This Apple Cider Doughnut Bundt Cake with Pecan Brown Sugar Ripple is ideal for the coming autumn and the holidays ahead.
Hello friends — long time no chat. Is everyone back to school?
I hope the first day was smooth and even a little exciting, with minimal tears. As a parent, watching the kids head off is always bittersweet. I still remember holding back a few tears myself. My son Casey left for his senior year at the University of Michigan recently and it took me a few days (and maybe a glass of wine or two) to adjust.
What’s the point of this short back-to-school note? CAKE. Cake makes everything better. Well, cake and wine — but today it’s all about cake: this incredible Apple Cider Doughnut Bundt Cake with a Pecan Brown Sugar Ripple. The name is long, but the flavor is even better.
With fall approaching, I start craving apples, warm spices, and cozy baking. I’ll hold off on the pumpkin for now — I love pumpkin but I don’t want to rush the seasons. For now, apples and cinnamon are front and center.
This cake is fantastic. If you’ve had an apple cider doughnut, you know the nostalgic, spiced flavor that makes fall so comforting. The cake itself is wonderfully moist and fragrant with cinnamon. The pecan brown sugar ripple adds a rich, toasty layer of texture and flavor — pecans, brown sugar, and cinnamon combine into a warm, indulgent ribbon inside the cake. When the bundt comes out of the oven, brush it with melted butter and dust it generously with cinnamon sugar for a delightful crunch and shine.
This is a recipe you’ll return to all season long — perfect for autumn gatherings, holiday breakfasts, or a cozy afternoon with coffee. Serve it warm with a dollop of whipped cream if you like. It stores well at room temperature, covered, for a couple of days.
See — the kids are fine. You already forgot about them once the cake arrived, didn’t you? That’s the magic of baking.
Apple Cider Doughnut Bundt Cake with Pecan Brown Sugar Ripple
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. cardamom
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup apple cider
- 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- Pecan Brown Sugar Ripple:
- 1 cup brown sugar lightly packed
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup pecans finely chopped
- Cinnamon Sugar Topping:
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar or pure cane sugar pure cane sugar gives more crunch and a prettier finish
- 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp. nutmeg
- 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter melted
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously spray a 12-cup bundt pan with nonstick baking spray that contains flour, or grease with butter and dust with flour. Set aside.
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In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, cardamom, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk the granulated sugar, apple cider, applesauce, olive oil, vanilla, and eggs until smooth. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry just until combined.
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Make the pecan brown sugar ripple by combining the brown sugar, cinnamon, and chopped pecans in a small bowl. Use your fingers or a fork to blend until evenly mixed.
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Pour half of the batter into the prepared bundt pan. Scatter the ripple mixture over the batter, leaving about a one-inch border from the edge. Top with the remaining batter and smooth the surface with a spatula.
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Bake for 45–50 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10–15 minutes, then invert onto the rack.
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Combine the cinnamon sugar topping by mixing the granulated or cane sugar with cinnamon and nutmeg. Brush the warm cake with melted butter and sprinkle generously with the cinnamon sugar. Serve warm with whipped cream if desired. Store covered at room temperature for up to 2 days.
