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A slice of apple bundt cake
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4.93 from 13 votes

Apple cider donut cake

Apple cider donut cake is the only cake you'll need this Fall. It's moist, soft, dense, rich with lots of autumn spices and apple flavor with a texture that will melt in your mouth! All you need is one bowl and no hand mixer!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword apple cider bundt cake, apple cider cake, apple cider donut cake, old fashioned apple cake
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Servings 10 people
Author April Boller Wright

Ingredients

Apple cider glaze

  • 1/2 cup thawed apple juice concentrate

Dry Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp; nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ginger powder

Wet Ingredients

  • 2 eggs room temperature
  • 1/4 cup sour cream or equal amounts of milk if you prefer
  • 2 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup thawed apple juice concentrate
  • 2 small granny smith apples

Cinnamon and sugar mixture

  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/16 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter

Instructions

Apple cider Glaze

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a saucepan boil cider. Once it comes to a rapid boil, set stove to medium low for about 12 minutes. Pour the syrup into a heat safe bowl. Set to the side *see notes.

Make the cake

  • Add the dry ingredients and spices into a bowl and whisk. Then 
    make a hole in the center of the dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients into the hole and whisk just the wet ingredients.
  • Use a spoon or silicon spatula to combine all the ingredients (wet and dry) just until combined.
  • Peel the skin off the apple then shred it. Combine the shredded apple with the cake batter. Pour into prepared greased pans and bake for 35-40 minutes or until set. Cool completely.

Cinnamon and sugar mixture and Apple cider syrup

  • Add sugar, cinnamon and salt to a small bowl mix well. Mix very well. See notes*
  • Using a fork, poke holes into the top of the cake and then pour the apple cider syrup over the top. Brush the cake all over with the melted butter. Sprinkle and pat the cinnamon and sugar mixture all over the cake. Slice and serve

Notes

Bundt pan - Generously grease the bundt pan. Use a pastry brush to get the oil into the crevices.
Apple - Shred the cake right before you mix the batter or quickly right after the batter is mixed. Shredded the apple too early will turn it brown.
Milk or sour cream - I've tried this recipe using milk and sour cream. Both work fine but I prefer sour cream.  Feel free to use either one. 
Cake flour or all-purpose flower can be used. Cake flour makes a more tender cake. 
Apple cider syrup - This syrup will set and become thick and sticky so before you add it to the warm it up in the microwave for about 15-20 seconds.
Baking - This cake will become dry if you cook it past the recommended time. I normally check it around the 30 min mark. 
Leftover cake - Covered cake will last at room temperature for 2-3 days.
Special equipment - I used a Nordic-ware 12.5 cup bundt pan to make this recipe. Here's a similar one
Nordic-ware Pro Cast 12 cup bundt pan,
silicon spatula,
Bakers Joy Can Spray