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Cozy Apple Cider Donut Cake: Best Easy Fall Baking

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A moist, tender fall cake that captures the intense flavor of reduced apple cider with a crunchy cinnamon sugar crust. It combines the comfort of cake with the taste of a donut.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 cups apple cider
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar (for crust)
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon (for crust)
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (for crust)

Instructions

  1. Pour apple cider and water into a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low.
  2. Simmer for 20-25 minutes until reduced by half (to approx. 2 cups). Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Let cool completely.
  3. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch round or 10-cup bundt pan generously and dust with flour, tapping out excess.
  4. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
  5. In a large bowl, beat softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy (3-4 minutes).
  6. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract.
  7. Add dry ingredients to the butter mixture in three parts, alternating with the cooled reduced cider in two parts. Start and end with dry ingredients. Mix on low until just combined.
  8. Fold in sour cream until smooth. Do not overmix.
  9. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth top.
  10. Bake for 45-50 minutes for bundt pan or 35-40 minutes for round pan, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  11. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack.
  12. While cake cools, mix crust ingredients (1/4 cup sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, 2 tbsp melted butter).
  13. Brush warm cake with melted butter and sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the top.

Notes

Ensure the reduced cider is completely cool before adding to batter to prevent melting the butter. Do not overmix the batter to avoid a tough texture. If the cake browns too quickly, tent with foil for the last 10 minutes. The cinnamon sugar crust should be applied while the cake is warm, not hot.

Nutrition

Keywords: apple cider cake, fall baking, donut cake, cinnamon sugar, easy dessert, autumn recipes

Find it online: https://merrymorsel.com/cozy-apple-cider-donut-cake-best-easy-fall-baking/