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Cozy Apple Cider Donut Cake – Best Homemade Cinnamon Sugar Recipe

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This cozy apple cider donut cake with cinnamon sugar captures everything you love about apple orchard donuts but in a fraction of the time and with zero deep-frying involved. It’s tender, moist, and coated in a crunchy cinnamon sugar crust.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups fresh apple cider
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ⅓ cup buttermilk, room temperature
  • ½ cup granulated sugar (for coating)
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (for coating)
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted (for coating)

Instructions

  1. Reduce the apple cider: Pour 1 ½ cups apple cider into a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about ⅓ cup (15-20 minutes). Set aside to cool.
  2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
  4. In a large bowl, beat softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar with a hand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy (3-4 minutes).
  5. Beat in eggs one at a time, then add vanilla extract and beat for 30 seconds.
  6. With mixer on low, add dry ingredients and buttermilk alternately: one-third of flour mixture, half of buttermilk, another third of flour, remaining buttermilk, and final third of flour. Mix just until combined.
  7. Fold in the cooled reduced apple cider gently with a rubber spatula.
  8. Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  9. Let cake cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack. Cool for 15-20 minutes until warm but not hot.
  10. Mix ½ cup granulated sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon in a shallow bowl.
  11. Brush warm cake all over with melted butter, then sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture generously over the top and sides, pressing gently to adhere.
  12. Let cake cool completely before slicing.

Notes

Don’t skip reducing the apple cider—it concentrates the flavor and prevents a soggy cake. Apply cinnamon sugar while cake is still warm for best adhesion. For a gluten-free version, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. For dairy-free, use vegan butter and almond milk with lemon juice as buttermilk substitute.

Nutrition

Keywords: apple cider donut cake, cinnamon sugar cake, fall dessert, apple cake, homemade donut cake, easy apple recipe

Find it online: https://cheerycrisp.com/cozy-apple-cider-donut-cake-best-homemade-cinnamon-sugar-recipe/