Apple cider donut cake with apples is a tender, warmly spiced Bundt cake made with fresh grated apple, tangy sour cream, apple cider, and brown sugar, then finished with melted butter and a generous cinnamon-sugar coating.
If you love the cozy flavor of apple cider donuts but would rather bake one impressive dessert than fry individual donuts, this cake is a great choice. The buttery cinnamon coating gives every slice that familiar cider-donut finish, while the Bundt shape makes it simple enough for casual baking and pretty enough for a fall dessert table.
Freshly grated apples add moisture without creating large fruit pieces throughout the crumb. Apple cider reinforces the apple flavor, while cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg bring the warm spice profile you expect from an autumn cake.
The batter also uses sour cream and cake flour, two ingredients that help keep the finished cake soft and tender. Once the cake is completely cool, brushing the outside with butter gives the cinnamon sugar something to cling to, creating a lightly crisp, sweet coating around the soft cake.
Apple Cider Donut Cake Ingredients
Cake flour: Gives the Bundt cake a finer and more delicate crumb than standard all-purpose flour.
Salted butter: Forms the rich base of the batter and is creamed with the sugars to incorporate air. Additional melted butter helps the cinnamon-sugar topping stick.
Granulated sugar: Sweetens the cake while also creating the classic sugary coating on the outside.
Dark brown sugar: Adds deeper caramel-like sweetness and helps keep the cake moist.
Eggs: Provide structure and richness. Room-temperature eggs blend more smoothly into the creamed butter.
Apple cider: Adds concentrated apple flavor and a little additional moisture to the batter.
Fresh apple: Finely grated Honeycrisp apple disappears into the crumb while contributing fresh apple flavor and tenderness.
Sour cream: Adds richness and moisture while helping produce a soft, substantial Bundt cake.
Vanilla extract: Rounds out the apple and warm spice flavors.
Baking powder: Gives the dense batter enough lift as it bakes.
Ground cinnamon: Provides the dominant warm spice flavor in both the cake and its exterior coating.
Ground ginger: Adds gentle warmth that complements the cider and apple.
Ground nutmeg: Gives the cake a subtle aromatic note. A small amount can also be added to the topping.
Baking spray with flour: Helps the finished cake release cleanly from all the detailed grooves of the Bundt pan.
How to Make This Apple Cider Donut Cake
STEP 1: Heat your oven to 350°F and position the rack near the center. Coat a 10 to 12-cup Bundt pan thoroughly with baking spray containing flour. Pay particular attention to the center tube, ridges, and small crevices where cake batter can easily stick.
STEP 2: Sift the cake flour with the baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Sifting distributes the spices and leavening evenly while keeping the flour light. Set this dry mixture aside while you prepare the butter mixture.
STEP 3: Beat the softened butter with an electric mixer until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the granulated and dark brown sugars and continue beating for another 3 to 4 minutes. The mixture should look noticeably lighter and airier before you move on.
STEP 4: Beat in the eggs one at a time. Allow each egg to blend into the butter mixture before adding another so the batter stays smooth. Once the eggs are incorporated, mix in the vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk the sour cream and room-temperature apple cider together until smooth.
STEP 5: Fold roughly one-third of the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, followed by half of the sour cream mixture. Repeat those additions, then finish with the remaining dry ingredients. Fold only until the flour disappears. Gently stir in the finely grated apple so it is distributed throughout the batter without overworking it.
STEP 6: Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared Bundt pan and smooth the top. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, checking near the lower end of that range. A toothpick inserted into a thick section of cake should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs rather than wet batter.
STEP 7: Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes before carefully turning it onto a wire rack. Let it cool completely. Mix the cinnamon and sugar, adding the optional pinch of nutmeg if desired. Brush melted butter across the exterior of the cake, including the ridges, then sprinkle and gently press the cinnamon sugar over the surface.
Serving Ideas for Apple Cider Donut Cake
This cake is flavorful enough to serve without frosting or glaze. In fact, keeping the presentation simple allows the buttery cinnamon-sugar coating to remain the focus.
A cup of hot coffee is a natural pairing, especially when the cake is served for an autumn brunch or afternoon treat. The slightly bitter coffee balances the sweet coating particularly well.
For dessert, serve slices with lightly whipped cream. A modest spoonful is enough to add creamy contrast without covering up the cider and spice flavors.
Fresh sliced apples also work well alongside the cake if you want to reinforce the seasonal theme while keeping the plate uncomplicated.
Why should the ingredients be at room temperature?
Room-temperature butter, eggs, sour cream, and cider combine more smoothly than ingredients used straight from the refrigerator. This is especially important in a butter-based Bundt cake because a well-emulsified batter helps create an even, tender crumb rather than a heavy or uneven texture.
How do I keep Bundt cake from sticking?
Use a flour-containing baking spray and coat every part of the pan immediately before adding the batter. Make sure you reach the decorative grooves and center tube. After baking, allow the cake to rest for about 10 minutes before carefully inverting it onto a cooling rack.
