The Most Delicious Apple Cider Donut Bundt Cake for Fall

Apple Cider Donut Bundt Cake – an incredibly tender and moist apple spice cake with a delicious cinnamon sugar coating.

www.cakebycourtney.com - a tender and moist apple cinnamon bundt cake with a cinnamon sugar dusting. #cakebycourtney #appleciderdonut #appleciderdonutcake #budntcake #easybundtcakerecipe #fallcake #applecake

One of My Favorite Fall Traditions

Since moving to Utah six 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 love the corn mazes, slides, zip-line and apple throw.

After hours playing in the field, we head back to the Red Barn for apple cider donuts, ice cream and apple slushies. We always get one of everything! (Well, more than one donut, because those are too hard to share. Ha!)

Apple Cider Donut Bundt Cake - a tender and moist apple cinnamon bundt cake with a cinnamon sugar dusting. #cakebycourtney #appleciderdonut #appleciderdonutcake #budntcake #easybundtcakerecipe #fallcake #applecake

Every year after we visit Rowley’s, I always say I’m going to make an Apple Cider Donut Cake based on their donuts. Somehow, however, life gets in the way and other cake flavors take priority.

Not this year!

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…plus oil! 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!”

Apple Donut Cake - a tender and moist apple cinnamon bundt cake with a cinnamon sugar dusting. #cakebycourtney #appleciderdonut #appleciderdonutcake #budntcake #easybundtcakerecipe #fallcake #applecake

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.
Apple Cider Donut Bundt Cake - a tender and moist apple cinnamon bundt cake with a cinnamon sugar dusting. #cakebycourtney #appleciderdonut #appleciderdonutcake #budntcake #easybundtcakerecipe #fallcake #applecake

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.

Other Cakes You’ll Love for Fall

https://cakebycourtney.com/cakedecorating101/
Apple Cider Donut Bundt Cake - a tender and moist apple cinnamon bundt cake with a cinnamon sugar dusting. #cakebycourtney #appleciderdonut #appleciderdonutcake #budntcake #easybundtcakerecipe #fallcake #applecake

Apple Cider Donut Cake

4.94 from 747 votes
A tender and moist apple spice bundt cake with a cinnamon sugar coat.

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.
Cuisine Cake
Course Dessert
Keyword Apple Cider Donut Cake, Beginner, Bundt Cake

Courtney Rich

I’m a self-taught baker, obsessed with cake.

I long ago ditched box mixes in pursuit of melt-in-your-mouth, to-die-for flavor combinations, fillings and textures. I believe cake must be decadent, life-changing and worthy of celebration! And I believe anyone should be able to bake that kind of cake – and I’m here to teach you just that!

Get my free cake decorating guide
Everything you need to know about decorating a cake like a pro!

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Recipe Rating




Comments

  1. 1 star
    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?

      1. 5 stars
        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?

        1. 5 stars
          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???

  2. Is it possible to convert this recipe to cupcakes? What temp and time would you try first? I’m excited to experiment! Looks amazing.

  3. 5 stars
    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!

  4. 5 stars
    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.

  5. 5 stars
    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!

  6. 5 stars
    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!

  7. 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?

  8. 5 stars
    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!

  9. 5 stars
    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!

  10. I have a question. The recipe calls for 1 1/2 tablespoons of baking powder. Is the amount correct? Thank you.

  11. Do you think you could use this recipe for mini-bundtlets? Would anything change? Shorter baking time?

  12. 4 stars
    I had to cook the cake an extra 25 minutes beyond the 50 and the inner circle is still not cooked all the way. Taste is great and I am trying the recipe again tomorrow. Not sure if it’s the eggs nearly bring room temp or even the cider. But it needs maybe double the cook time? Felt so odd!

  13. 5 stars
    This recipe is perfect! I made mini bundts, they just came out of the oven and I’m enjoying one now. Literal perfection. I made one small change: I started with 2 cups of cider and cooked it down to 1 cup, to make a more intense apple flavor. It worked like a charm!! Thank you for the great recipe!

  14. 5 stars
    Highly recommend. Made this for breakfast today. Easy and very moist and delicious. My cider was not very strongly flavored so maybe next time I’ll reduce it down and get more flavor. Outstanding!

  15. 5 stars
    This turned out great! I love apple cider donuts and cake, so I was thrilled to be able to combine the two. Very moist and tasty.

