Apple Cider Donut Cake
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When orchard-fresh cider meets a soft, spiced cake, you get the ultimate cozy treat: apple cider donut cake!
Do you love apple cider donuts? Then this cake is for you. Warmly spiced with nutmeg and full of apple flavor, it has that classic cinnamon-sugar coating—without the fuss of frying. Think of it as your favorite fall donut turned into a simple, sliceable cake.
The secret to its irresistible flavor is reducing the apple cider and incorporating it into both the batter and the glaze. This intensifies the flavor and infuses the cake with a subtle tart sweetness that, paired with the nutmeg, perfectly captures that iconic cider donut taste. It’s a great way to use up any apple cider from autumn outings or weekend market hauls, and it’s always a hit with both kids and adults.
“This cake is perfectly moist and delicious. It’s wonderful to serve for dessert…and leftovers make for a special breakfast treat.”
What You’ll Need To Make Apple Cider Donut Cake
- Apple Cider: Adds moisture and concentrated apple flavor to both the cake and the glaze.
- Sugar: Sweetens the batter, balances the glaze, and gives the cinnamon-sugar topping its crunch.
- Eggs, Sour Cream & Butter: Work together to create a tender, moist crumb with balanced richness; butter also smooths the glaze.
- Vanilla & Salt: Subtly enhance and round out the overall flavor.
- Flour, Baking Powder & Baking Soda: Provide structure and ensure the cake rises with a light, even texture. (Spoon and level the flour for accuracy.)
- Nutmeg & Cinnamon: Warm spices that echo classic cider donut flavor, with nutmeg in the cake and cinnamon in the topping.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Prep. Preheat your oven to 350ºF and position a rack in the center. Butter or spray an 8-inch square metal baking pan, then line it with a piece of parchment (about 8×16 inches) so there’s a 2-inch overhang on two sides. You’ll need to crease the parchment at the corners and edges so it fits snugly in the pan.
Step 2: Make the cider glaze. In a small skillet, bring the apple cider to a boil over medium heat and let it cook until it’s reduced to ½ cup, 10 to 15 minutes. (If you go a little too far, just add a splash more cider to make up the difference.) Set it aside to cool for about 10 minutes. Measure out ⅓ cup for the batter and leave the rest right in the skillet for the glaze.
Step 3: Mix the wet ingredients and flavorings. In a large bowl, whisk the sugar and eggs until pale and foamy, about 1 minute. Whisk in the sour cream and melted butter, then add the nutmeg, vanilla, salt, and the ⅓ cup of reduced cider.
Step 4: Add the dry ingredients. Add the flour, baking powder, and baking soda and whisk until completely smooth.
Step 5: Bake. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the cake is puffed and golden and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes.
Step 6: Cool. Place the pan on a wire rack and let the cake cool for about 15 minutes. Then, using the parchment overhang, lift the cake out of the pan and set it directly on the rack to finish cooling.
Step 7: Make the Glaze. In the same skillet with the remaining reduced cider, add the butter, sugar, and salt. Bring it to a boil over medium heat and let it bubble until very thick, 30 to 60 seconds.
Step 8: Glaze the cake. Drizzle the glaze evenly over the cake, then let it sit for a few minutes to set while you stir together the cinnamon-sugar topping.
Step 9: Add the topping. In a small bowl, stir together the cinnamon and sugar. Sprinkle it generously and evenly over the glazed cake, saving a little extra if you’d like to give it a fresh dusting just before serving.
Step 10: Serve. Cut the cake into squares and dig in. It keeps well, covered, at room temperature for up to 3 days, or you can freeze it for longer storage.
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Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1½ cups apple cider
- ⅔ cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ⅔ cup sour cream
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1¼ teaspoons ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
For the Cider Glaze
- Reduced cider, reserved from making the cake
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- Big pinch salt
For Cinnamon Sugar Topping
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (175°C) and set an oven rack in the middle position. Butter or coat an 8-inch (20-cm) square metal baking pan (see note) with nonstick spray. Line the pan with an 8x16-inch (20x38-cm) piece of parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch (5-cm) overhang on two sides. You'll have to create seams in the corners and along the edges of the pan to get it to stay put.
- In a small skillet, bring the apple cider to a boil over medium heat. Gently boil until the cider is reduced to ½ cup (120 ml), 10 to 15 minutes. (If you accidentally over-reduce it, make up the difference with more cider.) Let cool for about 10 minutes. Measure out ⅓ cup (80 ml) and leave the remaining reduced cider in the skillet.
