You can’t go anywhere this time of year without seeing signs for pumpkin spice-flavored something, or for apple cider donuts.
I don’t know how long apple cider donuts have been around, but I’ve only known about them for about ten years or so. I used to get them when I picked up my CSA at Highland Orchards and they were wonderful.
So is this cake. There’s none of the messy and tedious deep frying, but it tastes just as good. Don’t skip the sugar coating - it makes all the difference.
INGREDIENTS
For The Cake
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tbsp baking powder
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs, at room temperature
1 cup unsweetened applesauce, at room temperature
1 cup apple cider *at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
INGREDIENTS
For The Cinnamon Sugar Coating
1/4 cup unsalted butter melted
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
METHOD
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.Spray a bundt pan with non-stick spray and then dust with flour. Set aside.
In a medium size mixing bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and baking powder. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the sugar, brown sugar and oil. Mix on medium speed to combine.
Add the eggs to the sugar mixture and mix on medium speed for about two minutes.
Add the applesauce and vanilla. Mix to combine.
With the mixer on low speed, add ⅓ of the flour mixture, followed by half of the apple cider. *A note about the cider: Cider has a much deeper flavor than apple juice but some places cell apple juice with a little cinnamon and call it cider. I was very disappointed in Wegman’s cider for that reason. Taste the cider before you use it. If it’s too weak-tasting, cook it down until the flavor is more concentrated - it’s the key to the flavor of this cake.
Continue alternating the flour mixture and the apple cider, finishing with the flour mixture. Mix until no streaks of flour remain. The batter will be slightly thin, not thick.
Pour the batter into the bundt pan and bake for 50 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs on it.
Let the cake cool for an hour in the bundt pan before turning it over onto a cake plate or cooling rack.
Using a pastry brush, coat the cake in butter.
Combine the ¼ cup sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon and then sprinkle onto the top and sides of the cake.
To coat the sides, it’s best to fill your hand with the mixture and pat it on the cake.
This is a great breakfast with a hot cup of coffee, but if you’re serving it for dessert, put a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top of a slice and sprinkle some of the sugar mixture over the ice cream.
And skip the pumpkin spiced Spam and Pringles.