Can I use chunks of apple instead of grated apple?
Finely grated apple is the better choice here because it blends into the batter and contributes moisture without creating heavy pockets of fruit. Larger apple pieces may sink or make certain parts of the cake noticeably wetter, changing the fine crumb this recipe is designed to produce.
When should I add the cinnamon-sugar coating?
Wait until the cake has cooled completely. If the cake is still hot, the melted butter and sugar can absorb into the surface instead of forming a distinct donut-style coating. Brush on the butter evenly, then apply the cinnamon sugar while the exterior is still tacky.
Can I make the cake a day ahead?
Yes. This Bundt cake is well suited to advance preparation because its sour cream and grated apple help it stay moist. For the freshest cinnamon-sugar texture, you can bake and cool the cake ahead, keep it covered, and apply the butter and cinnamon sugar closer to serving time.
Helpful Tips
- Measure the flour carefully. Sift the cake flour as directed and avoid packing it into the measuring cup. Too much flour can make a Bundt cake dry or overly dense.
- Do not rush the creaming stage. Beating the softened butter and sugars until pale and fluffy incorporates air that contributes to the cake’s final texture.
- Fold gently once the flour is added. Stirring aggressively at the end can develop too much structure and work against the tender crumb you want.
How to Store & Reheat
Keep the cooled cake tightly covered at room temperature for about 2 days if your kitchen is cool and dry. For longer storage, place it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 to 5 days. Refrigeration can firm the butter in the cake, so letting individual slices sit at room temperature before serving improves their texture.
You can also freeze the cake for up to 2 months. For the best results, freeze it without the cinnamon-sugar coating. Wrap the completely cooled cake, or individual slices, securely before placing them in a freezer-safe container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then allow the cake to come closer to room temperature before serving.
This cake does not need reheating, but a slice can be warmed briefly if you prefer it that way. Use only gentle heat, since warming it too aggressively can melt the exterior butter and dissolve some of the cinnamon-sugar coating. If you plan to serve the entire cake later, keeping it at room temperature for a short period before slicing is usually all it needs.
Apple Cider Donut Cake with Apples
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1/3 cup apple cider brought to room temperature
- 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup finely grated apple approximately 2 medium Honeycrisp apples
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon preferably Saigon cinnamon
- 2/3 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 1/4 cups salted butter softened to approximately 67°F
- Flour-containing baking spray for coating the Bundt pan
For the Cinnamon-Sugar Topping:
- 1/4 cup salted butter melted and allowed to cool slightly
- A small pinch freshly grated nutmeg optional
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- Set the oven to 350°F and arrange an oven rack in the center position. Thoroughly coat a 10–12 cup Bundt pan with baking spray containing flour, taking care to cover every groove and recessed area of the pan.
- Sift the cake flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger together into a medium mixing bowl. Set this mixture aside until needed.
- Using an electric mixer at medium speed, beat the softened salted butter for approximately 2 minutes, or until fluffy.
- Add the granulated sugar and packed dark brown sugar. Continue beating at medium speed for another 3–4 minutes, until the mixture becomes noticeably pale, light, and airy.
- With the mixer running, incorporate the eggs individually, allowing each egg to blend into the mixture before adding the next. Mix in the vanilla extract after all four eggs have been incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the room-temperature sour cream together with the apple cider until the mixture is smooth and uniform.
- Using a rubber spatula, gently fold approximately one-third of the prepared dry mixture into the creamed butter mixture. Stir only until the ingredients are nearly combined.
- Fold in half of the sour cream and apple cider mixture. Follow with another third of the dry ingredients, then incorporate the remaining sour cream mixture.
- Add the final portion of the dry ingredients and fold gently just until a cohesive batter forms. Avoid excessive mixing to preserve the cake’s delicate texture.
- Carefully fold the grated apples into the completed batter until they are evenly distributed.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared Bundt pan and level the surface.
- Bake at 350°F for 55–65 minutes. The cake is finished when a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
- Leave the baked cake in its pan for 10 minutes. Carefully invert it onto a wire cooling rack, remove the pan, and allow the cake to cool completely before applying the topping.
- Combine the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon in a small bowl. If desired, mix in a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg.
- Brush the slightly cooled melted salted butter over the entire exterior of the cooled cake, working it into the ridges and crevices of the Bundt shape.
- Distribute the cinnamon-sugar mixture generously over the butter-coated cake. Press the coating very lightly against the surface where necessary so that it adheres evenly.
Notes
- For smoother incorporation into the batter, the eggs, sour cream, and apple cider should be at room temperature.
- Softening the butter to approximately 67°F helps it cream efficiently with the sugars.
- Sifting the cake flour promotes a finer, lighter crumb, while gently folding the batter after the flour is introduced helps prevent overmixing.
- Freshly grated nutmeg in the topping is optional and provides an additional aromatic note without altering the essential cinnamon-sugar finish.