apple cider bundt cake
As the air gets crisp in the fall, there’s nothing better than homemade apple desserts. Baked in a pretty bundt pan, this apple cider bundt cake features apple cider, applesauce, and warming spices. I love using homemade applesauce and apple cider here for the best flavor!
The Best Apple Cider Bundt Cake
Brushed with butter and sprinkled with cinnamon-sugar (a nod to the sugar-spice coating of your favorite apple cider doughnut), this cozy cake is perfect for the season.
Enjoy a slice for breakfast or topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and drizzle of salted caramel sauce for dessert!
Tips for Apple Bundt Cake Success
Room Temperature Ingredients – Bring butter and eggs to room temperature before beginning.
Warming Spices – A mix of ground cinnamon, ginger, and cloves enhance the apple cider flavor. My go-to cinnamon for baking is Vietnamese cinnamon (strong, rich, and sweet). If you’re using a different cinnamon, feel free to bump up the cinnamon in the cake to 1 1/2 or 2 teaspoons.
Applesauce – If you’re using store-bought applesauce, strain off some of the excess moisture through a fine mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth. Measure out 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce after straining.
Bundt Pan – Use a 10-cup bundt pan for this recipe. To prevent the cake from sticking, spray the pan generously with nonstick spray or generously butter and flour the pan.
Baking Time– Bake cake until golden and the top springs back to the touch. A tester inserted in the center should come out with a few crumbs attached. Your baking time may vary depending on the shape of your bundt pan, so start testing for doneness after 40 minutes.
Cinnamon Sugar Topping – Place cooling rack with warm apple cider cake over a piece of wax paper or parchment paper. Combine sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Brush warm cake with melted butter and sprinkle generously with cinnamon-sugar. Let cake cool completely before serving.
How to Make Homemade Apple Cider
To make your own apple cider, combine 2 cups pure apple juice with 1 apple (cut into 1/2-inch wedges) and 4 teaspoons of mulling spices (you can also add some orange peel, cinnamon sticks, and whole cloves). Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and let simmer for 20 minutes. Strain into a glass bowl or measuring cup and let cool to room temperature before using in the cake.
Apple Cider Bundt Cake
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
Apple cider bundt cake is the BEST fall bundt cake! Simple and delicious, this easy spiced apple bundt cake tastes like apple cider doughnuts.
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ginger
- 1/4 tsp cloves
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 10 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup apple cider
- 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Topping
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a 10-cup bundt pan generously with nonstick spray. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Beat butter and sugar in a large mixer bowl on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to low and add eggs one at a time. Combine apple cider, applesauce, and vanilla in a small bowl. Beat in flour mixture in three additions, alternating with apple cider mixture (begin and end with flour mixture), just until incorporated.
- Spoon batter into prepared bundt pan and smooth with an offset spatula. Tap pan sharply to reduce air bubbles. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until cake is golden, springs back to the touch, and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes; carefully invert onto rack.
- Place rack with cake over a piece of wax paper. Combine sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Brush warm cake with melted butter and sprinkle generously with cinnamon-sugar. Let cake cool completely before serving. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days.
Notes
The equipment section above contains affiliate links to products I use and love!
Cinnamon: I used Vietnamese cinnamon in this cake (strong, rich, and sweet). If you’re using a different cinnamon, bump up the cinnamon in the cake to 1 1/2 or 2 teaspoons.
Applesauce: If you’re using store-bought applesauce, strain off some of the excess moisture through a fine mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth. Measure out 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce after straining.
Homemade Apple Cider: Combine 2 cups pure apple juice with 1 apple (cut into 1/2-inch wedges) and 4 teaspoons of mulling spices (you can also add some orange peel, cinnamon sticks, and whole cloves). Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and let simmer for 20 minutes. Strain into a glass bowl or measuring cup and let cool to room temperature before using in the cake.
Keywords: Apple Cider, Applesauce, Apple Cake, Bundt Cake
More apple recipes you’ll love:
Brown Butter Apple Crumb Muffins
Apple Praline Bundt Cake
Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts
Apple Crumble Loaf Cake
Salted Caramel Apple Tart
Overwhelmed with beauty …
★★★★★
Ok…and what about a recipe for that great looking caramel sauce too! 😋 this is on my list. Thanks Laura. Joan
Thanks Joan! 🙂 Here’s the recipe for the caramel sauce (I can’t stop making it!): https://tutti-dolci.com/2018/09/caramel-pecan-cinnamon-rolls/
Bundt’s are such sweet cakes! impressive and enough to share. Apple cider sounds perfect for the first day of October.