- In a large bowl, whisk the sugar and eggs until pale and foamy, about 1 minute. Whisk in the sour cream, followed by the butter, and then the nutmeg, vanilla, salt, and the ⅓ cup (80 ml) of reduced cider. Whisk until evenly combined. Add the flour, baking powder, and baking soda, and whisk until smooth.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until the cake is puffed and golden and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Set the pan on a rack to cool for about 15 minutes then use the parchment paper to lift the cake out of the pan and set it on the rack to cool.
- Make the Glaze: To the skillet with the remaining reduced cider, add the butter, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat and gently boil until very thick, 30 to 60 seconds. Drizzle the warm cake evenly with the glaze. Let the glaze set for a few minutes while you make the cinnamon-sugar topping.
- In a small bowl, mix the cinnamon and sugar until evenly combined. Sprinkle a generous layer of the mixture evenly over the glazed cake, reserving a bit to add a fresh dusting before serving, if desired. Cut the cake into squares and serve.
Notes
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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I made this recipe twice. The first time as written using reduced apple cider (not juice), weighing out my flour using the weight to volume given on the nutrition label of the bag of King Arthur flour, using the full amount of McCormick ground nutmeg (best by June 2022) and using a metal 8×8″ pan. I pulled it at 28min when it was golden brown and it might have been done sooner had I tested it earlier. The second time was also as written but I pulled out my donut pan . I am out of practice so the first round was overfilled. The second round was perfect and was done in 11min but not browned on top. I got 10 donuts this time (6 of which were overfilled), maybe next time I’ll get 11. Stored at room temp in a ziploc, they actually seemed to gain moisture and were just as good if not better the second day. My entire family enjoyed these and I decided to freeze some of the remaining cider to make another round in the future. This might be the perfect recipe to use some aged nutmeg. I personally feel without the nutmeg it would only be apple cider cake, instead of donut cake. Eventhough I concentrated the cider, the apple flavor was subtle. I wonder if starting with 2 cups might be even better? For our family, the given serving size was too small. We only got 10 servings out of the 8×8″ cake. This was absolutely delicious and a keeper in our house!! Thank you Jenn for another awesome recipe!
I’m giving this a three for the nutmeg being over powering and a five for a nice moist cake. So overall a four. We grated our nutmeg fresh and I have to wonder if this was why is was over powering? If we just used store bought pre-ground nutmeg it would likely be more subtle.
I also didn’t have a square metal pan, so I made it in a round metal cake pan and it came out great.
Hi Jen,
Can this be made in a loaf pan to make it into a quick bread?
Sure, that should work. I’d use either two 8 x 4 pans or one 9 x 5. The bake time will be different – I’d start checking at about 35 min, although it could take significantly longer. I’d love to hear how it turns out as a loaf!
Hi!
This sounds delicious. Would this recipe work in the bundt pan?
Hi Leslie, I’ve tried the cake in a Bundt (doubling the recipe and baking it a bit longer) – it works but the issue is that it’s difficult to get the cinnamon sugar-to adhere. It sort of just falls down the sides. That’s why I ultimately chose to use a square pan. Hope that helps!
I substituted whole milk ricotta and squeeze of lemon juice for the sour cream. I used a 9×9 pan and reduced the cooking time by 7 mins or so since I did not have an 8 x 8 pan. So delicious!
I saw this recipe go up and I had to try making it since I had just enough apple cider sitting around in the fridge, I was skeptical of the amount of nutmeg required in the recipe but I followed it anyways (using store-bought ground nutmeg) and personally, I think it was a perfect amount! The cake came out sooooo moist and soft and airy I absolutely loved it, thank you for the amazing recipe once again! 🙂
This was seriously amazing! I served it at break fast for yom kippur and it disappeared pretty quickly. It’s the perfect dessert for Sept/Oct because it gives you all the fall feels. This will go on the permanent list for fall desserts!
This cake is terrific! I just made it for the first time…yum! I had some boiled cider, so I used it in place of the apple cider in the recipe and it saved me a step. Next time I make this, I am thinking of adding some finely diced apples and nuts. Another delicious recipe from the Chef.
Oh yeah! Those would be great additions. Next time! Cake in the oven as we speak, or text. Lol
I followed the instructions exactly as written, OMG this cake is over-the-top delicious! It tastes like autumn, moist and full of flavor. This recipe is a keeper for sure!
Can’t wait to make this for a get together this weekend! We are having a totally “Jen” recipe get together. Would you suggest doubling this for a 13 X 9 cake pan? Estimation on time? Same temp? Thanks!
Hi Samantha Yes, I’d double it for a 9 x 13-inch pan. Oven temp should stay the same and baking time should be about the same, but keep a close eye on it. I’d love to hear how it turns out!
It was A-mazing! We had your garlic butter shrimp, BLT salad, and gnocchi with your homemade tomato sauce. Rave reviews all around!