Apple Cider Doughnut Cake is a warm cinnamon apple cake that tastes just like Fall’s iconic apple cider doughnuts. It’s basically everything you love about the season, baked up in a bundt pan.
apple cider doughnut cake is easy and so delicious!
I highly recommend this wonderful apple bundt cake, it’s pretty much everything you want in an easy Fall treat. There’s nothing fancy or fussy about it, but it’s soft and tender, with a thin cinnamony-sugar crust just like those cider doughnuts you get when you go apple picking. The aroma is intoxicating, and it’s the perfect thing to take to a gathering or party. It’s also ideal for housewarmings, new neighbors, new parents, or anyone who could use a little extra comfort or care. This cake is not overly sweet, so it’s appropriate for breakfast or mid-morning, with a cup of coffee, tea, your pumpkin spice latte (or hot cider!)
other recipes in my doughnut cake series
- Pumpkin Doughnut Cake
- Glazed Old Fashioned Buttermilk Doughnut Bundt Cake
- Powdered Sugar Doughnut Cake
- Jelly Doughnut Bundt Cake
- Chocolate Sour Cream Doughnut Bundt Cake
- Apple Cider Doughnut Loaf Cake
what you’ll need
- flour
- I use both all purpose and oat flour in this cake, which gives it a nice, tender crumb.
- sugar
- cinnamon
- vanilla extract
- apple cider
- fresh apple cider is amazing, but you can use apple juice if necessary. Do not use apple cider vinegar!
- applesauce
- vegetable oil
- butter
- eggs
- baking powder, baking soda, and salt
this cinnamon apple cake has a unique texture
I attribute the pillowy texture of this apple cider doughnut cake to the applesauce and the oat flour in the recipe. Oat flour is readily available in most large grocery stores, and Bob’s Red Mill makes a good one, but it’s essentially oats that have been ground into a fine powder, so if you don’t have any on hand you can actually process rolled oats in a food processor or high speed blender, like a Vitamix, to make your own. For more details, check out my post on how to make your own oat flour!
Oat flour gives baked goods a nice soft texture and a little extra flavor. I love it to add it to regular flour in lots of different types of recipes. It does wonders for my Irish oatmeal soda bread and my quick whole grain rolls.
check out the comments for great reviews and variations
- Karen and Susan get a gold stars for creating gluten free versions. Many used Bob’s Red Mill gf baking mix with great success.
- Judy dusts her greased bundt pan with cinnamon sugar.
- Lorraine uses boiled cider from King Arthur Flour.
- Anne made hers flavored with a little apple brandy!
- Amanda made her own oat flour in the NutriBullet.
- Dee made it into a layer cake.
- Bella adds a layer of cinnamon sugar to the bottom of the cake before flipping it over, which is genius.
- and that’s just a few of the great ideas you guys have come up with 🙂
tvfgi recommends: a great basic bundt pan
Bundt pans come in all sorts of wonderful shapes and sizes, which is great, except that you never know how your pan is going to work with a specific recipe. I like to use this one from Wilton which is a basic, all purpose pan that’s sturdy, nonstick, and a standard size. The simple fluted shape insures an easy release, and isn’t that what it’s all about?
more ways to use that jug of cider
- Kale and Fall Fruit Salad with Cider Poppy Seed Dressing
- Hot Buttered Apple Cider
- Mulled Cider Jelly
- Slow Cooked Cider Brats with Apple Onion Relish
- Wild Rice Salad with Maple Cider Vinaigrette
- Hard Cider Braised Pot Roast with Fresh Sage
Apple Cider Doughnut Cake
Equipment
- standard bundt pan (10-12 cup capacity)
Ingredients
dry ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups oat flour
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
wet ingredients
- 1 cup apple cider
- 3/4 cup applesauce
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil, I use safflower
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
topping
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Set oven to 350F
- Generously butter and flour your bundt pan, making sure to get into all the nooks and crannies. Don’t skip this step!
- Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.
- Whisk the wet ingredients together in a another bowl.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk until just combined, don’t over mix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45-50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out without wet batter clinging to it. Set the pan on a cooling rack for 15 minutes.
- Stir the sugar and cinnamon together for the topping.
- Invert the cake onto a plate. Brush with the melted butter, and sprinkle generously all over with the sugar.
Notes
- Sub cardamom for cinnamon, yum.
- Fold in some finely diced fresh apple for texture.
- You might use apple butter instead of applesauce.
- Instead of the sugar coating you could make a simple glaze out of cider and powdered sugar to drizzle (liberally!) over the cake.
Nutrition
So good, we love this cake! I often make it for company and they love it too.
I don’t have oat flour. What can I substitute?
You can just use all purpose, or cake flour instead.
I’ve made this cake many times, and I absolutely love, love, love it! I sub in ACV for the apple cider, and it gives it a wonderful tang. It tastes like a cake doughnut, and is also yummy with a thin frosting dribbled on!
Made this yesterday. Love it! Used butter, reduced cider, and some nutmeg. Nice crumb and great flavor
Loved the recipe. Easy to make and it was a light airy cake. Would make it again. Added some cut apple pieces too.