  16. 5 stars
    Have made this recipe 3 times now, its that good! Located in Georgia. First time just used measuring cups and spoons not by weighing anything, baked in regular bundt pan was fantastic. Second and third time we used a mini bundt pan that has 6 bundts (had enough batter for 12 bundts total, filled them with 1/2c of batter) again delicious! Currently baking again this time tried the weighing ingredients method. The flour was off quite a bit, everything else seemed to be spot on or close, should we have tried sifting the flour? Other question we couldn’t get the spices to weigh at all in the recipe amounts. First time weighing ingredients any guidence greatly appreciated!

    1. Hi 🙂
      When measuring using the metric/weight method you normally just use teaspoons and tablespoons for spices etc. I normally always use the metric versions of the recipes on this website and never had an issue with it. But totally get how the flour might be off as it all depends on how loose you pack the flour if using a cup measure! Hope that helps 🙂

  17. I just made these and want to freeze them (I made smaller bunts) do I freeze them before I brush with butter?

  18. If I made this a day or 2 ahead of time what is the best way to store it? Should I coat with cinnamon/sugar/butter right before serving?

  19. 3 stars
    I’m not sure what happened here, but I followed the recipe as written and it came out blah and took forever to cook. I preheated to 325 and sat for almost 15 minutes before cake went in. I feel like either the measurements in spice are off or maybe I needed to reduce the apple cider again to gain flavor. Either way, not sure I’d make it again 😕

  20. Another way to get the coating on the cake us to dust the greased Bundt pan with the cinnamon sugar mixture. Can’t wait to try this. Thanks.

    1. I used the same method, I coated my pan with cinnamon sugar instead of flour, just watch so it doesn’t burn! Great idea 💡😸🐈🐾

  21. 5 stars
    I made this cake with all organic ingredients and followed the recipe exactly. Even though I am at a high altitude it came out perfectly. It is delicious and my family loved it. The Apple Cider Donut Cake will now be an autumn tradition in my home.
    Thank you!

  22. 5 stars
    Made this twice now and everyone loved it! I do have 1 questions, is it really 1 1/2 Tablespoons of baking powder or is that supposed to say teaspoons? The second time I made it I used Tablespoons, even though I was hesitant because I have never seen that amount in a recipe. The first time I made it I think I automatically used teaspoons just thinking that’s what the recipe said. Both actually came out great but the first one was a little more condensed (short).

  23. When you say apple cider as an ingredient do you mean apple cider vinegar? I can’t find just regular apple cider.

  24. 5 stars
    This came out great! My bundt pan was too small to hold all the batter so I made some of it into cupcakes – they baked for about 20 minutes and turned out well. I don’t like my desserts very sweet so I cut the white sugar from 300 g to 100 g (1.5 cups to .5 cups) and I thought it was perfect. I also used butter and flour to grease the bundt and cupcake pans and the cakes came out very smoothly! Thanks for the recipe!

  25. After 50 minutes, my cake tester showed raw batter. I had to bake for over an hour. Followed the recipe to the letter, and my oven is highly accurate. What could cause that?

  26. 5 stars
    I can’t wait! It’s in the oven now; however, it’s been 50 minutes and the inside is still very wet. I’ll check it in 10 and see how it’s doin.

  27. 5 stars
    The BEST. It’s so delicious and easy. I used homemade apple sauce that was supposed to be apple pie filling that I accidentally cooked too far. So that probably helped make the cake so amazing.

  28. 5 stars
    Tried this for the first time. Turned out perfectly! So moist and flavorful. I baked it at 350 and needed 50 minutes in the standard Bundt pan. My new fall favorite!

  29. 5 stars
    Very moist, fragrant, and delicious. I’m not a regular baker but really wanted to make the apple cider donut cake. I just made my 2nd, so good! My coworkers ate up the first cake. The house also smells wonder. Thanks for a great recipe, Courtney!

  30. I’m wondering if instead of coating in sugar I could do some type of apple cider glaze? Do you have a recommendation that would work?

  31. 5 stars
    I made this cake yesterday because I had an open bottle of apple cider. It came out great! Very moist with just the right combination of sweet and spicy. I did have to bake it for a full hour, but that was the only change I made. I will definitely be making it again.

  32. 5 stars
    Followed directions to the T- one exception I only had 1/2 cup of applesauce instead of 1 cup. The cake still came out fabulous! Thank you to the creator!

