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Best Ever Apple Cider Donut Cake

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A moist, spiced apple cake featuring a tangy apple cider glaze and cinnamon sugar topping that mimics the flavor of a classic donut without the frying.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp nutmeg
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.5 cup reduced apple cider (for batter)
  • 1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced
  • 0.25 cup reduced apple cider (for glaze)
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tbsp melted butter
  • 0.25 tsp cinnamon (for glaze)
  • 2 tbsp granulated sugar (for topping)
  • 1 tsp cinnamon (for topping)

Instructions

  1. Pour 2 cups of apple cider into a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until reduced by 75% to approximately 0.5 cup of syrup. This takes 20-30 minutes. Let cool.
  2. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan or line with parchment paper.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
  4. In a large bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy (3-4 minutes).
  5. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract.
  6. Add dry ingredients to the butter mixture in three parts, alternating with 0.5 cup of reduced apple cider. Start and end with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
  7. Gently fold in diced apples using a spatula.
  8. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  9. While cake bakes, whisk together 0.25 cup reduced apple cider, powdered sugar, melted butter, and 0.25 tsp cinnamon to make the glaze.
  10. Let cake cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.
  11. Drizzle glaze over the slightly warm cake and immediately sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture. Let set for 10 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Use cloudy, unfiltered apple cider for best flavor. Ensure ingredients are at room temperature to prevent separation. Do not overmix the batter. The cake can be frozen without glaze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: apple cider cake, donut cake, fall baking, apple dessert, cinnamon sugar cake, homemade donuts

Find it online: https://lunafeast.com/best-ever-apple-cider-donut-cake-easy-homemade-recipe/