. Grease the bundt pan thoroughly to prevent sticking. Apply cinnamon sugar coating when cake is just barely warm for best adhesion. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Freeze without coating for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: apple cider donut cake, cinnamon sugar cake, fall dessert, bundt cake, apple cake, easy fall recipe

Find it online: https://dinadishes.com/cozy-apple-cider-donut-cake-with-cinnamon-sugar/