The recipe prices will vary based on fluctuating grocery costs. Please use what is posted as a guide.
This Apple Cider Donut Cake is filled with diced apples and apple cider and is brushed with butter and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. It’s perfect for fall dessert or breakfast!
For less than $5.00, you can enjoy twelve servings of this cake. The entire recipe costs $4.80 to make, which is only $0.40 per serving.
Apple season is the best season! For more apple-inspired recipes, don’t miss out on our Easy Apple Crisp, Shortcut Apple Fritter Bread, or Slow Cooker Apple Cider.
A donut in cake form? Yes, please! This cake tastes just like your favorite Fall Apple Cider Donut. The warm spices come together with the apple cider to give you a rich, moist, and flavorful cake. The melted butter and cinnamon sugar topping is the cherry on top.
You most likely already have most of the ingredients on hand to make this cake. The cake is made from scratch and comes together quickly. We love to serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and some caramel sauce.
This cake is perfect for Thanksgiving dessert, Sunday dinner, a fall-time baby shower, bridal shower, party, or just because you love apples.
Ingredients & Cost:
- 10 Tablespoons unsalted butter – $1.00
- 1 cup + 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar – $0.25
- ½ cup light brown sugar – $0.48
- 3 large eggs – $0.30
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract – $0.17
- ½ cup sour cream or full-fat Greek yogurt – $0.72
- 1 cup apple cider – $0.40
- 3 cups and 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour – $0.58
- 2 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon – $0.10
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt – $0.01
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder – $0.22
- ½ teaspoon baking soda – $0.01
- 1 large apple – $0.56
To find out more about how we price our recipes, check out Budget Recipes Explained.
INSTRUCTIONS
- First, preheat the oven and spray the bundt pan with baking spray.
- Next, make the cake batter. Do not overmix.
- In another bowl, toss the apples with flour. Stir the diced apples into the cake batter.
- Bake for 50-55 minutes. Allow the cake to cool before turning out of the pan.
- Finally, brush the cake with melted butter and sprinkle with the sugar mixture. Let the cake cool completely before serving.
STORAGE TIPS
Serve: Serve with ice cream and caramel sauce (both optional).
Store: Cover the cake and store it at room temperature for 2-3 days.
Freeze: If you want to freeze this cake, you’ll need to do so BEFORE the melted butter is brushed on the cake and the cinnamon sugar is sprinkled on top. This is because the cinnamon sugar coating will not hold up in the freezer. Instead, it will sort of melt. To freeze, wrap the cake in two layers of plastic wrap and foil. Then freeze for up to one month. Defrost at room temperature for 3-4 hours, and then follow the instructions in the recipe for adding the cinnamon sugar topping.
RECIPE FAQs
Absolutely! You can find it at your local grocery store near the apple juice. You can also check in the organic or natural section of the juice aisle, as we have seen it there at times. During the Fall season, grocery stores will often display Apple Cider on an end shelf or the front of the store, so it should be pretty easy to find. Of course, you want to buy it for this recipe as it helps create the sweetness and moisture of the cake.
The two liquids are not the same, and apple cider vinegar is not a substitution you would want to make for this recipe. Apple Cider Vinegar is fermented Apple Cider and is very acidic. It is typically used in cooking recipes and not baking.
GET KIDS INVOLVED
Ages 2-3: Let your little one dump the ingredients into the mixing bowls. Guide their hands to help mix in the apples and pour the batter into the bundt pan.
Ages 4-5: Teach your child how to use the apple peeler corer to help peel and slice the apples.
Ages 6-8: Have your child pre-measure the wet and dry ingredients. Teach them how to crack an egg properly.
Ages 9-11: Supervise them while they prepare the entire recipe. Remember to have them read it twice before beginning the recipe.
Ages 12+: Let them prepare the entire recipe, unsupervised, while you do the happy dance in the corner!
BUDGET TIPS
Stock up on apples during the Fall when they are in season and on sale. We love to can apple slices to build up our food storage and have on hand for recipes like this Apple Cider Cake all year long.
MORE DESSERTS
- Pumpkin Cupcakes
- Cranberry Pistachio Cookies
- Easy Apple Crisp
- Overnight Cinnamon Rolls
- Mini Apple Pies
- Pretzel Turkey Treats
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Rainbow White Hot Chocolate Bombs
- Soft Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Apple Cider Doughnut Bundt Cake
Equipment
- measuring cups
- Stand mixer or handheld mixer
- Measuring spoons
- mixing spoon
- whisk
- mixing bowls
- bundt pan
- Apple Peeler Corer
- cutting board
- chef's knife
Ingredients
FOR THE CAKE:
- 8 Tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup sour cream or full-fat Greek yogurt
- 1 cup apple cider
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 large or 2 small apples peeled and diced
- 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
FOR THE TOPPING:
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
FOR SERVING:
- vanilla ice cream optional
- caramel sauce
Instructions
PREHEAT OVEN AND PREP PAN:
- Move the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Liberally spray a 10-inch bundt pan with floured baking spray.
MAKE CAKE BATTER:
- Add unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. Cream together for a few minutes until lightened in color. You can also do this in a large bowl with a hand mixer.
- Beat the eggs in, one at a time.
- Beat in the vanilla extract, sour cream, and apple cider.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients into the wet and mix just until combined. Do not over mix.
- In a small bowl, toss the apples with a teaspoon of flour. This will prevent the apples from sinking to the bottom of the cake.
- Stir in the diced apples by hand and pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan.
BAKE CAKE:
- Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick, inserted into the center, comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool slightly before turning out of the pan.
FOR THE TOPPING:
- In a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon.
- Brush the cake with the melted butter and sprinkle generously with the sugar mixture.
COOL AND SERVE:
- Cool the cake for at least an hour before slicing and serving.
- Serve with ice cream and caramel sauce (both optional).
Notes
- This is the exact pan we used.
- To prevent the cake from sticking to a bundt pan, even with a complex design, you need to use baking spray with flour in it and be generous when spraying. Just buttering and flouring this type of pan is hit or miss and do not use regular baking spray. We used Pam Perfect Release baking spray but Baker’s Joy is also fine.
Gina says
Made this recently and it came out delicious. Perfect fall treat to whip up for my family!
Katie says
I’m obsessed with apple cider donuts, and this cake tastes just like them! I love the fall flavors.
MIchelle says
Sounds perfect for fall weather! I’d love a piece with my coffee right now.
Sandhya S says
Love the fall flavors in this apple cider cake. I can’t wait to try them over the weekend.
Jacqueline Meldrum says
Cut me a really big slice please. It looks awesome!
Mirlene says
Going to bake these with my kids soon! Love a good donut cake specially with cinnamon sugar on top!
Katia says
OMG this was so light and fluffy and so easy to make! it is now a family favourite! So delicious!