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.
Looks AMAZING; can you use this recipe for baked donuts?
Yes! I’ve had several readers try it and say it works great.
The first time I made this cake, I used bread flour by mistake and it came out perfect only wish it tasted more like apple. Now that I keep making them with flour it doesn’t work
Oh that’s so strange. If the bread flour works for you, stick with that for sure. xx
I got adventurous since my bundt pan is only 10 cups…..I made 1 and 1/2 recipe than made 2 cakes! It worked perfectly. Also when I buttered the pan I sprinkled it liberally with cinnamon sugar mixture and then didn’t do the extra butter sugar step and it was fine
So happy you loved it! Thanks for leaving a review!
This recipe sounded so good. I had some cider so I wanted to use so just finished the cake a couple of hours ago. Tested for doneness and it was perfect.Doubled the spice too. Cooled off so I excitedly took a small piece and was so disappointed. No real cider taste and it was gummy. Don’t even want to give my husband a piece much less use for company. Not trying to be rude but it just isn’t good!
Hi! Sorry to hear you had issues with the recipe. This cake shouldn’t have a gummy texture, so let’s figure out what may have gone wrong. I do think it may have needed more time in the oven if it was gummy. The texture will be fluffy and very moist when it’s done. It also could have baked poorly due to old baking powder.
I baked mine a bit longer to make sure it was done, but also ended up with a gummy texture. The flavor was fine, but I had reduced 2 cups of cider down to one to give it some extra flavor. I think my problem could have been the eggs that I used — they were nearing the end of their shelf life. Had I used fresh, I have a feeling the texture would have been much better. Use fresh eggs! 🙂
Making this cake for the third time and like it almost as much as a traditional heavy cream bundt. It’s fun for a fall change. I wondered why it said to cool for an entire hour, so I did a little longer than my usual 10 minutes before turning out after baking. I waited 15 minutes and it was just fine. I did not read all the reviews before the first time, but I do like cinnamon so I put in extrq and will again.
That cooling time is to ensure the bundt comes out nice and clean, but if you’re finding you don’t have to wait that long – awesome! so glad you love the cake.
Great apple flavor! I reduced my Cider a day ahead so it was intense. Moist and delicious! I made it into a 3-layer 8 inch with cream cheese filling and salted caramel. Delicious. I would maybe increase the baking powder to 3 tsp to get more of a rise.
Hi there! Love your cakes. Maybe it’s my phone, but the link doesn’t exist for your Bundt pan recommendation. Thanks! 😉
Sorry about that. It’s a nordicware 12 cup bundt pan.
Love watching this lady!! Great recipes!
Good morning. I am wanting to make this for Thanksgiving but need it to be gluten free. Any suggestions on a gf flour? I have on hand better batter and king arthur.
thanks so much!
Hi Susan, I’m a fairly experienced GF baker (been GF for nearly a decade) and I’d highly recommend using Better Batter or Cup4Cup gf flour for this type of cake. I’m planning on making this recipe for Thanksgiving too so I can’t tell how it turned out yet but I’ve made very similar recipes with great success with those flours. Hope this helps!
This cake was simply amazing – followed the recipe exactly except for one thing, based on reviews of the cake not having enough spice flavor I tossed in a tsp of Allspice along with the Cinnamon. Despite all the sugar, was surprisingly not overly sweet – so moist and delicious I did a double take on the 1 1/2 Tablespoons of baking powder as that seemed like a lot, but went with it anyway. I wonder if people who had trouble with the texture of the baked cake read that as teaspoons instead of Tablespoons?? Definitely saving this recipe for future use.
Well Lisa, you just saved me! As this cake is in the oven, I read this review and realized that’s me…I used 1 1/2 tsp of Baking Powder instead of TABLESPOONS! I’ve never misread a recipe before and I’m kicking myself right now but I’m extremely thankful I saw your review. Also thankful that I have time to remake this cake tomorrow morning! Thank you Lisa!! 😄
Can I freeze this cake?
Yes
Can’t wait to try this recipe for thanksgiving! I want to make a day ahead. Any tips?
Keep in freezer
Literally one of the best tasting cakes ever. Used a bit more cinnamon and vanilla (tradition:) Made a glaze with cider syrup, powdered sugar, apple cider, and triple sec reduced down – for extra sweetness. Was phenomenal!!! Thank you.
What can I use instead of eggs in this recipe. Can I use flaxseed or extra applesauce?
https://cakebycourtney.com/egg-free-dairy-free-vanilla-cake/ I have some egg free ideas here
You can use Chia seed egg
For one “egg “ dissolve 1 TBLS in warm water to make 1/4 cup. Stir until thickened for it to form a gel.
Making this for thanksgiving! If turning down the heat and cooking for longer, what temp/time do you recommend?
325. Might take 90 mins
I made this last week and it was delicious! I’d like to make it in loaf pans this time. Do you have a suggestion on the temperature and time for loaf pans?
Split the recipe in half and use two loaf pans. Same temp. Not sure on time. Keep an eye on it!
Love this cake! It turned out perfectly. I think using unfiltered spiced cider is a must to get the best apple flavor. Everyone asked for the recipe but one friends turned out gummy. Sure she did everything right she was so perplexed. Turns out she used 1 1/2 TSP of baking powder not 1 1/2 TBS. I think this is the reason there are so many comments about it turning out gummy. Maybe they automatically think teaspoons since cake typically uses teaspoons.
** Make sure to use 1 1/2 tablespoons of baking powder everyone!
I made the same mistake between tablespoon and teaspoon. Wish I had seen your comment earlier. I also made that part of my comments on this yummy recipe.
Delicious….but after checking another recipe I realized why this came out wet in the middle: if using store bought applesauce, next time I will strain off some of the excess moisture through a fine mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth, then measure out 1 cup unsweetened applesauce after straining. Will try again with this adjustment. Otherwise a beautiful and delicious cake.
Hi! Love this recipe! Could I make this into 12 mini bundt cakes? And if so what, if any, changes do I need to make (e.g. bake time, addition or subtraction of ingredients, etc.)? Thanks!
Sure! I would reduce bake time to about 20 minutes.
Made this for Thanksgiving and received rave reviews. Definitely a keeper. Thanks for a great recipe.