Cozy Up with This Easy Apple Cider Donut Cake Recipe

Apple Cider Donut Cake is the cure for that urge to run to the cider mill every time a cool breeze hits. If you love the warm spice and cozy sugar crunch of a cider donut but want something you can bake at home with zero fuss, this cake is your new weekend plan. It hits all the notes you want in fall baking, with tender crumb, cinnamon sugar on top, and a deep apple flavor that smells like a crisp afternoon walk. It is simple enough for a casual weeknight and special enough for a Sunday dinner. I have made it for friends, neighbors, and honestly just for myself with coffee, and it never lasts long.

One of My Favorite Fall Traditions

Every September I get a little giddy about two things: apples and donuts. I grew up visiting a small cider mill where the line wrapped around the building and the air smelled like cinnamon sugar. The donuts came out warm and a little rough on the edges, with sparkly sugar that stuck to your fingers. This cake is my little love letter to that time. It is a way to bring the cider mill into your kitchen with less waiting and more sharing.

What makes this recipe so satisfying is the balance. Real apple cider gets simmered down so the flavor turns bold, not faint. The batter is buttery yet light, with sour cream to keep it tender. And the finishing touch is that classic cinnamon sugar coating, brushed on after baking so it clings just right. You get a sliceable treat that tastes like it came straight from the farm stand, only you made it in a Bundt pan and did not need to change out of pajamas.

If you are the kind of person who loves simple bakes with big payoffs, this one is going to live on your counter all season. It is reliable, cozy, and feels like a warm hug in cake form.

Apple Cider Donut Bundt Cake

This Apple Cider Donut Cake recipe brings home the best part of a fall donut run in one beautiful Bundt. The steps are easy, the ingredients are pantry friendly, and the results are the kind of good that makes people ask for the recipe on the spot. I have added notes from lots of test runs so you can nail it the first time.

Ingredients

• 2 cups apple cider, for reducing to 1 cup
• 2 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground clove or allspice, optional
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons neutral oil, such as canola
• For the cinnamon sugar topping: 1/4 cup melted butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, small pinch of salt

Directions

• Reduce the cider: Simmer 2 cups apple cider over medium heat until it measures 1 cup. This takes 12 to 18 minutes depending on your pan. Cool to lukewarm. This step deepens the apple flavor and keeps the cake moist.
• Prep the pan: Grease a 10 to 12 cup Bundt pan thoroughly with baking spray that contains flour or with butter and a light dusting of flour. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
• Mix the dry ingredients: In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove.
• Cream butter and sugar: In a large bowl, beat butter with granulated sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add eggs and flavor: Beat in eggs one at a time, then add vanilla. Scrape bowl.
• Finish the batter: Beat in sour cream and oil. On low speed, add half the dry mix, all the reduced cider, then the rest of the dry mix. Mix just to combine.
• Bake: Spoon into the pan and smooth the top. Bake 45 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
• Cool and coat: Rest in the pan 12 to 15 minutes, then flip onto a rack. Brush warm cake with melted butter and immediately shower on the cinnamon sugar, pressing gently so it sticks.

Pro Tips for Big Cider Flavor

Reduce the cider until it tastes tart and sweet, not watery. That concentrate is the secret to that punchy apple note. If you have never reduced cider before, I wrote a quick step by step you can peek at here: How to quickly reduce apple cider without burning it. Also, do not skip the sour cream. It adds moisture and a slight tang that keeps the crumb tender for days.

I made this for our neighborhood potluck and five people came back for seconds. It tastes exactly like the donuts from our local mill, only somehow more buttery and cozy. This one is going into the forever pile.

One more thing. Cinnamon sugar waits for no one. Brush the cake while warm and coat right away so the sugar melts into a crackly, fragrant layer. That is the signature bite you are after when you promise someone an Apple Cider Donut Cake.

Which Bundt Pan Should I Use

A classic 10 to 12 cup Bundt pan works best here. You want room for the batter to rise and enough surface area for that pretty golden crust. If your pan is smaller, leave out a little batter and bake the extra in a mini loaf or muffin tin so you do not spill over.

Pan Prep That Actually Works

• Use baking spray that has flour or go old school with butter and a dusting of flour. Make sure to get into every ridge.
• Let the cake rest 12 to 15 minutes before flipping. Too soon and it can tear, too late and it sticks.
• Have a wire rack ready and tap the pan gently to help the release.
• If your pan is very dark, start checking for doneness at 40 minutes since darker metal runs hotter.

If your Bundt pan is brand new, do a test bake with a simple vanilla batter to learn how it releases. Also, try not to use a very intricate pan the first time you make this cake. The cinnamon sugar topping looks best on a simpler design because it has more even coverage.

