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Pioneer Woman Apple Cider Donut Cake

Pioneer Woman Apple Cider Donut Cake - recipe card
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A moist, tender bundt cake infused with concentrated apple cider and a warm blanket of cinnamon and nutmeg. The exterior is drenched in melted butter and rolled in cinnamon-sugar, recreating the iconic apple cider donut experience in a shareable cake form. The crumb is dense yet fluffy, with a crisp, sugary shell that yields to a soft, spiced interior.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup apple cider
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (6.75 oz / 191g)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for greasing the pan
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar (5.25 oz / 149g)
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup full-fat Greek yogurt, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
  • For the cinnamon-sugar coating:
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Generously butter a 6-cup bundt pan (or a 9×5-inch loaf pan), making sure to get into all the crevices. Dust with flour and tap out the excess; this ensures the cake releases cleanly after baking.
  2. Pour the apple cider into a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and let it simmer until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 8 to 10 minutes. Watch closely toward the end; the cider will thicken and become syrupy. Set aside to cool slightly while you prepare the dry ingredients.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg. Whisking aerates the flour and distributes the leavening agents evenly, which is critical for even rising.
  4. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. This creaming process incorporates air, giving the cake its tender structure. Scrape down the sides of the bowl once halfway through.
  5. Add the room-temperature egg and beat on medium speed until fully combined, about 1 minute. The egg must be at room temperature to emulsify properly with the butter mixture; a cold egg could cause the batter to curdle.
  6. Reduce the mixer speed to low, then add the room-temperature Greek yogurt and the cooled, reduced apple cider. Mix until just combined, about 30 seconds. Do not overmix at this stage, or the gluten can overdevelop and make the cake tough.
  7. With the mixer still on low, add about one-third of the dry ingredients, then half of the buttermilk. Repeat, ending with the final third of dry ingredients. Mix each addition until just incorporated, stopping to scrape the bowl as needed. The batter will be thick and billowy.
  8. Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan and spread it into an even layer with a small offset spatula. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until a wooden skewer inserted into the deepest part of the cake comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs. The top should be deep golden and spring back when touched lightly.
  9. Place the pan on a wire rack and let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes. This allows the crumb to set and firm up, reducing the risk of the cake cracking when turned out. After 15 minutes, invert the cake onto the rack to cool completely, about 1 hour.
  10. While the cake cools, whisk together the 1/3 cup granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in a small shallow bowl. Melt the 3 tablespoons butter in a separate small bowl.
  11. Once the cake is completely cool, use a pastry brush to gently coat all visible surfaces of the cake with the melted butter. Work in sections: brush, then immediately sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture generously over the buttered area. The butter acts as glue, so you want it to stay tacky for the sugar to adhere.
  12. Serve the cake at room temperature in thick slices. The sugar coating will stay crisp for about an hour after glazing. Any longer and it may begin to soften from moisture in the air.

Notes

Storage: Store leftover cake tightly wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 3 days. For best texture, refresh in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 5 to 7 minutes before serving. Freezing: Wrap the uncoated, cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap and then foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature before brushing with butter and coating with cinnamon-sugar. Coating the cake just before serving yields the crispiest shell.

Nutrition

Keywords: apple cider donut cake, pioneer woman cake, apple cider cake, bundt cake, fall dessert, cinnamon sugar cake, apple spice cake, donut cake recipe, easy bundt cake, baked donut cake

Find it online: https://inspiredbypioneerwoman.com/pioneer-woman-apple-cider-donut-cake/