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A moist and tender cake that captures the classic apple cider donut flavors with warm cinnamon spices and a sweet apple cider glaze, made easy using a yellow cake mix.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 box yellow cake mix (dry mix only, e.g., Betty Crocker Super Moist Yellow Cake)
  • 1 cup apple cider (not apple juice or apple cider vinegar)
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup cinnamon-flavored smooth applesauce (not chunky)
  • 3 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon (for cinnamon-sugar topping)
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar (for cinnamon-sugar topping)
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted (for brushing the cake)
  • 1 cup powdered sugar (for glaze)
  • 1/4 cup apple cider (for glaze)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
  2. In a large bowl, beat together the dry yellow cake mix, 1 cup apple cider, 1/2 cup applesauce, and 3 large room-temperature eggs until well combined.
  3. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
  4. Generously grease and flour a bundt pan (10 or 12 cup capacity).
  5. Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan.
  6. Bake on the center rack for about 45 minutes, testing doneness with a toothpick until it comes out clean.
  7. Let the cake cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes before removing it from the pan.
  8. While the cake cools, whisk together 1 cup powdered sugar and 1/4 cup apple cider in a small bowl until smooth to make the glaze.
  9. Mix 2 tablespoons cinnamon and 1/4 cup granulated sugar in a small bowl for the cinnamon-sugar topping.
  10. Brush the cooled cake with melted butter; wait about 1 minute until the surface is slightly tacky, then dust evenly with the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
  11. Drizzle or spoon the apple cider glaze over the cake as desired.
  12. For mini muffins: fill a well-greased mini muffin tin about 3/4 full with batter, bake at 350°F for roughly 14 minutes, test with a toothpick, let cool 15 minutes, brush tops with melted butter, and dunk in cinnamon sugar.
  13. For Instant Pot version: mix the cake mix following box instructions, then whisk in 1/2 cup apple cider, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1/2 cup applesauce, and 1 teaspoon vanilla until smooth; grease a 7-inch bundt pan and pour in batter; pour 1.5 cups water into the Instant Pot, cover pan with foil, use a sling to lower it in; cook on high pressure for 45 minutes; natural release 15 minutes; cool; brush with melted butter and dust with cinnamon sugar; serve warm with glaze if desired.

Notes

Use fresh, high-quality apple cider for the best flavor; do not substitute with apple juice or apple cider vinegar., Adjust cinnamon and sugar ratio in the topping according to taste preference; a 2:1 sugar to cinnamon ratio is recommended., Allow the buttered cake surface to become tacky before applying cinnamon sugar to ensure it sticks well., Use room temperature ingredients for best mixing and tender crumb., The bundt pan size affects baking time and cake rise; 10- or 12-cup pans recommended., Mini muffins and Instant Pot versions provide flexible baking options with slight adjustments in time and texture., Recipe can be doubled for larger batches; bake in two pans or larger pans with adjusted baking time., Gluten-free adaptations have been made successfully using GF cake mixes or flours with xanthan gum, but were not personally tested by the author., Store unglazed cake or cake with cinnamon sugar topping at room temperature for up to 2 days in airtight container., Glazed cake stores well in refrigerator for 4-5 days; reheat gently to restore freshness., Cake can be frozen up to 2-3 months wrapped tightly; thaw overnight in fridge before serving.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://gingerbaking.com/apple-cider-donut-cake/