  33. I only use fresh apple cider, never the store bought stuff. I liked to get it in the days before it was pasteurized so I could let it ferment a bit! Instead of apple sauce, i used my home made apple butter. This cake was so good! I had to read the comments to find the eggs. Could you please list them in the ingredients? Thanks bunches!

  34. Hi, can I substitute apple cider with apple juice, as I’m not able to find cider near me.
    Thanks Courtney

  35. Do you ever have problems with your powdered sugar sinking into the cake? I have a Bundt cake I make and it tends to sink in sometimes so it seems if I put melted butter on a cake and then put powdered sugar on it, it would sink in even more? I am no baking pro so I am curious as to how to keep the powdered sugar from sinking in! 😃

    1. You can get a non melting confectioners sugar at King Arthur’s. Doesn’t melt even if you sprinkle it while still hot.

  36. I can’t wait to try this!!! Do you think I could add some chopped apples in this or would this mess up the recipe? I also want to add some caramel sauce to go with it.

  37. 5 stars
    Hello Courtney,
    I read step five where you “Add the applesauce and vanilla. Mix to combine.” Then step six says: “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 cider”
    Is this also when I add the applesauce and vanilla mixture in with the flour mixture and cider? I didn’t see that. Thank you!

  38. Hi Courtney,

    Have you ever made these as cupcakes without cupcake papers? Just curious! Thanks for your amazing recipes!

  39. Do you think if I make ahead and freeze, that applying the butter/sugar coating after thawing will work well? Or should I make, store at room temp for a few days, then apply coating on day of serving. (Have to make ahead) thx!

      1. Hmmm. In your instructions, the cake is supposed to cool in the pan for an hour before unmolding, and in the notes you mention putting the coating on a *cooled* cake. I had no problem unmolding the cake after 10 minutes (I used Bakers Joy), so the cake is still warm ATM, and now I don’t know if I should coat the cake while it’s still warm, or wait until it’s room temp.

  40. Have you ever tried coating the pan with the cinnamon & sugar mix & then adding the batter & baking it? I have a poppyseed cake recipe that I coat the pan with oil & sprinkle with sugar & it turns out so yummy. Wondering if the same concept would work for this yummy cake.

  41. I am going to make this recipe but have not yet. An idea for you.. Every fall I buy a gallon of fresh cider and simmer on low until it is reduced to 2 cups. It will keep easily for a year in the refrigerator and gives me a great apple cider flavor throughout the year. Using this concentrate I would make an apple cider glaze for the cake. I think using apple butter insead of sauce will also give the cake a stronger flavor

  42. 5 stars
    I made this today as we watched college football. I used my homemade applesauce which is chunky and I included in the middle of the cake, a cinnamon/butter/brown sugar mix! Absolutely delicious. Your cakes are the best!

  43. 4 stars
    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.

  44. 5 stars
    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!

  45. 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. 😁

  46. 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.

    1. Yes, but just the sugar that coats the pan. For the cake recipe, use regular sugar. To coat the pan, use turbinado sugar.

  47. 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?

    1. Yeah, I think you’re right. I think denser cakes are better second day. This one is a great second day cake too!

      1. 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!

  48. 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?

  49. 5 stars
    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

  50. 5 stars
    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.

  51. 5 stars
    Absolutely delicious! Perfect for the fall season. Did have a little trouble applying the sugar topping but made it work

  52. 5 stars
    Just made this cake today and served it for desert tonight. It was tender and light, not overly sweet and easy to serve.
    Next time I might serve with a small scoop of ice cream along side.

  53. 5 stars
    Made this recipe last year and was delicious. Made it this year with some vegan substitutes (more applesauce and no eggs) and it was a huge success. Love everything Courtney does!

  54. I’m about to try this for the first time but was a tiny bit confused at the directions. Is it one and a half tablespoons of baking powder? It says tbsp in the recipe but usually that’s capitalized to further delineate the difference so I just wanted to be sure. Thank you!

    1. Oops never mind – I read through the comments and see that it is indeed tablespoons. Can’t wait to try it!

  55. 5 stars
    Fantastic cake, delicious and easy to make. There wasn’t as much apple flavor as I was expecting, but I had to sub apple cider for Simply Apple juice because I couldn’t find any cider at my store that wasn’t $10/gallon. But it was still delicious, even without icing.

  56. 5 stars
    Wow! Delicious! It came out great – very moist. I did the sugar/cinnamon on the outside but also made some Bourbon glaze and served it with cooked, sweetened apples and vanilla ice cream. Next time, I won’t bother with a glaze. I don’t think it needed it. My daughter brought some to her friends and school and they flipped out – loved it. I’m getting recipe requests and I will send your link to give credit where it is due. Great recipe! (I didn’t change anything but it took a full hour in my oven, which did not surprise me.)

