Spiced Apple Cider Bundt

Last October, my neighbor dropped off a jug of fresh apple cider from a local orchard, and I stood in my kitchen wondering what to do with it besides drink it straight. That afternoon, something clicked—why not reduce it down and bake it into something that would fill the house with that exact autumn smell she'd brought to my door? This bundt cake became that answer, a moist ring of spiced cake that tastes like fall in every bite.

I made this for a gray November morning when my daughter's art class needed baked goods, and watching her carefully carry it to school in a cake box felt like I'd done something right that day. She came home saying people wanted seconds, and suddenly it wasn't just a cake—it was proof that taking time matters.

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour (3 cups): The foundation—make sure it's measured by spooning and leveling, not scooping, or you'll end up with a dense cake.
• Baking powder and baking soda (2 teaspoons and 1/2 teaspoon): These two work together to create lift without making the cake taste metallic, so don't skip or substitute one for the other.
• Salt (1 teaspoon): A small amount that makes the spices pop and keeps everything from tasting one-dimensional.
• Ground cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves (2 teaspoons, 1/2 teaspoon, 1/2 teaspoon, 1/4 teaspoon): These are the soul of the cake—buy them fresh if you can, as old spices disappear into the background.
• Unsalted butter and sugars (1 cup butter, 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar): The combination of sugars creates moisture and a tender crumb that lasts days.
• Eggs (3 large, room temperature): Room temperature eggs emulsify better with the butter, creating a smoother batter.
• Sour cream (1/2 cup, room temperature): This adds tang and keeps the cake moist without being greasy.
• Vanilla extract (1 teaspoon): Just enough to round out the flavors without announcing itself.
• Apple cider, reduced (1 1/2 cups, then reduced to 3/4 cup): This is where the magic happens—reducing it concentrates the flavor and prevents the cake from being soggy.
• Diced apples (2 medium, about 2 cups): Granny Smith apples work best because their tartness keeps the cake from becoming one-note sweet, and they hold their shape during baking.
• Powdered sugar and apple cider for glaze (1 cup powdered sugar, 2-3 tablespoons apple cider, optional): The glaze isn't necessary but ties everything together with a subtle sweetness.

Instructions

Reduce your apple cider:

Pour the cider into a saucepan and let it simmer over medium heat for about 15 minutes until it becomes syrupy and darkens slightly—you'll know it's ready when it measures 3/4 cup. This step isn't optional; it's what prevents the cake from turning into apple cider soup and ensures the flavor is concentrated and real.

Get your pan ready:

Preheat the oven to 350°F and thoroughly grease and flour a 10-cup bundt pan, making sure you get into all the nooks and crevices so the cake releases cleanly. A bundt pan's ridges are beautiful on the table but a nightmare if your cake sticks, so take an extra moment here.

Combine your dry ingredients:

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and all the spices until everything is evenly distributed. This prevents pockets of cinnamon or cloves that would taste sharp rather than integrated.

Cream your butter and sugars:

In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with both sugars for 3 to 4 minutes until the mixture is pale and fluffy—this incorporates air that makes the cake tender and light. You'll know you're done when it looks almost like frosting.

Add your eggs and sour cream:

Add eggs one at a time, beating after each one so they fully incorporate, then mix in the sour cream and vanilla. This slow integration prevents the batter from looking curdled and keeps everything silky.

Alternate your wet and dry ingredients:

Add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the cooled reduced cider and starting and ending with flour—this prevents overmixing, which would make the cake tough. Mix until you just barely see no white streaks.

Fold in your apples:

Gently fold in the diced apples by hand so they stay as intact as possible and distribute evenly throughout the batter.

Pour and bake:

Transfer the batter to your prepared bundt pan and smooth the top, then bake for 45 to 55 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Every oven runs hot or cool, so start checking at 45 minutes.

Cool with patience:

Let the cake rest in the pan for 15 minutes—this sets the structure enough that it won't fall apart—then invert it onto a wire rack to cool completely. Trying to flip it too early is the fastest way to have cake pieces instead of a whole cake.

Glaze if you're feeling it:

Once completely cooled, whisk powdered sugar with just enough apple cider to make a pourable glaze, then drizzle it over the top for a subtle finishing touch.

Save

What strikes me most about this cake is how it brought my kitchen back to life after months of summer laziness, filling the space with a smell that made everyone pause the moment they walked through the door. It's become the cake I bake when I want to mark a season change, to say without words that autumn has arrived and we're ready for it.

The Magic of Reduced Apple Cider

Reducing the cider isn't just a cooking step—it's a transformation that concentrates every bit of flavor while removing excess moisture that would otherwise make the cake dense or soggy. The first time I skipped this step, the result was disappointing, but the moment I started reducing it down to that syrupy state, everything changed. It's the difference between a cake that tastes like apples and a cake that tastes like autumn itself.

Choosing the Right Apples

Granny Smith apples are essential here because they're tart enough to balance all that sugar and spice without disappearing into sweetness, and their firm flesh holds together during baking instead of turning to mush. Other apples work, but you'll notice the difference—Honeycrisps make it too sweet, Fujis too mild—so if you can find Granny Smiths, they're worth seeking out. One small trick: dice them just before you're ready to fold them in, or store them in cold water so they don't oxidize and turn brown.

Serving and Storing This Cake

This cake keeps well for four days wrapped loosely at room temperature, and actually tastes better the next day once all the flavors have settled and the texture becomes even more tender.

• Serve it plain with coffee, or with whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel if you're feeling indulgent.
• If you made the glaze, add it right before serving so it stays glossy and doesn't get absorbed into the cake.
• A small slice with vanilla ice cream on a cool afternoon is the entire point of baking this cake in the first place.

Save

This cake has become my go-to when I want to feel like I've done something from scratch, something that matters. It's the kind of baking that reminds you why you started cooking in the first place.

Questions & Answers

→ What type of apples work best?

Tart apples like Granny Smith balance sweetness and acidity, creating a pleasant contrast in the cake.

→ How is the apple cider prepared?

The apple cider is simmered and reduced to concentrate its flavor before adding to the batter.

→ Can this be made ahead?

Yes, the bundt cake can be baked in advance and stored tightly wrapped at room temperature for a few days.

→ What pan size is recommended?

A 10-cup bundt pan is ideal to ensure even cooking and proper shape.

→ Is the glaze necessary?

The apple cider glaze is optional but adds a sweet, tangy finish that complements the spices nicely.