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This apple cider donut cake tastes exactly like the warm cinnamon sugar donuts I grab at the apple orchard every fall, except it bakes in one bundt pan instead of a fryer. The outside is coated in buttery cinnamon sugar and the inside is soft, tender, and full of real apple cider flavor. One bite and it is the first cool morning of fall.
I have made this cake for years and it is one of the most loved recipes I have ever shared, with millions of views and close to a thousand five-star reviews. Readers tell me the same thing every fall: the texture comes out like a real cider donut, not a plain slice of cake. That is exactly what I was going for.
What makes this one so easy is that it starts with a box of cake mix, so there is no measuring out a dozen dry ingredients. Real apple cider does the work on flavor, and a quick brush of butter before the cinnamon sugar is what gives it that donut coating. It is the fall cake I reach for when I want a big payoff with almost no fuss.
When I want a fall dessert with even less effort, I make my pumpkin dump cake with spice cake mix, which layers pumpkin pie under a crunchy spice cake crust.
TESTED FAVORITE
Why This Cake Really Does Taste Like a Cider Donut
I keep coming back to this version because it nails that orchard donut taste every single time. The apple cider and applesauce keep the crumb soft and moist with no oil in the batter at all, and brushing the cooled cake with butter before the cinnamon sugar is what makes the coating cling like a real donut. It is the cake my family asks for the second the mornings turn cool.
The Ingredients That Matter
- Boxed cake mix: I use a 15.25 ounce box of spice cake mix now. I started with yellow cake mix, but I moved to spice because it gives the cake a deeper, warmer fall flavor, and it is the version I make every time. Duncan Hines spice is my pick. Yellow cake mix still works if that is what you have, and white cake mix will do in a pinch.
- Apple cider: Use real apple cider, not apple juice and not apple cider vinegar. Cider has the deep, spiced apple flavor that makes this taste like an orchard donut. This is the ingredient that carries the whole cake.
- Applesauce: This is what keeps the cake soft and moist, and it is the reason there is no oil or butter in the batter. I use cinnamon applesauce, not chunky, for a little extra spice.
- Eggs: Room temperature eggs blend in smoothly and give you a more even, tender crumb. Cold eggs straight from the fridge can leave the batter lumpy.
- Cinnamon sugar topping: Melted butter brushed on first, then a cinnamon sugar coating, is what turns a plain bundt into a cider donut. The butter is what helps the sugar cling to the surface instead of soaking in.
How to Make Apple Cider Donut Cake
Step 1: Mix the Batter Beat the dry cake mix, apple cider, applesauce, and eggs in a large bowl until smooth. Add the cinnamon, brown sugar, and vanilla and mix just until combined. Stop as soon as the batter comes together so the cake stays tender.
Step 2: Prep the Pan Grease and flour a 10 or 12 cup bundt pan well. I use a flour-based baking spray so nothing sticks and the cake releases clean.
Step 3: Bake Pour the batter into the pan and bake on the center rack at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes, until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
Step 4: Cool Let the cake cool on a wire rack for about 20 minutes. It needs to be cool before the butter and cinnamon sugar go on.
Step 5: Make the Cinnamon Sugar Stir the cinnamon and sugar together in a small bowl. This ratio is personal, so use more sugar if you like it milder or more cinnamon if you like it bold. I lean toward two parts sugar to one part cinnamon.
Step 6: Brush and Coat Brush the cooled cake all over with melted butter and let it sit about a minute, so the surface is slightly wet but not soaked. Rub the cinnamon sugar over the whole cake until it is evenly coated.
“I made this again last night for a 2nd time. My family went nuts for it once again. It is super moist and flavorful. I made it with a spice cake mix. I highly recommend this recipe. You won’t be disappointed.“
Making It in Other Pans
You do not have to use a bundt pan. Baked in a mini-muffin pan, fill each cup just short of the top and bake at 350 degrees for about 14 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Let them cool about 15 minutes, loosen the edges with a knife, then brush with butter and dip in the cinnamon sugar. Made this way they come out a lot like my apple cider doughnut holes, just from cake mix.
A 13×9 pan or loaf pans work too. They bake up shallower than a bundt, so start checking for doneness earlier and pull them when a toothpick comes out clean.
Storing Leftovers
This cake is best the day you make it, but it holds up well made a day ahead. Cool it completely and cover it tightly so it stays moist. It keeps covered in the fridge for up to 5 days, and you can freeze it wrapped well for up to 3 months. This is one of the easy cake recipes I make on repeat once fall hits.