    1. Yes it would. Lots of readers have used it for mini. I haven’t but I would guess the bake time is about 15-20 mins.

  57. 4 stars
    Wonderful recipe! The cake tastes delicious!

    But my cake came out very moist, almost wet and dense after the butter coating. Maybe I added too much?

  58. 5 stars
    This is delicious! Very nice texture, not super sweet but has good flavor- a keeper! Thank you! (PS yes, 1 1/2 tablespoons of baking powder! I baked for 55 min.)

  59. 5 stars
    I had to use my angel food pan, and that took about 15 extra minutes of baking, but this turned out wonderful. Made the whole house smell like fall. Thank you!

  60. 5 stars
    I have made this cake several times since I first found it as my family loves it. It is seriously fantastic!!

  61. 4 stars
    I gave this one only 3 stars, which I hate to do because I love her cakes. But I found that it needed more spices. And the cinnamon sugar on top was way too much. Those are things that are easily changeable. It was moist. My husband enjoyed it.

  62. 5 stars
    Delicious. Tastes like fall without too much spice. Sweet and tangy. I used cider from my local orchard.

  63. 5 stars
    I used mini bundt pans and baked for 35 minutes. I also added some diced apples coated with flour and it turned out great. Turned out very soft and flavorful and not too wet. My family devoured it.

  64. 5 stars
    Simple but beautiful and delicious cake! Very tender and moist. Used it for a fall themed birthday cake and it was a big hit.

  65. 5 stars
    This is a 10 star cake and easy to make. I made it for a ladies group and they all raved about the taste and moistness. Several wanted the recipe.
    I’ve made two of them already and served each slice with a dollop of cool whip and then sprinkle the cool whip with cinnamon.

  66. Looking forward to trying this in a couple weeks, but am seeing high altitude mentioned in lots of comments. Any recommendations or changes for low altitude?

  67. 5 stars
    Made this and it was spectacular. Question: I saw you posted someone had made this into donuts. Do you know how that was done? Just same recipe, shaped into donuts and fried? I’d like to do this next weekend for our Apple harvest. As we make cider, we can eat apple cider donuts!

  68. 4 stars
    Flour by weight must be off…the batter was way too runny & the resulting texture was dense & gummy. Flavor was good, but not the crumb!!

  69. 5 stars
    Looks delicious! Just wondering, I cannot seem to find a 15 cup bundt pan but have a 12 cup pan. Would that work? I plan on making this in the next day or two for a gathering and I just want to make sure I have the correct size pan. Thank you!

      1. Is a 12 cup or 15 cup pan best? This recipe says to use a 12 cup pan but this comment is making me second guess that. It also looks like it is supposed to link to the best pan to use but it doesn’t actually have a link. I am looking to buy a bundt pan to make this recipe with and am wondering what is the best size to get.

  70. 4 stars
    This cake was delicious and so moist inside! The spices didn’t come through as much as i would have liked, so I would add extra next time.

  71. 4 stars
    I gave it 4 stars, this recipe is a good start.
    I’m a self taught baker since I was 8 years old. I bake weekly for my family. Also I live down the street from a Cider Mill.
    I recommend that you do a reduction with the cider, Do Not boil, just let it heat on medium heat and let it steam for about an hour. (For 1 cup of condensed cider, Start with 2 cups of cider and wait until you have half left) This adds a lot of flavor! You can even do this in advance. I also eliminated the nutmeg, my family said that it was too much like a pumpkin bread flavor. It’s just my personal opinion. I LOVED the cinnamon sugar crust! I don’t understand why anyone is complaining about it… It’s an apple cider cake.. to taste like the cinnamon sugar donuts .. it should taste accordingly. Great recipe! Thank You 💞🐈🐾

  72. 5 stars
    Super moist and delicious! I added the cinnamon to the melted butter and then spread it on so it distributed evenly. Thank you for sharing!

    1. Thanks for the feedback. You may want to double the spices next time to get the flavor you’re looking for.

  73. I’ll be making this tonight, quick question at what stage do you combine the four mix to the wet mix? After step 5? Instructions seem explicit and I don’t want to mess it up.
    Thanks

  74. 5 stars
    Finally found THE recipe!!! Perfect moisture, perfect texture. One bite and you will know. Perfect!! This recipe will make 2 – 8” loaf pans and 6 muffins if you want to share.

