Apple Cider Donut Bundt Cake – an incredibly tender and moist apple spice cake with a delicious cinnamon sugar coating.
One of My Favorite Fall Traditions
Since moving to Utah nearly 10 years ago, one of my favorite fall traditions is visiting Rowley’s Big Red Barn in Santaquin. It’s about a 45-minute drive from our house and worth every minute on the road! As soon as we arrive, we hop the wagon ride out to the field to do all the activities first. The kids used to love the corn mazes, slides, zip-line and apple throw.
After hours playing in the field, we always head back to the Red Barn for apple cider donuts, ice cream and apple slushies. We get one of everything! (Well, more than one donut, because those are too hard to share. Ha!)
A few years ago, I came home from one of our visits and decided I had to recreate the donuts in cake form!
Apple Cider Donut Bundt Cake
For this cake, I worked off my pumpkin cake recipe from my Pumpkin Pie Cake. In my pumpkin cake layers, I use two cups of pumpkin puree. Since we’re not using pumpkin, we’re replacing that with a cup of applesauce and one cup of apple cider for this cake. All these liquids make this cake incredibly moist! I’ve also added some cinnamon and nutmeg for a little extra flavor. This Apple Cider Donut Bundt Cake is simply one of the best fall desserts you’ll ever make!
Cinnamon Sugar Coating
Once the bundt cake is baked and cooled, you’ll use a pastry brush to coat the cake with butter and then a dusting of cinnamon and sugar. I used coarse sugar, but you can also use regular, granulated sugar. (or powdered sugar for a more “wintery” looking cake!”
Tips for Making a Bundt Cake
- Bake at a low temperature for longer to ensure your cake bakes completely but doesn’t burn around the edges.
- Allow the cake to cool in the bundt pan for at least an hour to cool completely. Allowing the cooled cake to sit will make it easier for the cake to come out of the cake pan.
- This cake will freeze well if covered in plastic wrap. Just make sure to bring back to room temperature before serving.
- At room temperature, this cake can be stored for a couple of days in an airtight container.
Which Bundt Pan Should I Use
When making bundt cakes out of my cake recipes, I recommend using a 12-cup bundt pan. You’ll have plenty of room for the cake to rise without spilling. I recommend THIS bundt pan.
How to Make This Apple Cider Donut Bundt Cake: Video Tutorial
Other Cakes You’ll Love for Fall
- Caramel Apple Cake
- French Apple Pie Cake
- Turtle Pie Cake
- Pumpkin Gingersnap Cake
- 5 Delicious Thanksgiving Cakes
Apple Cider Donut Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp (5 g) ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp (1 g) nutmeg
- 1 tsp (5.6 g) salt
- 1 1/2 tbsp (21 g) baking powder
- 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (110 g) brown sugar
- 1 cup (224 g) vegetable oil
- 3 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup (250 g) unsweetened applesauce, at room temperature
- 1 cup (248 g) apple cider juice (not vinegar), at room temperature
- 1 tsp (5.6 g) vanilla extract
For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- 1/4 cup (56 g) unsalted butter melted
- 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tsp (5 g) cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a bundt pan with non-stick spray and then dust with flour. Set aside.
- In a medium size mixing bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and baking powder. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the sugar, brown sugar and oil. Mix on medium speed to combine.
- Add the eggs to the sugar mixture and mix on medium speed for about two minutes.
- Add the applesauce and vanilla. Mix to combine.
- With the mixer on low speed, add ⅓ of the flour mixture, followed by half of the apple cider. Continue alternating the flour mixture and the apple cider, finishing with the flour mixture. Mix until no streaks of flour remain. The batter will be slightly thin, not thick.
- Pour the batter into the bundt pan and bake for 50 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs on it.
- Let the cake cool for an hour in the bundt pan before turning it over onto a cake plate or cooling rack.
- Using a pastry brush, coat the cake in butter.
- Combine the ¼ cup sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon and then sprinkle onto the top and sides of the cake. To coat the sides, it's best to fill your hand with the mixture and pat it on the cake.
This looks so good! I don’t have a bundt pan. What other type of pans could be use for this? Can’t wait to try it!
9×13
Looks amazing. Can’t wait to try this! I do have a question. Is the applesauce sweetened or unsweetened? Thank you!
Either is fine!
Hi! My kids are egg allergic and we usually just use an egg replacer – any thoughts on that in this recipe ?
Should work!
I used “just egg” for another bundt cake and it worked perfectly. It’s made of Mung beans.
Is this for a 12 or 15 cup Bundt pan? Thank you and I can’t wait to make this.
either!
This looks delicious. I can’t wait to try it! Do you use unsweetened applesauce?
Yes.
If the finished cake tastes as good as the batter, this is going to be amazing!
Yes it does!
I liked the texture and the humidity of the bread but I did not like the intensity of the vinegar flavor … is there any way to improve it?
There is no vinegar in this cake…
Oops!
This looks and SOUNDS amazing. I can’t wait to try it. I do have an odd question though. Where did you get that darling cake stand?
Orson Gygi!
I bet they used apple cider vinegar instead of apple cider.
OMG they absolutely used apple cider vinegar. This is where common sense comes in, why would you put A CUP of vinegar into a cake???
Could I possibly sub sour cream for the apple sauce?
Hi! What size of Bundt pan are you using for this recipe?
15 cup caapcity
I can’t wait to try this-it looks prefect for fall weather! What size Bundt pan should I use?
15 cup capacity.
If you wanted to do this in round pans, how many would these make using 8 or 9 inch? Thanks
3
Made this cake two nights ago and it was DELICIOUS!
Thank you! I’m so glad!
Is it possible to convert this recipe to cupcakes? What temp and time would you try first? I’m excited to experiment! Looks amazing.
This was absolutely delicious! Came out perfect. Thank you for sharing.
Made this last night and followed the recipe to a T. First off, my house smelled amazing! The cake was a hit. It’s easy to make and simply delicious. thank you!
Is the applesauce sweetened or unsweetened? Thanks!
Either one!
This was so simple and was super moist & delicious. Thank you for including the weight measurements in your recipes. It is amazing how my cup/utensil measurements are not accurate.
This is a delicious cake! I used the spiced cider from Trader Joe’s (because it’s what I had on hand) and skipped the nutmeg (because I didn’t have any). This is the first time I used one of your recipes, and I will definitely be making more! Thank you for sharing!
Love love love the recipe, the flavors are amazing. I baked it for 50 minutes , tested with the toothpick and it had some moist crumbs but after letting it cool down the bottom was way to gooey/undercooked. Help!
It just needs a few more minutes baking. Try 55 minutes. Your cake won’t dry out.
Hi Courtney,
I have loved ever recipe of yours! The carrot cake is a favorite, especially in a jelly roll pan for crowds and traveling.
Would this cake do well in a jelly roll pan? Or is it more loaf like? I was considering making it in a jelly roll pan, debating on frosting flavor. Suggestions?
It would probably be better in a loaf pan!
Made this today. I didn’t have any applesauce so I used apple butter instead. I’m not sure how or if it affected the recipe but the cake was delicious!
Yum!
This cake smelled so good baking & even better as I waited not so patiently for it to cool. Yet, the taste topped these both! What a delicious & simple cake!
Thank yoU! I’m so glad!