This apple cider donut bread brings the flavors of fall right into your kitchen with every slice. The reduced apple cider and warm spices make this quick bread taste just like a fresh apple cider doughnut, complete with a cinnamon sugar coating on the sides of the cake.
Apple cider is one of my favorite ingredients to bake with during the fall season. It adds a warm, comforting flavor to any recipe. This apple cider donut bread features a rich apple flavor and super moist texture.
Topped with crunchy cinnamon sugar, this loaf captures the essence of homemade apple cider donuts. Enjoy a slice with a pumpkin spice latte for the ultimate Fall treat!
If you love Fall recipes with lots of apple flavor, you'll also love honey apple crisp, salted caramel apple crumble cake, apple pie stuffed cheesecake, and apple spice cupcakes!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Apple cider flavor- Fresh apple cider is reduced into a syrup with an ultra concentrated flavor, like these apple cider donut muffins!
- Cinnamon sugar coating- Just like the apple cider doughnuts you get apple picking at your local orchard, this apple cider donut bread is coated in cinnamon sugar for warm flavor plus a little crunch.
- Easy to bake-ย Like my apple butter bread, all you need to do is mix everything together, pour it in a loaf pan, and bake! There's no stand mixer required.
Key Ingredients
- Apple cider- You can use store-bought (ideally from an apple orchard or farm stand, but they also have it at grocery stores) or homemade apple cider.
- Oil- Use a neutral oil, like canola or vegetable oil, to help the cake stay super moist.
- Light brown sugar- This sweetens the loaf and adds a hint of molasses flavor. Don't use dark brown sugar because it's too moist.
- Eggs- 2 large eggs help bind the ingredients together and add richness.
- Applesauce- Applesauce adds more apple flavor and even more moisture to the loaf. Look for unsweetened sauce because we don't want extra sugar that can impact the flavor and texture.
- All purpose flour- Make sure to measure it accurately, ideally in grams with a kitchen scale! If you don't have a scale, gently spoon the flour into your measuring cup and swipe off the excess. Don't scoop the flour with the measuring cup because you'll have way too much flour, which makes the loaf dry.
- Baking powder and baking soda- These help the loaf rise and get fluffy. Make sure to check the expiration date before using them.
- Spices- Ground cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg give the loaf its warm Fall flavor!
- Granulated sugar- Sugar is mixed with ground cinnamon and sprinkled on the top and sides of the loaf as a crunchy coating, just like a real apple cider donut!
For the full list of ingredients and quantities, see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Substitutions and Variations
- Sour cream substitute- If you don't have sour cream on hand, you can swap buttermilk, Plain Greek yogurt, or plain kefir. All will help make the loaf soft!
- Spices- Instead of separate Fall spices, you can use pre-mixed apple pie spice instead.
Step by Step Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350ยฐF and line a metal 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Make sure your pan has a 1-pound capacity or it might overflow!
Step 1: Cook the apple cider in a saucepan on medium low heat. Let it come to a simmer, then stir occasionally until it has reduced in volume by half. Take it off the heat to cool.
Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and apple pie spices together.
Step 3: In a separate large mixing bowl, stir the oil and brown sugar together.
Step 4: Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well. Then whisk in the applesauce, sour cream, and cooled apple cider.
Step 5: Fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredients gently until no streaks of flour remain.
Step 6: Pour the batter into your prepared baking pan and bake for 45-60 minutes. It's done when the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Step 7: Let the bread cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely. As it cools, whisk sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl.
Step 8: Melt a couple tablespoons of butter, then lightly brush it on the top and sides of the loaf. Let it soak in, then generously sprinkle the cinnamon sugar on the top and sides.
Expert Baking Tips
- Use room temperature ingredients. The eggs and sour cream need to be room temperature for a smooth batter. If they're cold, the batter might curdle! Pull them out of the fridge 1-2 hours before you start baking.
- Reduce the cider. Reducing the apple cider intensifies its flavor, making your apple cider donut bread rich and flavorful. When you simmer the cider down into a syrup, it not only concentrates the flavor but also reduces the amount of liquid. This prevents the bread from being too wet, helping create a perfect texture.
- Don't over-bake. Over-baking leads to a dry, crumbly loaf! Start checking your bread with a toothpick around the minimum bake time. It's done when the toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs, but no wet batter.
- Slice with a serrated knife. To avoid squishing the loaf, slice it using a sawing motion with a serrated knife.
Storage Tips
Wrap the apple cider donut bread tightly in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container. Keep it at room temperature for up to 3 days. It can also be refrigerated for up to 1 week.
How to Freeze
Wrap the whole loaf or individual slices in plastic wrap and a layer of aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. Place it in a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
If your bread is still raw or sinks in the middle after the suggested bake time, it just needs a little more time in the oven. All ovens are calibrated differently, so yours might not actually be at 350ยฐF even if it says it is! I use an oven thermometer to make sure the temperature is right on.
If your loaf cake is dry and crumbly, a few factors could be at play. Overbaking is a common culprit. Too much flour can also dry out the loaf, so measure it accurately, ideally with a scale.
A gummy texture is often caused by overmixing the batter. Overmixing can develop too much gluten in the flour, leading to a dense, sticky texture.
More Recipes to Try
๐ Recipe
Apple Cider Donut Bread
Equipment
- 1 9X5-inch loaf pan
Need Metric or US Customary Measurements?
Use the buttons below to toggle between grams and cups!
Ingredients
- 450 grams apple cider
- 300 grams all purpose flour
- ยฝ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ยฝ teaspoon salt
- 1 ยฝ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ยฝ teaspoon ground ginger
- ยฝ teaspoon nutmeg
- 112 grams oil
- 200 grams light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 60 grams applesauce unsweetened
- 60 grams sour cream room temperature
Cinnamon sugar
- 50 grams granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius). Line your loaf pan with parchment paper or grease with butter or cooking spray.
- Pour the apple cider into a saucepan on medium low heat. Let it come to a simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring often until the cider reduces by half. Take off the heat, pour into a bowl, and let cool.450 grams apple cider
- Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices together in a large bowl. Set aside.300 grams all purpose flour, ยฝ teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ยฝ teaspoon salt, 1 ยฝ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ยฝ teaspoon ground ginger, ยฝ teaspoon nutmeg
- In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk the oil and brown sugar together until combined.112 grams oil, 200 grams light brown sugar
- Mix in the eggs one at a time and then the vanilla. Whisk in the applesauce, sour cream, and cooled apple cider until smooth.2 large eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 60 grams applesauce, 60 grams sour cream
- Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients using a silicone spatula. Fold gently until there are no white streaks of flour.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 45-60 minutes. It's done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean with a few sticky crumbs attached.
- Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 5 minutes before carefully transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- While the loaf cools, combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl with a fork.50 grams granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Use a pastry brush to lightly brush melted butter on the top and sides of the loaf. Let soak into the loaf, then sprinkle the cinnamon sugar all over it.2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Slice and enjoy!
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