  75. 5 stars
    This cake was very moist but I doubled all spices and added clove and cardamom. I still felt it could have used a bit more spice so the next time I’ll add extra cinnamon.

  76. 2 stars
    Not sure what went wrong! My toothpicks came out clean, but when I served the cake it was doughy and dense on the inside. Just did not work for me.

  77. 5 stars
    Paired this with apple crisp coffee this morning and ohhhh man did it hit the spot. I live in a low altitude climate so I did have to cook the cake longer but it was great! Taking the rest to our Halloween gathering tonight. Thank you for the recipe!

  78. 5 stars
    Great cake! Takes minutes to mix up. It is very moist, not to sweet. If you are looking for a fall cake with big taste and minimal effort, this ones for you!

  79. 5 stars
    Hello,

    Can this recipe be doubled? I am going to make ten for thanksgiving and would like to save time. In addition, how necessary is it to use an electric mixer? Have you mixed it by hand?

    Thank you in advance for your response!

  80. 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

  81. 5 stars
    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

  82. 3 stars
    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!

    1. 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.

      1. 3 stars
        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! 🙂

  83. 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.

    1. 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.

  84. 4 stars
    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.

  85. Hi there! Love your cakes. Maybe it’s my phone, but the link doesn’t exist for your Bundt pan recommendation. Thanks! 😉

  86. 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!

    1. 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!

  87. 5 stars
    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.

    1. 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!! 😄

  88. 5 stars
    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.

    1. 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.

  89. 5 stars
    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?

  90. 5 stars
    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!

    1. 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.

  91. 4 stars
    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.

  92. 5 stars
    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!

  93. Baking now….325 for 50 minutes and it’s not even close to done. I see buried in the comments that it’s 325 for 90 minutes????

  94. 5 stars
    I made this in tiny loaf pans to gift to neighbors. It’s so good!! I boiled down 2 cups of cider to 1 cup to up the apple flavor. Such a yummy recipe.

  95. 5 stars
    Really yummy! Made twice this holiday season. Pay attention to TBLS and teas… first time I made it reading off my phone, I read it wrong and didn’t use enough baking powder. Still yummy.
    I love yummy foods, but I also want to be healthy. So it was easy enough to swap out half whole wheat flour. I used about a third less sugar. And I substituted half of the oil for Chia seed gel. That turned out terrific. The first time I made it I also diced up two small apples. That was great, but I forgot to do it the second time. I like it better with the little apples.

    I don’t think there was any need for added sugar and cinnamon on top. I did dust my pan with cinnamon and sugar instead of flour.

  96. 5 stars
    It needs to be baked much longer than directed – start at 60, you may need 75 minutes. Came out delicious once done!

  97. 5 stars
    Amazing! I used extra applesauce (to substitute the 3 eggs and make it vegan) and homemade apple juice (instead of apple cider). I did muffins rather than a cake and my family LOVED them.

  98. 5 stars
    I made this using my mini muffin tin. I used paper liners sprayed with Baker’s Joy. I baked at the same temperature (325) for 10 minutes. Made about 125 muffins. Good for a crowd. I’ve had better luck with this method than using a bundt pan.

  99. 4 stars
    Hi. I decided to give this cake a go as it sounded yum. Well, I made a BIG mistake and thought I read apple cider…vinegar! Yes, put a cup of vinegar in the cake instead of apple cider. Amazing…it wasn’t a total write off. My partner loved it. I will still make it with the original apple cider. Next time. 😆 😆

      1. 4 stars
        Hi! I have the Bundt cake in the oven. Oops! I did the same thing as I’m reading the comments. I misread and used apple cider “vinegar”! Oh my….

  100. 5 stars
    This cake is tender and packed with fall flavors but, perfect for any time! My family loved this wonderful apple cider Bundt cake!

  101. 5 stars
    Delicious! I made it vegan by replacing each egg with 3 tablespoons of chickpea flour and 3 tablespoons of water (9 tbsps chickpea flour and 9 tbsps water in total). It worked out really well.

  102. 5 stars
    52 minutes was the perfect cooking time in my gas oven.
    5 Minutes is plenty of time for the cake to rest in the pan after cooking. It comes out perfectly!
    The longer it is left in the pan the more it continues to cook.