More Apple Recipes to Try
- Old fashioned apple crisp
- Easy apple dump cake
- Homemade apple fritters
- Baked apple hand pies
- Caramel Apple Dump Cake
Apple Cider Donut Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1 15.25 ounce box Yellow cake mix or Spice Cake Mix I used Betty Crocker Yellow Super Moist – for a stronger Fall taste use Duncan Hines Spice Cake Mix.
- 1 cup apple cider NOT apple juice and NOT apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup apple sauce we used cinnamon apple sauce, not chunky
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- ¼ tsp cinnamon more if you like it really cinnamony!
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
For the Cinnamon Sugar Topping
- 2 tablespoons cinnamon depending on how much cinnamon you prefer
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ cup melted butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the dry cake mix, apple cider, apple sauce, and eggs. Add in the cinnnamon (¼ tsp,) brown sugar and vanilla to the cake mix batter. (See "recipe options" in notes)1 15.25 ounce box Yellow cake mix or Spice Cake Mix, 1 cup apple cider, ½ cup apple sauce, 3 large eggs, ¼ tsp cinnamon, 1 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tsp vanilla
- Pour mix into a well greased & floured bundt pan (we used Baker's Joy. This has flour in it to make sure it doesn't stick.)
- Place bundt pan on center rack and bake for 40-45 minutes. Test with a toothpick by sticking into the middle of the cake, if it comes out clean it is ready. Remove from heat and allow to cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes.
- In a separate bowl. Mix cinnamon with sugar.2 tablespoons cinnamon, ¼ cup sugar
- Once the cake has cooled, brush the entire surface with melted butter. Rub cinnamon sugar mixture until evenly coated.¼ cup melted butter
Jenn’s Notes
- Do not overmix the batter. Stir just until it comes together so the cake stays soft, not gummy.
- Use a 10 or 12 cup bundt pan. A bigger pan makes the cake bake up flat instead of rising.
- Brush the cooled cake with butter and let it sit about a minute before adding the cinnamon sugar, so the coating clings instead of soaking in.
For those that didn’t think it had enough flavor try starting with 2 cups of cider and simmer until you have one cup.
I was just reading the directions to make this, but I noticed at the bottom there was mention of adding more cider and reducing the water. There is no mention of water in the ingredients or anywhere else. Please advise.
I saw that too. It also said in that note to increase the apple cider to 1 cup. The recipe says 1 cup, so I am guessing the recipe was changed to have more cider and no water.
Yes, I actually changed it yesterday after making it on monday. All changes have been reflected it the post.
The directions don’t include the butter/sugar topping. Found it in the notes. Have you ever tried to butter/sugar the pan before adding the batter? wondering if that would work.
This is the requested cake for dessert as well as birthdays now. It use to be my chocolate mayonnaise cake. Everyone, and I do mean everyone, in my family just loves this cake. We have an apple orchard and store right down the road so I always use fresh apple cider. Making this cake now for my mom’s 87th birthday. (I use the apple cider in place of the water)
just ok, not amazing. I made as directed except added a heaping teaspoon of apple pie seasoning. it still wasn’t very flavorful. I think the consistency would have been better with some oil. I will try again with a spice cake mix, a tablespoon of apple pie seasoning, and oil instead of the apple sauce. I’ll keep the cup of cider in it and the dusting and glaze the same.
I just made this for the first time and it was amazing and delicious!! Thank you. I’m actually baking one right now. Only this time I added some little caramel bits to the mix. We’ll see what happens.
It look & sounds Heavenly!!
YUM!!
I made this last year using mini Bundt cake molds. People loved them. I will be making again this year.
Delicious cake. Made it for a family party, and everyone loved it…even my kids who are super picky about desserts. Sadly, there was none left at the end of the evening ;o)
I made this recipe and I made it into muffins. I followed the recipe exact and it just seemed kind of bland. I ended up adding cream cheese icing to the top with cinnamon and sugar mixed in it. made it taste a little bit better but the cake itself was not very flavorful.
When I made this, it was like pound cake. I wanted it to be lighter so I mixed all wet ingredients then added the dry plus 2tsp baking powder. Baked in a 9×13 pan & changed the topping to 2 diced apples, 1/2 cup each flour, br sugar, oats,and soft butter mixed in 1/2 tsp cinnamon. sprinkle crumble over top and bake. Very yummy.