Cinnamon Sugar Apple Cider Donut Bundt Cake
The cider starts out looking like far too much liquid for a Bundt cake, then simmers down into something dark, fragrant, and concentrated. That little saucepan of cider is what…
By Ava
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Reading time: 9 min
Tip: save now, make later.
The cider starts out looking like far too much liquid for a Bundt cake, then simmers down into something dark, fragrant, and concentrated. That little saucepan of cider is what gives this cinnamon sugar apple cider donut Bundt cake its unmistakable apple note instead of leaving it tasting like a plain spice cake.
The finished crumb is buttery and tender, with sour cream keeping it soft and a cinnamon-sugar coating that gives every slice the feel of an apple cider donut. I like that the cake gets its flavor from the batter and its familiar donut finish from the warm, buttery coating on the outside.
It’s a lovely cake to set out whole, then slice while it’s still just a little warm. The cinnamon sugar catches the light on the ridges, and the first cut reveals a soft, warmly spiced center.
Kitchen Note
Brush on the melted butter while the cake is warm, not hot, then press the cinnamon sugar gently over the ridges. If the cake is too hot, the butter can run down the sides before the sugar has a chance to cling.
Save this cinnamon sugar apple cider donut Bundt cake for a tender, spiced crumb and that buttery cinnamon-sugar finish.
Why Two Cups of Cider Have to Become One
The reduction isn’t just a way to make the cider taste stronger. Cider brings liquid to the batter, while the sour cream and eggs add moisture too. Pouring in the cider before concentrating it would add more liquid without giving the cake the same depth of apple flavor. That can leave you with a looser batter and a less distinct cider taste.
Simmering the cider down concentrates its flavor so it can stand up to the butter, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Think of it as removing excess water while keeping the apple character in the pan. It’s a small step with a big effect: the cake tastes unmistakably like apple cider rather than simply sweet and spiced.
Use a measuring cup to check the amount after simmering instead of relying only on how the saucepan looks. The cider should cool completely before it meets the sour cream; that gives you a smooth mixture to add gradually to the creamed butter. The reduced cider is the part that makes the apple flavor feel baked into the cake, not just hinted at.
The Ingredients That Keep This Bundt Cake Tender, Not Doughy
- Apple cider — Plain, nonalcoholic cider gives the cake its defining apple flavor. A cider with a clear, fresh apple aroma is worth choosing, but there’s no need to seek out an expensive bottle. Hard cider isn’t a direct replacement here.
- Unsalted butter and the two sugars — Softened butter needs to blend with both sugars until the mixture looks pale and fluffy; that step helps create a light cake rather than a heavy one. Unsalted butter also lets the salt in the dry ingredients stay balanced. Standard granulated and light brown sugars work well; the brown sugar brings a gentle caramel note.
- Sour cream — Its tang keeps the rich cake from tasting flat, and its thickness adds moisture without making the batter thin. Plain, full-fat Greek yogurt can replace it in the same amount, though the crumb will be a little tangier and less plush.
- Room-temperature eggs — They blend more smoothly into the creamed butter than cold eggs do. If they’re cold, set them out before you start mixing rather than adding them straight from the refrigerator.
- Cinnamon and nutmeg — Together they give the cake its familiar warm spice without masking the cider. Ground spices lose their aroma over time, so use spices that still smell fragrant when you open the jar.
- Granulated sugar for the coating — Its crystals give the outside a dry, lightly crisp finish. The melted butter underneath helps the cinnamon sugar stick to the curved top and sides.
How to Build the Batter Without Losing Its Lift
Reduce the cider and prepare the pan
Bring the cider to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook it for 15 to 20 minutes, until it measures one cup. Transfer it to a measuring cup and let it cool completely. While it cools, heat the oven to 350°F and thoroughly grease and flour a 10- to 12-cup Bundt pan. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in a medium bowl.
Cream the butter and sugars until fluffy
Beat the softened butter with the granulated and brown sugars on medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes. The mixture should look lighter and fluffy rather than compact and grainy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition so they incorporate smoothly. Beat in the vanilla before moving on.
Alternate the cider mixture and flour
Whisk the sour cream into the cooled cider until smooth. Add this mixture to the butter mixture in three additions, alternating with the flour mixture in two additions; begin and end with the flour mixture. Keep the mixer on low and stop as soon as the flour disappears. If you keep mixing until the batter looks perfectly glossy, you’ve gone further than needed and may make the cake tougher.
Bake, cool, and coat the warm cake
Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs rather than wet batter. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert it onto a wire rack and lift away the pan; cool for about 20 minutes, until warm but not hot. Stir the coating sugar and cinnamon together, brush the melted butter over the cake, then sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the top and sides, pressing gently to help it adhere.
Three Swaps for a Different Take on the Cinnamon-Sugar Cake
A gluten-free Bundt cake
Replace the all-purpose flour with a measure-for-measure gluten-free baking blend formulated for cakes, ideally one that includes xanthan gum. The cake may be a little more delicate than the wheat-flour version, so let it cool fully before slicing.
A dairy-free version
Use plant-based baking sticks in place of the butter, including for the melted coating, and plain unsweetened dairy-free yogurt in place of the sour cream. Choose a thick yogurt so the batter doesn’t become runny; the finished cake will have a slightly less rich, less tangy crumb.
Make the spice cinnamon-forward
Leave out the nutmeg and use more cinnamon in its place. You’ll get a simpler, more direct cinnamon flavor that echoes the coating, with less of the rounded, warm spice note from nutmeg.
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerator: Keep the cake covered for up to 4 days. The cold firms the crumb, so let a slice sit out briefly before eating.
- Freezer: Wrap individual slices and freeze them in an airtight container for up to 2 months. The cinnamon-sugar coating may soften a little after thawing.
- Reheating: Warm one slice in the microwave for about 10 seconds, then check it. Longer heating can melt the buttery coating and leave the surface greasy.
Questions That Come Up Before and After Baking
Cinnamon Sugar Apple Cider Donut Bundt Cake
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Bring the apple cider to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until reduced to 1 cup.
- Transfer the reduced cider to a measuring cup and cool completely.
- Heat the oven to 350°F.
- Thoroughly grease and flour a 10- to 12-cup Bundt pan.
- Whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg in a medium bowl.
- Beat the softened unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and packed light brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, then beat in the vanilla extract.
- Whisk the sour cream into the cooled cider, then add this mixture to the butter mixture in three additions, alternating with the flour mixture in two additions; begin and end with the flour mixture, mixing on low just until combined.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top, then bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert it onto a wire rack and lift off the pan; cool for about 20 minutes, until warm but not hot.
- Stir together the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon in a small bowl.
- Brush the melted unsalted butter over the warm cake, then sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the top and sides, pressing gently so it adheres.