I’d be all over this cake…taking just a little sliver then returning for more! Delish!
★★★★★
So gorgeous! And there’s nothing better to welcome fall than apple cider!
★★★★★
What a lovely cake! We’re eating lots of apples and pears in cakes here now too. Love the sharp cut of the bundt!
Thank you dear! 🙂
I love the way the cinnamon sugar settles in those gorgeous swirls!
This cake is screaming my name Laura! It looks absolutely delicious!
★★★★★
I love apple season especially for treats like this one. Love the use of both applesauce and apple cider.
★★★★★
All the heart eyes for this cake, Laura! What a beauty! Looks and sounds absolutely delicious too!
This was perfection! Made it yesterday for dinner guests, met with rave reviews. You nailed it!!
★★★★★
Thank you so much, Margaret! That’s so wonderful to hear! 🙂
Super easy to make with a great payoff! I made this today and half of it is already gone. I added just a smidge more spices than the recipe called for and loved the result. This is now part of my autumn baking repertoire!
★★★★★
Thank you so much, Jessica! 🙂 Happy fall baking!
This sounds delicious. Can i use unsweetened apple juice for the apple cider?
Hi Cindy, you can make your own apple cider from unsweetened apple juice. Add mulling spices, one sliced apple, and one sliced orange. Bring to a boil, then let simmer for about 20 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh sieve and let cool to room temperature before using. I have another apple cider cake recipe coming up this week that includes the recipe for homemade apple cider. 🙂
I loved this recipe! The cake was gorgeous, and delicious! The sugar coating on the outside was also a nice and inventive, I’d never tried a cake with that technique before. Thanks so much!
★★★★★
Thank you so much, Theresa! So glad you tried this recipe! 🙂
So excited to try this! Have you tried mini versions as well? I’m considering making mini was to bring to work. Thinking it will bake faster and I’ll just need to keep an eye on it?
Hi Lauren! Love the idea of mini bundts – yes, the baking time will be faster and the recipe will yield 10 to 12 mini bundts, depending on the size of your pan. Here’s another mini bundt post with guidance on baking time: https://tutti-dolci.com/2018/10/brown-butter-pumpkin-spice-cakes/
Let me know how things turn out! 🙂
I loved this! It’s a perfect Fall dessert. Not too sweet and tastes amazing. The cake was gorgeous and the sugar coating added the perfect touch of sweetness to the cake. Will definitely make it again.
★★★★★
Thanks so much, Lindsay! So glad you tried this recipe! 🙂
Love this cake so much! My girls and I make it in a flower or pumpkin bundt pan a few times every fall. We all LOVE it! I make it vegan with Miyoko’s butter and Namaste egg replacer. Thank you so much for sharing this!
★★★★★
Hi Holly, thank you so much! I’m so glad you all love this cake! 🙂
This cake is perfection! Apple cider, applesauce, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger make it a fall dream!
★★★★★
This is the best apple cider cake! My family makes this cake several times every fall and we all love this recipe.
★★★★★
Thank you so much, Amy! So looking forward to fall baking season and baking this cake again! 🙂
We served this cake with homemade bourbon whipped cream. So good!!
★★★★★
Yum, bourbon whipped cream sounds incredible. Thank you Anna! 🙂
This turned out so well! Mine isn’t as beautiful as the pictures with a plain bundt pan, but the taste and texture are spot on! I live in Florida, so I appreciate at least having some Fall flavors. Thanks for sharing this delightful recipe!
★★★★★
Thanks so much, Megan! I’m so glad you tried this cake! 🙂
I made this cake last night and it turned out lovely. Very nice spice balance that was not overwhelming. It had a moist texture and my family gobbled it down!
★★★★★
So happy you tried this recipe, Karen! 🙂
Hello! Can this be made into apple cider donuts and what changes should be made?
★★★★★
Hi Sandra! I actually have a baked apple cider doughnut recipe: https://tutti-dolci.com/baked-apple-cider-doughnuts/
Happy baking! 🙂
Thank you so much!!