  103. 4 stars
    Yummy cake. Mine was done in about 55 minutes. I didn’t have apple cider so I used apple juice and put in some cloves and allspice and it turned out wonderful. Thanks so much for the recipe!🎃

  104. 5 stars
    This is one of our favorites! Now that I have made this a few times I can’t quite figure out how to get the cinnamon sugar topping to look neater. By adding the butter first it kind of cakes onto the sides and kind of melts in. Can’t figure out how to make it as good looking as the pictures.

  105. 5 stars
    Just made this and it smells wonderful and taste fantastic however I did have a problem with the Bundt cake falling in the middle when I took it out of the oven. I’ve never had a Bundt cake do that before and I was wondering if it was too much baking powder as the recipe calls for 1 1/2 tablespoons and I’ve never use that much in a cake before. But will definitely be making this again.

  106. The cake turned out wonderful. I am wondering if the butter, sugar, cinnamon coating should be put on before you are ready to serve the cake or if it can be done the day before?
    Thank you.

  107. Hello,

    Im thinking of making this but using a MINI FLUTED CAKE PAN (6 mini Bundt cakes) instead of the traditional Bundt cake pan. What temperature and for how long would you recommend?

  108. 5 stars
    I’ve tried this before, but thinking of adding 1 packet of the mix/powder from a spiced apple cider packet for extra flavor. Has anyone tried this before?

  109. 5 stars
    This is the discovery day of your website! I made this delicious cake for grown kids and family and everyone thinks it’s fabulously moist and tasty! I added a cream cheese drizzle! Thank you!

  110. 5 stars
    FABULOUS!! Made this cake today with some minor adjustments. Trying to be more health conscious, I used 1/2 cup olive oil instead of 1 cup vegetable oil, and increased the applesauce to 1 1/2 cups. So so good!! Moist and delicious!
    And then, like another reviewer, I omitted the buttery coating and instead, sprayed the bundt pan and replaced the flour dusting with a cinnamon/sugar dusting.
    Everyone loved it!

  111. 5 stars
    I made this cake and it is absolutely amazing! I don’t think I have ever had a cake that has such nice texture and the taste is fantastic!

  112. Dying to make this cake!! Just found out one of my guests is lactose intolerant. Does this mean I can’t use the melted butter to get the sugar and cinnamon to stick? Can you recommend something else I can use in place of the melted butter?

  113. 4 stars
    Very moist but I was hoping for more apple and cinnamon flavor. I used Chinese cinnamon but perhaps should have used Ceylon. Any suggestions for a flavor boost?

  114. 2 stars
    While this was VERY moist, it tasted nothing like apples. I even boiled down 2 cups of cider into 1 cup, hoping to concentrate flavors. It’s a very pleasant sweet and cinnamon-y cake, but not donut-y or apple-y by any stretch. Would not make again.

  115. I want to use this recipe to make petit fours, would this cake recipe work well for that and do you have any idea how many this recipe would make?

  116. 5 stars
    DELICIOUS! Like most of your cake recipes, this was a hit! Moist, flavor on point and that slight crunch from the sugar/cinnamon….must try it if you haven’t already.

  117. 5 stars
    I’m planning on baking this recipe using a Mini Fluted Cake Pan (6 individual Bundt cakes) is there anything I need to do differently/add/substitute/bake time?

    Thanks!

  118. 5 stars
    I haven’t made this yet, but can tell it’s going to be delicious. Can I add the cinnamon sugar for the outside into the batter and get a similar result? I have to make in advance and pre-slice and was worried about how well the cinnamon sugar adhered to the outside of the cake. Thanks!

  119. 4 stars
    Yum! I came back to try it again with delicious results! I used butter because I was out of oil and it turned out great! Thanks for sharing!

  120. 4 stars
    My family loved this cake. I baked it according to the recipe, but that’s a lot of baking powder. I was wondering if there’s an alternative. The cake has a slight bitter taste that I think is due to the baking powder.

      1. 5 stars
        Great! I noticed that it’s DEFINITELY 1 1/2 TEASPOONS not Tablespoons. You should fix that right away. Also, I went the extra step and browned the butter for the sugar/cinnamon topping. Amazing!

    1. 5 stars
      To avoid and bitter taste from baking powder, use cream of tartar and baking soda instead. I used 2 teaspoons of cream of tartar and 1 teaspoon of baking soda. My cake rose perfectly and had a nice crumb. If you want to stick to using baking powder, the ratio of flour to baking powder usual rule is, 1 teaspoon of baking powder per 1 cup of flour in a recipe. So, 1 tablespoon of baking powder instead of 1.5 as stated in this recipe.