How to Make This Apple Cider Donut Bundt Cake: Video Tutorial

Video people, I see you. If you are a visual learner, I filmed a straight to the point walkthrough that shows the reduction, batter texture, and the exact moment to flip and coat. You will see how thick the reduced cider should be, how fluffy the batter looks when the butter and sugar are creamed just right, and how to press on the cinnamon sugar so you get that perfect cozy crunch.

In the clip I also cover simple fixes, like what to do if your cake domes a little too much in the oven or if you missed a spot with the sugar. And yes, there is a close up of that first slice because we all deserve that little moment. Save the video for next time and you will fly through the steps.

Other Cakes Youll Love for Fall

If this Apple Cider Donut Cake has you in your feelings, here are a few more cozy bakes to keep the good vibes going. A cinnamon swirl crumb cake that tastes like a coffee shop morning. A maple brown butter pound cake that is deep and toasty. A pumpkin chocolate chip snack cake that is easy to tote and ridiculously soft. And a pear and almond tea cake that feels fancy without the stress.

I also love a simple cinnamon crumb cake when I want something sliceable for brunch. I keep my version straightforward, with a big ribbon of cinnamon sugar through the middle and a crisp buttery topping. If you want that recipe, you can grab it here: cinnamon crumb cake you can make tonight.

Looking for an easy add on for this cake or any fall bake, try a quick cinnamon sugar topping on muffins or toast. I wrote a tiny guide that includes my favorite sugar to cinnamon ratio plus a few fun swaps like cardamom. Here it is for later: simple cinnamon sugar guide.

Common Questions

Do I have to reduce the cider. I really recommend it. Reduced cider gives you bold apple flavor without making the batter too wet. If you skip it, the cake will be less apple forward.

Can I use apple juice instead of cider. Yes, but it will be sweeter and a bit flatter in flavor. If you can, add a teaspoon of lemon juice and still reduce it to concentrate the taste.

What size Bundt pan works best. A 10 to 12 cup pan is ideal. If yours is smaller, do not fill past two thirds and bake the rest as muffins.

How do I store this cake. Keep it covered at room temperature for 2 days or refrigerate up to 5 days. The cinnamon sugar stays best at room temperature, so I prefer to slice what I need and cover the cut side with plastic wrap.

Can I freeze it. Yes. Wrap slices individually and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw at room temp and refresh with a tiny sprinkle of cinnamon sugar if desired.

Ready to Bake and Cozy Up

If you have been craving a fall bake that delivers comfort and big flavor without being fussy, this Apple Cider Donut Cake is it. Reduce that cider, butter that pan well, and do not be shy with the cinnamon sugar. Your kitchen will smell unreal, and you will have a tender, sliceable cake that brings people to the table fast.

If you want to compare techniques or try another spin, I love the approach in The Most Delicious Apple Cider Donut Bundt Cake for Fall – Cake by Courtney and the glaze idea from glazed apple cider doughnut cake – smitten kitchen. However you riff, I hope this becomes a little tradition in your home. Happy baking, and save me a slice.

Apple Cider Donut Bundt Cake

A cozy fall cake that combines the flavors of apple cider donuts into a tender Bundt cake with a cinnamon sugar topping.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 55 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 25 minutes mins

Servings: 12 servings

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Calories: 320

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

For the cake

• 2 cups apple cider, for reducing to 1 cup Reduce the cider until it measures 1 cup for deep flavor.
• 2.5 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 0.5 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 0.25 teaspoon ground clove or allspice Optional
• 0.75 cups unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 0.5 cups light brown sugar
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 0.5 cups sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons neutral oil, such as canola

For the cinnamon sugar topping

• 0.25 cups melted butter
• 0.5 cups granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• a small pinch of salt

Method

 

Preparation

1. Simmer 2 cups apple cider over medium heat until it measures 1 cup, about 12 to 18 minutes. Cool to lukewarm.
2. Grease a 10 to 12 cup Bundt pan thoroughly with baking spray that contains flour or with butter and a light dusting of flour. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
3. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove.
4. In a large bowl, beat butter with granulated sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add vanilla and scrape the bowl.
6. Beat in the sour cream and oil. On low speed, add half the dry mix, all the reduced cider, then the rest of the dry mix. Mix just to combine.

Baking

1. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
2. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

Finishing Touch

1. Rest the cake in the pan for 12 to 15 minutes, then flip onto a rack.
2. Brush the warm cake with melted butter and immediately coat with the cinnamon sugar, pressing gently so it sticks.

Notes

For the best apple flavor, reduce the cider until it tastes tart and sweet. Do not skip the sour cream, as it adds moisture and keeps the crumb tender. Brush the cake while warm with the cinnamon sugar for a crackly top.