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Cozy Apple Cider Donut Cake

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A moist, dense cake made with reduced apple cider and topped with a bold cinnamon sugar crust. This simple 6-ingredient recipe captures the essence of fall with a tender crumb and caramelized flavor.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups unfiltered apple cider
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar (for crust)
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon (for crust)
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (for crust)

Instructions

  1. Pour 2 cups of apple cider into a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to medium-low. Simmer gently for 20-30 minutes until reduced to 1 cup of thick, syrupy cider. 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 line with parchment paper.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk softened butter and 3/4 cup sugar until pale and fluffy (about 2 minutes).
  4. Add the cooled reduced cider, eggs, and vanilla extract to the butter mixture. Whisk until smooth.
  5. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon.
  6. Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients using a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix.
  7. Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  8. While the cake bakes, mix 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon in a small bowl.
  9. Once baked, remove cake from oven. Brush the top generously with 2 tablespoons melted butter.
  10. Immediately sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the wet butter and press gently to adhere.
  11. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

Notes

Ensure the reduced cider is completely cool before adding to the butter to prevent melting. Do not overmix the batter to avoid a tough texture. If using apple juice instead of cider, boil it down longer to concentrate the flavor. For gluten-free, swap flour for a 1:1 gluten-free blend.

Nutrition

Keywords: apple cider cake, fall baking, cinnamon sugar cake, reduced cider, easy dessert, cozy baking, donut cake

Find it online: https://bakebeam.com/cozy-apple-cider-donut-cake-best-6-ingredient-recipe/