    1. Yes for sure! This recipe will make three 8-inch round cake layers. You’ll bake for about 25 to 30 minutes, same temp.

      1. 5 stars
        Courtney, I love this cake so much it is delicious. I made it for my sister’s birthday and it turned out great. Thank you so much for your amazing work.

  121. 2 stars
    I had high hopes for this recipe but the apple flavor was so faint that I was disappointed. The moistness in the cake was fantastic and it tasted better when sprinkling cinnamon sugar on it, but still disappointed and won’t make again. Also I cooked for a total of 1 hour, my toothpicks came out very goopy at the fifty minute mark.

  122. I would love for you to do a demo apply the cinnamon sugar coating. Although mine came out fine. Yours is pretty!

  123. I know this recipe gets five stars, but it doesn’t get five stars from me. I don’t know what I possibly could’ve done wrong. I’ve reread the ingredients over and over and I can’t see anything that I screwed up but this cake tasted like paste I cooked it for the amount of time it said tested it with a toothpick, and it came out clean, let it sit for an hour or an hour and a half probably. When I tipped it out of the pan, it had already separated from the sides. No trouble getting it out of the pan but it tastes horrible. I must say that right from the get-go it looked very “wet“ to me I want to like this cake. It looks awesome but somethings not right.😧☹️

  124. 5 stars
    Honestly, I have never left a comment or review for anything but this cake is so good I just had to let you know!! Absolutely delicious!!

  125. Could you use apple pie spice at all for this recipe in place of the cinnamon and/or nutmeg? Would you recommend this?

  126. Well I copied your directions step by step for the apple cider Bundt cake .
    I’m definitely a beginner 😁
    Well I copied the recipe step by step on Instagram after I was done I sat down and went to your online site and noticed it says
    Apple cider but not the vinegar one
    🙃the juice one 😅
    Oops !! Let see how this turns out !!
    I have the apple cider juice on my grocery list we’ll have to bake it again 😁

  127. 5 stars
    I made this cake twice already and my family loves it 🥰
    Thanks for also mentioning the ingredients in gram

  128. 5 stars
    This looks really good – can’t wait to try it. I have a question – you said you developed this recipe at high altitude. If I’m not at high altitude, do I need to do anything differently?

  129. 5 stars
    I followed the recipe to a T and it came out spectacular. I’m a baker and this is one of the best things I’ve ever made! Adding it to my normal rotation

  130. 5 stars
    Delicious! I substituted more applesauce for half of the oil and then used coconut oil for the other half. I did not have baking powder so use baking soda and lemon juice substitution. I also decreased the sugar to 1 1/3c. and used some whole wheat flour (makes me feel healthier!). Very moist!

  131. I really love this recipe. I am making it on repeat!! I’m making for someone who can not have dairy. What can I use instead of the butter for the topping?

  132. 4 stars
    I have made this a few times. It is slightly bitter in taste. I am going to try again using less baking powder.
    Note: I have made this recipe using both volume and weighted measurements. Volume measurements seem to turn out better for me. Maybe I need a new scale!

  133. 3rd time making! I ran a baking business and ran a B&B in Boothbay Harbor Maine. Would have served it to my guests time and time again! Wonderful and thank you

  134. 5 stars
    This cake is so easy and delicious. I used homemade applesauce (that does contain some sugar) and it worked great. I used 1/4 t. pumpkin pie spice in place of the nutmeg, which also worked great. I did the butter and cinnamon coating as directed. I also reduced 2-3 cups more of the apple cider on the stove until syrupy and then drizzled that over the finished cake. This gave it one more punch of apple cider flavor and was so delicious. My older son just kept taking slice after slice and he doesn’t even love cake :).

  135. 5 stars
    I used GF flour and did 3 rounds for my daughter’s birthday cake. It tastes soooo good. I did omit a 1/4 cup of flour like you suggest in your cake recipe. Thank you!!!

  136. 5 stars
    I made this cake exactly
    as recipe stated. It was
    moist and tasted just like a
    Apple cider donut.
    Delicious! Will definitely make again.

  137. 5 stars
    I made this cake last week for friends and it came out amazing!!! I followed the recipe almost exactly, except I used 2 cups of Apple Cider and reduced it down to one cup for a little stronger of an apple taste. This cake was so moist, not heavy, just delicious! I had a little piece left and 3 days later it tasted just as delicious and light. Now my family wants the cake for Thanksgiving. Thank you for a delicious recipe.

