Apple cider donut bread is a cozy quick bread that's packed with apple cider flavor, fresh grated apple, and warm spices. This apple loaf cake tastes like the classic apple cider donuts eaten during the fall season, and includes the best part...the crunchy cinnamon sugar coating on top of the cake!
Apple cider bakes are the epitome of fall in our house, and we almost always have a jug of fresh apple cider hanging out in the fridge throughout September and October. This apple cider donut bread has quickly entered the apple baked goods rotation because it's so easy to make, tastes incredible, and it stays moist for days.
The cake uses an apple cider reduction to enhance the apple flavor - just like in this caramel pecan cheesecake, apple cider cookies, and caramel apple bars. And we have the perfect drink to go with it - apple cider slushies!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Fall flavors - one bite of this apple cider donut cake will remind you of going apple picking on a crisp fall day. The combination of spices baked into this warm cake makes it the perfect fall recipe!
Great textures - each slice of this cinnamon donut bread delivers a moist crumb on the interior, and crispy tops dusted with cinnamon sugar.
Not overly sweet - unlike some fall baked goods, this apple cider loaf strikes the perfect balance of sweetness without excess sugar. The cake isn't overly sweet thanks to the inclusion of sour cream, and the cinnamon sugar on the top adds a pop of sugar and spice.
Easy bake - after making the reduced apple cider, this apple cider cake comes together quickly and easily with no special equipment required!
Ingredients
- Apple Cider. Pure, fresh apple cider is reduced into a reduced syrup to produce a caramel apple flavor in the center of the cookie. See below for the type of apple cider to buy if you're unsure.
- Fresh apple. One large grated apple gets added to the cake to enhance the moisture and apple flavor.
- Apple pie spice. This all-in-one spice combines everything you need for the apple cider cake. Make your own apple pie spice mix with spices you may already have on hand!
- Sugars. Brown sugar is used in the cake batter, and granulated gets mixed with cinnamon and sprinkled on top for a crunchy, sugary coating - just like in an apple cider donut!
- Sour cream. This ingredient enhances the moisture, and structure, and helps make the cake not too sweet.
- Oil. Any neutral oil like vegetable oil, canola oil, or grapeseed oil can be used.
See recipe card for full ingredients list and quantities.
What Kind of Apple Cider Should I Buy?
The first thing you should know is that fresh apple cider is unfiltered apple juice made from whole, crushed apples. While it's close to apple juice, cider is not shelf-stable and isn't processed to remove the sediment. There are also alcoholic versions of apple cider, but that's not what we want for this recipe!
You can find apple cider in the refrigerated or produce section of most grocery stores year-round, but definitely in the fall and winter. However, I think the best place to buy it is from a local apple orchard or farm stand!
It should have an intense apple flavor, be much darker in color than apple juice, and will likely have a layer of sediment at the bottom. This is a good thing and where a ton of flavor lives! Just be sure to give the jug a shake before you use it or drink it.
Substitutions and Variations
- Don't have apple pie spice in your cabinet? Make your own using the spices you have on hand!
- You can use any neutral-tasting oil (such as vegetable or grapeseed oil) in place of canola oil in this recipe.
- Substitute whole-fat greek yogurt for sour cream if that's what you have on hand.
- You could use apple juice instead of apple cider if you're in a pinch - however this will produce a much less flavorful cake.
- We tested this apple cider donut loaf cake in an 8x4 inch loaf pan. If your loaf pan is a 9x5 inch pan, reduce the bake time and start checking the cake for doneness around the 40-minute mark.
How to Make This Recipe
One: Reduce the apple cider by half until it's slightly thicker.
Two: Whisk together the wet ingredients until smooth.
Three: Mix in the grated apple and sour cream until combined.
Four: Combine the wet and dry ingredients until mostly incorporated.
Five: Add the slightly cooled apple cider reduction.
Six: Fold in the reduction until the cake batter is combined and no dry pockets of flour remain.
Hot tip! Gently fold the batter together rather than vigorously stirring it. Overmixing can cause the cake to be tough, but also can cause it to sink!
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Seven: Transfer the batter to a loaf pan prepared with a strip of parchment paper.
Eight: Top the batter with cinnamon sugar, then bake and cool before slicing in!
Expert Tips
- Line the pan with parchment paper to prevent sticking and to easily remove the loaf from the pan.
- Over-mixing the batter can result in a tough loaf. Fold in the ingredients until just incorporated to ensure a light cake.
- When checking your cake for doneness, be sure to close the oven door carefully! Slamming the oven door can make the loaf fall.
- To avoid squishing the loaf, use a serrated knife and a sawing motion to cut through the crunchy top of this cake.
Recipe FAQs
There are a few reasons a loaf cake could sink in the middle, including: underbaking, whether your baking soda and baking powders were fresh, if the loaf was disrupted while in the oven, or a sudden change from hot to cold.
You'll know that your loaf cake is done when it pulls away slightly from sides of the pan, and a toothpick inserted in the very center of the loaf comes out clean with moist crumbs but no wet batter.
Before baking, prep your loaf pan with a strip of parchment paper so it slightly hangs over the long sides of the pan (see the photos above for reference). Holding the parchment paper overhang, you can easily pull the loaf out to finish cooling.
Storage
Store the cake lightly covered at room temperature for 4 days.
To freeze, wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Unwrap and thaw at room temperature.
More Fall Cake Recipes You'll Love
What to Know When Cooking with The Cozy Plum
- All recipes are created with Diamond Crystal kosher salt, the least salty variety of kosher salt. If using Morton's, you'll need to cut the amount of salt in half as it's 2x as salty. This will be the same for sea salt. Please do not use table salt.
- Switch between Cups vs Metric using the toggle on the recipe card. Baking by weight using a digital scale will always produce the most accurate results.
- Scale the recipe using the '1X' '2X' '3X' buttons on the recipe card. Note that this does not make an adjustment for baking times, only quantities.
- If you'd like to make the recipe in a different pan, use the pan size converter.
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📖Recipe
Apple Cider Donut Bread
Equipment
- 8x4 inch loaf pan
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 cup fresh apple cider
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons apple pie spice
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅔ cup light brown sugar
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup canola oil
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 cup grated apples (peeled) about 1 cup
- ½ cup sour cream room temperature
Cinnamon Sugar Topping
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ tablespoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Add the apple cider to a saucepan, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook until the apple cider is reduced by half and gets slightly thicker and stickier. Remove from the heat to cool.1 cup fresh apple cider
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ and grease and line an 8x4” loaf pan with a parchment paper sling.
- Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, apple pie spice and salt.2 cups all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder, 1 ½ teaspoons apple pie spice, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- In another bowl, whisk together the sugars, canola oil, eggs, and vanilla until completely combined. Fold in the apple and sour cream until combined.⅔ cup light brown sugar, ⅓ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup canola oil, 2 large eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla, 1 cup grated apples (peeled), ½ cup sour cream
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and fold until mostly combined. Add the reduced apple cider and finish folding it into the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread evenly. Mix together the sugar and cinnamon, the sprinkle evenly all over the top of the loaf.¼ cup granulated sugar, ½ tablespoon cinnamon
- Bake for 45-55 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter.
- Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then use the parchment paper slings to remove the loaf from the pan and finish cooling on the wire rack.
Megan says
Absolutely delicious! Loved the crumby interior. Just like a donut!
Callan Wenner says
Thanks Megan! Glad you enjoyed it 🙂