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.
The taste is delicious but the texture was a bit wet for me. Before I took it out, the stick was dry so I wonder if I should’ve stuck it in more places to see if they’re all ready? But the taste is amazing.
Yea check some of the deeper spots.
Lovely recipe! I halved it as I have a European Kugelhopf and is smaller that a bundt tin, worked perfectly.
Can I use the instant cider packets you mix with water? If i can’t find actual cider?
Sure!
I don’t like donuts so probably would have never tried this cake; however, I thought I had to try it since it got do many votes during your cake March Madness so had it on my list to try. So glad I did! It was simple, looked beautiful and delicious! I did not change anything for the cake batter. Only change I made was use sparkling sugar and only 1 teaspoon of cinnamon for the topping. I also lightly dusted with powdered sugar as the cinnamon in the sugar wasn’t making it as sparkly and white as yours. Thank you!
Just want to confirm that the baking powder amount is 1.5 Tbsp (4.5 tsp)
Is that correct?
Thanks
Any chance I can use this recipe for a layered cake?
Sure!
Any suggestions on having the cinnamon sugar coating stick, especially the sides?
Plenty of melted butter
I will be making this cake Saturday for a get-together with friends this weekend. I’m very excited to try it and make my first Cakes by Courtney cake. Starting with something I think I can do. Scrolling down I also noticed the cornmeal cake? Headed back to check that out. 😁
I’m planning to make this but would like to know what size bundt? If it was given in the instructions I didn’t find it. Thank you.
10-15 cups
I noticed in the picture the sugar looks big and sparkling as opposed to fine. Is that right ? Thanks!
Yes, but just the sugar that coats the pan. For the cake recipe, use regular sugar. To coat the pan, use turbinado sugar.
I’m wanting to do this in a loaf pan what would be the measurements for that?
If you’re doing one loaf pan, I’d split this recipe in half.
Good morning! Thoughts on using Boiled Apple Cider instead of regular for this cake?
I think that should work!
Hi Courtney! In my experience, there are some cakes that taste better fresh (day-of) and some that taste better on the second day. Thoughts on this one?
Yeah, I think you’re right. I think denser cakes are better second day. This one is a great second day cake too!
If making a day ahead- should i wait to put on the sugar topping? I just took it out if the oven but serving it tomorrow!
Yes I would wait.
Can’t wait to try this! We don’t use vegetable oil though. Would coconut oil, butter, olive oil or avacado oil work best for a substitute?
avocado or grapeseed if possible
Easy, moist and delicious
Ii made this cake and it was super delicious. I followed the directions exactly and it turn out beautifully.
Thank you for posting this “keeper” recipe.
Terry
Made this for the Utes game tonight and it was a hit. It is moist and flavorful without being too sweet. It was also very easy to make.
Absolutely delicious! Perfect for the fall season. Did have a little trouble applying the sugar topping but made it work
For some reason I can’t view the Bundt pan you recommend. Do you use a non stick Bundt pan?
I spray mine. It doesn’t have to be.
I made this today Very good I served it with a salted caramel sauce