  138. 5 stars
    I made this today for my daughter’s 11th birthday, and it was absolutely delectable! I did change our the flour for Cup4Cup all purpose gluten free flour, and while it did need extra time in the over, it came out perfectly! I also replace the nutmeg with a 1/2 tsp of pumpkin pie spice, because I was fresh out. It was so good, and my daughter was completely smitten with this one! Thank you for the fantastic recipe!!

  139. 1 star
    I am so unsure what happened in this recipe. It came out SO salty! When I first tasted the batter, I couldn’t believe it, but hoped it would somehow sweeten while baking. I finished with the butter and cinnamon sugar and brought in my daughter to taste it with me to be sure. We practically spit it out it was so salty! The only thing I could think was the quantity of baking powder? But the weight equals the measure listed. And no other reviews complained about this. I am not sure what happened here, but I don’t approve.

  140. Currently baking this so I can’t comment on the taste. I’m writing because the website baking steps ARE NOT the same as the printed version which is what I was following. I realized this after the batter was too thick. The website version says the batter should be thin. The baking temperatures are different (325 vs 350). I’m baking it at 325 after I reset the temperature. Also, the steps for mixing the dry and wet ingredients are not the same. Not sure if it makes a difference, but the two recipes should be the same so there’s no confusion.

  141. 5 stars
    I made this cake and my family loved it. If I wanted to make it vegan, what would be a good substitute for the eggs?

    1. I did a blog post a while back for an egg free cake. My favorite sub was a combination of baking soda and vinegar.

  142. 5 stars
    This cake is fantastic! I have made it a few times now following your recipe exactly and everyone loves it. The apple cider donut cake has become a family and friend favorite. Thank you for providing this wonderful recipe. It works very well at high altitude as well as sea level. It also freezes well. I slice the leftovers and wrap the slices individually. Tastes great warm.

  143. This looks amazing. I would like to make it for my family for thanksgiving. I need the cake to be dairy-free. Do you have any suggestions for alternatives for topping the cake when adding the cinnamon and sugar topping?

  144. This looks like it would taste delicious. Could anyone who has made it please verify that you use 1 1/2 Tablesoons and not 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking power? Thank you

  145. This looks amazing, but I do not have a Bundt pan. Would this work in a loaf pan- like a quick bread? 55-60 minutes?

  146. 1 star
    This is the third apple cider donut cake I have made, in a search for the perfect recipe, and unfortunatly this one was my least favorite. It had the best texture/moisture, and unlike other recipies this one actually rose for me, but the flavor was far too sweet, unpleasently bitter (could it be the nutmeg? I don’t know!). The sweetness was the biggest problem, I don’t think this needed a full two cups of sugar(s), plus applesauce, plus cider, as a person with a sweettooth it was way too much! If I made this in the future I would try to ruduce that a lot. Not sure where the bitterness was coming from- another reviewer suggested the baking powder, but it didn’t seem like that much to me. Oh well, on to the next one!

  147. 5 stars
    Excellent cake! You can really taste the apple cider, and the browned butter enhances that flavor. The texture is also perfect. I will definitely make this again.

  148. 5 stars
    I’ve made this cake multiple times. I use sweetened applesauce and omit the nutmeg just because I don’t like it. It’s so good and everyone raves about it. Brought it to work last week and it was gone within an hour. Making another one for tomorrow. It’s cooling now. Thanks for a great recipe!

  149. 5 stars
    This cake baked up beautifully and is incredibly moist! Everyone loved it. Can’t wait to make it again! I may try it with coconut sugar.

  150. 5 stars
    Making this now for the FOURTH time!! I made this cake for my family on Thanksgiving & they absolutely devoured it! So because they raved about how good it was, I made it again for my family reunion that was right after Thanksgiving. Then I made it for a third time for our potluck at work. My coworkers loved it so much, that one of them gave me $20 to make one for him. And it is currently in the oven at this moment. Lol
    This cake is so moist & perfectly sweet! And obviously it has been a success for me. Thank you so much for the recipe!

  151. 5 stars
    Decadent, simple and excellent! Moist, rich, and as close to a donut as you can get without frying. Keeps well under a cake dome for several days.
    I increased the nutmeg to 1/2 t and used a bit more than the 1/4 c. sugar to cover the outside so will use 1/3 c sugar to 3 t. cinnamon next time. We like the spices!