So, so good!! We all loved this cake!
★★★★★
I’m so glad you tried this recipe, Cori! Happy fall baking! 🙂
The perfect apple cider cake! We especially loved the texture (soft, tender) and the cinnamon sugar topping.
★★★★★
Thank you Dana!
This recipe turned out delicious! I have never made an apple cider cake before. This is very yummy. I tried my hand at a cream cheese drizzle instead of the cinnamon sugar topping. Paired quite well. I think I might try this as cupcakes next time.
★★★★★
The cream cheese drizzle sounds delicious, I’m so glad you tried this cake! 🙂
Great recipe, turned out perfectly!
★★★★★
So glad you tried this cake, Marlene! 🙂
Super easy and so delicious. The perfect fall cake!
★★★★★
That’s so wonderful to hear, thank you Jen! 🙂
This cake is so delicious! I added some chopped walnuts to the batter, and love the spices for a fall weekend.
★★★★★
Thank you Sara! I love the walnut idea, and chopped pecans would be so good too! 🙂
Can almond flour be substituted in Apple Cider cake?
Hi! I would use a gluten free flour blend (measure-for-measure) to make this cake gluten free.
The best bundt cake! The melted butter and cinnamon sugar topping are perfection, can’t wait to make this again for Thanksgiving!
★★★★★
I’m so glad this cake was a hit, Margaux!
This cake was absolutely delicious!!! Beautiful texture, tons of flavor…we all loved it and will definitely make it again. I didn’t have apple sauce so swapped apple butter for the apple sauce!
★★★★★
So glad you tried this cake, Amanda! 🙂 I love the idea of using apple butter too!
Could fresh cut apples be used instead of apple sauce?
Hi Jackie, I recommend using applesauce in this cake for the best texture. If you have a lot of fresh cut apples to use, you can easily cook them down into homemade applesauce and use that.
Wow! This was absolutely delicious and so easy to make! Even my “forever watching their weight” in-laws went back for a second piece. It was moist and had a great balance between the spices and apples. Can’t wait to make it again.
★★★★★
That’s so wonderful to hear, thank you Robin! 🙂
The best fall bundt cake! It has the most perfect texture with a nice balance of apple spice flavor and the cinnamon sugar topping really takes it over the top. Highly recommend!
★★★★★
Loved this recipe. Will make it again next Thanksgiving. I only had pumpkin spice apple cider available to me and it worked out well. It was not overspiced even though I added the recommended spices from the recipe as well.
★★★★★
Can I substitute some of the flour for whole wheat?
Hi Jenny! I don’t recommend using whole wheat flour here as it will affect the texture and flavor of the cake.
Hi, I’d like to bake this cake for my father’s upcoming birthday, but I haven’t had much success with Bundt pans. Could I bake this in a 9-inch round cake pan?
Hi there! This recipe was specifically created for a bundt pan. To use a cake pan instead, try my apple cider layer cake: https://tutti-dolci.com/apple-cider-layer-cake/
Thank you very much! I will try that.
This looks so delish. I want to make this for Super Bowl Sun and I wanted to know if I can use Apple Pie spice (which is all I have) instead of the spices listed? If so, how much?
Hi Carmen, yes you can use apple pie spice – 2 teaspoons should be perfect. Happy baking!
Love this recipe and cake! It’s my go-to every fall (can’t get enough of the cinnamon sugar topping).
★★★★★
If I make my own applesauce, should I drain it as you mention for store-bought? How many apples for 3/4 cup of apple sauce?
Hi Mona, homemade applesauce is probably fine to use without draining. The amount of apples you’ll need will vary based on the size – I’d start with 4-5 apples and go from there.
This recipe was absolutely delicious. The apple flavor was crisp and vibrant. The cake was so moist. The cinnamon/sugar topping brought it all together. A great fall flavor. This will definitely be an addition to my cake list
★★★★★
Thank you so much, Gayla! That’s wonderful to hear. 🙂
I made this recipe for a potluck dinner and it was a big hit! I made an apple cider icing to drizzle over the cake. The plate came home empty. This is in my permanent recipe collection….thank you!
★★★★★
Apple cider icing sounds delicious. 🙂 Thank you so much, Karen!