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Apple Cider Donut Cake | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | You'll rave over every delectable bite of this amazing #AppleCake. #Applesauce & #AppleCider provide wonderful flavor, & the #cinnamon-sugar topping makes it taste like eating #AppleDonuts! Great for #breakfast or #dessert. #apples #donuts #EasyCakeMixRecipe #AppleDessert #AppleCiderDonutCake

Apple Cider Donut Cake

Teresa Ambra
Enjoy the Fall flavors of apple cider and applesauce in this delicious Apple Cider Donut Cake. It's like eating apple donuts but in cake form! Every bite will bring you the pleasant aromas of fall and harvest season and cure those sweet tooth cravings at the same time.
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Cake/Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 16
Calories 187 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 large Bundt cake pan
  • 1 large mixing bowl
  • 1 small bowl
  • 1 pastry brush
  • 1 electric mixer
  • 1 wooden spoon
  • measuring cups
  • measuring spoons

Ingredients
  

CAKE:

  • 1 box yellow cake mix (I used Duncan Hines perfectly moist cake mix. You can substitute a pumpkin cake mix or spice cake mix)
  • 1 cup apple cider NOT apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce (plain applesauce is okay, but cinnamon applesauce is better!)
  • 3 large eggs at room temperature
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp. light brown sugar packed (tablespoon, not teaspoon)
  • 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

TOPPING:

  • 1/4 cup salted butter melted
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp. ground cinnamon or more, if desired

Instructions
 

CAKE:

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Combine cake mix, apple cider (NOT apple cider vinegar!), applesauce and eggs in a large bowl.
  • Beat with an electric mixer until smooth.
  • (Mixture is runny).
  • Add cinnamon, brown sugar and vanilla extract and beat again.
  • Pour into a well-greased AND floured Bundt pan.
  • Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until a bamboo skewer inserted in center comes out clean.
  • Allow cake to cool for 20 minutes in Bundt pan.
  • Remove cake from pan and place on serving plate.
  • Cool cake completely before adding topping.

TOPPING:

  • Combine sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl; mix well; set aside.
  • Melt butter.
  • With a pastry brush, brush the butter over the top and sides of the cake.
  • Immediately sprinkle and pat the cinnamon-sugar mixture into the top and sides of cake. 

Notes

NOTE: Don’t allow the butter to absorb into the cake too much before sprinkling with cinnamon-sugar mixture or the cinnamon-sugar won’t adhere to the cake.
 
NOTE: Cinnamon-flavored applesauce is preferred, but I only had regular applesauce on hand when I made this recipe. I increased the cinnamon in the cake from ¼ teaspoon to ½ teaspoon.
 
NOTE: The amount of cinnamon in the topping is based on personal preference. The original recipe calls for two tablespoons but I thought that was overkill so I decreased the amount to one tablespoon. It still provides a really rich flavor.
 
NOTE: This is a very SMALL cake when cooked—only about 2 ½-inches high. Unlike most Bundt cakes that are about 5-6 inches in height.
 
Recipe adapted from Princess Pinky Girl.
 
© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen

Nutrition

Calories: 187kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 2gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 43mgSodium: 273mgPotassium: 56mgFiber: 1gSugar: 20gVitamin A: 145IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 87mgIron: 1mg
Keyword apple cider, applesauce, breakfast, cake, dessert, donuts
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!