Description

This Apple Cider Donut Cake captures the warm flavors of fall with a moist, spiced batter infused with reduced apple cider and topped with a cinnamon sugar coating. Baked to golden perfection, this cake offers all the taste of classic apple cider donuts in an easy-to-make sheet cake form, perfect for sharing and enjoying during cozy autumn gatherings.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Cake Batter

1–½ cups fresh apple cider
4 tablespoons (66 grams) cold unsalted butter, diced
2 large eggs
1/3 cup (70 grams) granulated sugar
½ cup (110 grams) lightly packed brown sugar
1/3 cup (70 grams) light olive oil (or other neutral oil)
¼ cup (66 grams) sour cream (or Greek yogurt)
1–½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1–½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
Pinch of allspice
¼ teaspoon coarse kosher salt (if using fine sea salt, use half by volume)
1–¾ cups (210 grams) all-purpose flour

For the Topping

1 tablespoon butter, at cool room temperature
¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Dish: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter or spray a 9-inch square baking dish and line it with parchment paper long enough to create a sling for easy cake removal.
Reduce Apple Cider: In a large sauté pan, boil the fresh apple cider until it reduces by half, about 5 minutes, until you have ¾ cup. Add the cold diced butter to the hot cider and whisk until combined and smooth.
Mix Wet Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, light olive oil, sour cream, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, allspice, and coarse kosher salt until smooth and well combined.
Incorporate Reduced Cider: Slowly whisk the warm cider and butter mixture into the wet ingredients mixture, ensuring a smooth batter.
Add Dry Ingredients: Gradually stir in the all-purpose flour until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
Transfer Batter: Pour the prepared batter into the lined baking dish and smooth the top evenly.
Bake the Cake: Bake in the preheated oven for 22-25 minutes, until the cake is puffed, golden, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool Slightly: Remove the cake from the oven and place it on a cooling rack for 5 minutes to set.
Apply Butter Topping: Spread the room temperature butter over the warm cake, allowing it to melt and soak into the surface.
Prepare Cinnamon Sugar: In a small bowl, mix together the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon for the topping.
Add Cinnamon Sugar: Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture liberally over the buttered top of the cake while it’s still warm.
Cool and Serve: Remove the cake from the pan using the parchment sling and allow it to cool completely on the rack before cutting it into squares and serving.

Notes

Use fresh apple cider for the best flavor; if unavailable, apple juice can be used but the taste will be slightly less tart.
If sour cream is unavailable, full-fat Greek yogurt is a suitable substitute providing similar moisture and tang.
For a vegan variation, substitute eggs with flax eggs and use vegan butter and yogurt alternatives, though baking powder freshness should be checked for effectiveness.
The cake is best enjoyed fresh but can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days at room temperature.
This recipe can be scaled to fit different pan sizes, adjusting baking time accordingly.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: apple cider donut cake, autumn cake recipe, spiced cake, apple cake, cinnamon sugar cake