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Best Ever Apple Cider Donut Cake Recipe

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A rustic, moist, and deeply satisfying cake that captures the essence of a fall donut shop without frying. It features a caramelized, slightly charred crust and a batter infused with reduced apple cider and warm spices.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups fresh, unfiltered apple cider
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 2 large apples (Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Granny Smith), peeled and diced
  • Extra cinnamon sugar for sprinkling (optional)

Instructions

  1. Pour 2 cups of apple cider into a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer uncovered until reduced by half (1 cup), about 10-15 minutes. The liquid should be syrupy. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
  2. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch round cake pan and dust with flour or cinnamon sugar.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Set aside.
  4. In a large bowl, beat softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes).
  5. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract.
  6. Add the cooled, reduced apple cider to the butter mixture and mix until combined. Gradually add dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
  7. Gently fold in diced apples using a spatula.
  8. Pour batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle with extra cinnamon sugar if desired. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Edges should be dark and pulling away from the pan.
  9. Let cake cool in pan for 10 minutes. Invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Do not skip reducing the cider; using regular cider will make the cake too wet. Ensure ingredients are at room temperature for proper emulsion. If edges brown too quickly, cover loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes. The cake is best served warm.

Nutrition

Keywords: apple cider cake, donut cake, fall dessert, rustic cake, baked donut, autumn baking, spiced cake

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