This apple cider donut cake recipe delivers the cozy flavor of a classic apple cider donut in a tender, shareable Bundt cake. Made with reduced fresh apple cider, warm cinnamon, nutmeg, optional cloves, sour cream, and a buttery cinnamon-sugar coating, it serves 10 to 12 people and bakes at 350°F for 40 to 50 minutes.
The finished cake is moist and softly spiced inside, with a sweet, buttery crust that clings to every groove. Reducing the cider concentrates its apple flavor, while the final coating gives each slice the familiar finish of a favorite fall farm-stand donut.
There is something especially inviting about an apple cider donut, but frying individual donuts can take time and create a messy kitchen. This Bundt cake captures the same cinnamon-sugar charm with one easy pan, making it a practical choice for brunches, autumn birthdays, Thanksgiving dessert tables, bake sales, and weekend gatherings.
The crumb is rich without being heavy. Melted butter adds a buttery foundation, sour cream keeps the interior soft, and reduced cider brings concentrated apple character instead of a faint juice flavor.
The coating is the detail that makes this cake memorable. Brushing the warm cake with butter before pressing on cinnamon sugar creates a crisp, fragrant exterior that tastes remarkably like the outside of a freshly made donut.
If you enjoy apple-forward desserts, you may also like this rustic apple cake, which offers a different style of tender fruit-filled baking.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Choose fresh, unfiltered apple cider if possible. Apple juice does not have the same rounded, orchard-like flavor, and the cider reduction is the main ingredient responsible for the cake’s signature taste.
Apple cider: Two cups are simmered down to about one cup for a stronger flavor and better batter consistency.
All-purpose flour: Three cups provide the structure needed for a tall, sturdy Bundt cake.
Leaveners: Baking powder and baking soda help the cake rise evenly.
Warm spices: Cinnamon and nutmeg are essential, while cloves are optional for a deeper spice profile.
Butter and sugars: Melted butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar create a moist, caramel-sweet crumb.
Eggs, vanilla, and sour cream: These ingredients add richness, flavor, tenderness, and moisture.
Coating ingredients: Melted butter, cinnamon, sugar, and an optional pinch of salt form the donut-like finish.
Have the eggs at room temperature and allow the melted butter to cool slightly. Very hot butter can make the mixture difficult to combine, while room-temperature eggs blend more smoothly into the batter.
How to Make It Step-by-Step
Step 1: Start the cider reduction by pouring 2 cups of apple cider into a saucepan. Simmer it over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until approximately 1 cup remains; this concentrates the apple flavor without adding extra liquid to the cake.
Step 2: Set the reduced cider aside until it is lukewarm. Do not add it while it is steaming hot, because the heat can affect the eggs and make the wet mixture harder to combine.
Step 3: Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare a 10- to 12-cup Bundt pan. Grease every groove thoroughly, then dust it with flour or use a baking spray that contains flour, since the sugar-rich batter can stick in detailed pan designs.
Step 4: Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and optional cloves together in a bowl. Mixing the dry ingredients first distributes the spices and leaveners evenly throughout the cake.
Step 5: In a separate large bowl, whisk together the melted, slightly cooled butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking after each addition, then mix in the vanilla, sour cream, and lukewarm cider reduction.
Step 6: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in two or three additions. Stir only until the last streaks of flour disappear; overmixing develops gluten and can leave the finished cake dense rather than tender.
Step 7: Scrape the batter into the prepared Bundt pan and smooth the top. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, checking for doneness with a skewer inserted into the thickest part; it should come out clean or show only a few moist crumbs.
Step 8: Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes before inverting it onto a cooling rack. Allow it to cool until just warm or completely cool, but avoid coating it while it is hot enough to melt the sugar immediately.
Step 9: Brush the cake generously with melted butter, working over the top, sides, and grooves. Combine the granulated sugar, cinnamon, and optional salt, then sprinkle or gently press the mixture over the buttered cake while it is still slightly warm.
For another baked treat with classic donut appeal, compare this method with our homemade fried cake donut recipe. The Bundt cake is easier for a crowd, while fried donuts provide the traditional individual shape.
Pro Tips for a Tender, Flavorful Cake
Measure the reduced cider carefully: The recipe needs 1 cup of reduced cider in the batter. Reducing only partway may leave the cake too wet, while cooking it far beyond 1 cup can make the apple flavor overly concentrated.
Prepare every pan groove: Use a pastry brush or your fingers to distribute grease around the center tube, ridges, and deep curves. A light flour coating helps the baked cake release cleanly.
Keep the mixing gentle: Once flour enters the bowl, stop stirring as soon as no dry patches remain. A few small lumps are preferable to a tough crumb.
Coat while warm: Slight warmth helps the butter spread and gives the cinnamon sugar something to cling to. If the cake is completely cool, brush carefully and press on the topping so it does not slide away.
Use cloves thoughtfully: The 1/4 teaspoon of cloves is optional. Leave it out for a simpler cinnamon-and-nutmeg profile, or include it for a more pronounced autumn spice note.
Sour cream gives the cake a particularly plush texture, but plain full-fat yogurt works just as well. Some variations use buttermilk or whole milk, though the supplied version’s sour cream or yogurt provides dependable moisture and richness.
Serving, Storage & Reheating
Serve slices slightly warm or at room temperature with coffee, tea, hot apple cider, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The cinnamon-sugar crust is especially appealing on the day it is made, when the butter and sugar still have a fresh donut-like aroma.
Keep the cooled cake covered at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, refrigerate it in an airtight container, then let slices stand at room temperature briefly before serving so the crumb softens.
To refresh a slice, warm it gently until just heated through. Avoid overheating, which can dry the cake and cause the coating to melt unevenly.
For a shortcut dessert made with prepared filling, you can also try this apple pie filling cake. It has a different texture and method, but it fits the same cozy occasion-dessert menu.
Apple Cider Donut Cake
A tender Bundt cake made with reduced apple cider, warm spices, and sour cream, finished with melted butter and cinnamon sugar. It tastes like a batch of apple cider donuts in an easy, sliceable cake.
Pour 2 cups apple cider into a saucepan and simmer over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes, until reduced to about 1 cup. Cool the reduction until lukewarm before adding it to the batter.
Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Thoroughly grease a 10- to 12-cup Bundt pan, dust it lightly with flour, or use baking spray containing flour.
Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and optional cloves in a medium bowl.
Whisk melted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a large bowl. Add eggs one at a time, then whisk in vanilla, sour cream, and the cooled cider reduction.
Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture in two or three additions, stirring only until no dry flour remains. Avoid overmixing so the cake stays tender.
Transfer the batter to the prepared Bundt pan and smooth the top. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the thickest part comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Cool the cake in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes, then invert it onto a rack. Let it cool until just warm or completely cool before coating.
Brush the cake generously with 4 tablespoons melted butter. Mix the coating sugar, cinnamon, and optional salt, then sprinkle or gently press it over the entire cake.
Notes
Use fresh, unfiltered apple cider rather than apple juice. Apply the melted butter and cinnamon sugar while the cake is still slightly warm so the coating adheres well. Store covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for longer storage.
Final Thoughts
This apple cider donut cake is a welcoming centerpiece for any fall occasion, from a relaxed family breakfast to a festive holiday dessert spread. The reduced cider gives the cake a clear apple flavor, and the buttery cinnamon-sugar coating supplies the irresistible finish that makes apple cider donuts so popular.
For the best result, take time to reduce the cider fully, grease the Bundt pan thoroughly, mix the batter minimally, and coat the cake while it is still slightly warm. Once sliced, this tender, warmly spiced cake is ready to bring bakery-style comfort to the table without frying a single donut.
