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I love an apple cider cake that actually tastes like cider, and this one delivers. It’s a little like a pound cake, but spiced with cinnamon and cloves and finished with a dusting of powdered sugar. I added sour cream to keep it moist. There are no chunky apples, just flavor from the cider, which is absolutely perfect in this cake. I like the simplicity and it travels well to if you want to take it to a potluck.

A round bundt cake with a light dusting of powdered sugar sits on a rustic cake stand; kitchen utensils are visible in the background.
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This is one of my favorite cakes in the fall. As soon as apple season comes around, I start thinking about this cake and anything made with apples and streusel or pumpkin and streusel or maybe just streusel.

Testing results for apple cider cake

  1. We tested this cake with varying amounts of cider, going from one full cup down to a quarter cup. We finally settled on half a cup, which seems to be the sweet spot. You get just enough flavor to really taste the cider, but not so much that it’s overpowering.
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I hope you make this recipe. I think you’ll love it!

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A wooden spatula lifts a powdered sugar-dusted slice of round cake from the whole cake, viewed from above.

Ingredient notes

Here are a few things to know about the ingredients.

➡️➡️➡️ The full ingredient amounts and instructions are listed below on the printable recipe card. Scroll below the recipe card for frequently asked questions and tips for success.

Sour cream: A quarter cup of sour cream gives this cake its moist crumb. Stored in an airtight container on the counter, the cake stays good for up to five days, so it’s an easy one to bake ahead for a gathering. Plain Greek yogurt works in place of the sour cream if that’s what you have.

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How to make apple cider cake

This apple cider bundt cake recipe mixes up in one bowl with an electric mixer.

  1. Cream the butter and sugar, then beat in the eggs, followed by the vanilla, cider, and sour cream.
  2. Turn the mixer to low and add the leavening, salt, spices, and flour until everything is incorporated.
  3. Grease the Bundt pan with shortening, flour it, and look it over for bare spots before the batter goes in.
  4. Bake until a cake tester comes out clean, then give the cake a short rest in the pan before turning it out onto a rack.
  5. Once it has cooled on the rack, dust it with powdered sugar and slice.
A slice of bundt cake dusted with powdered sugar on a plate with cinnamon sticks, next to whole green apples and a fork, with more cake on a stand in the background.

Getting it out of the pan clean

A Bundt pan has deep ridges and little crevices, and the cake will stick anywhere the grease missed. I use shortening for this cake and almost all my cakes. I rub a thin layer over the whole inside of the pan with a paper towel, then go back with a pastry brush to reach the crevices the towel couldn’t get into.

Next comes the flour. Sprinkle some into the pan and gently shake it around until the inside is evenly coated, then turn the pan upside down and tap out the extra. Look the pan over carefully. If you find a bare spot, brush on a little more shortening and flour it again before you check once more.

When the baked cake has rested in the pan, set a wire rack over the top and flip the whole thing over, then lift the pan away.

What to serve with apple cider cake

This cake is a natural finish to a fall supper of my cider-brined pork roast with potatoes and onions. For a warm topping, spoon some diced fried apples cooked in a brown sugar cinnamon glaze next to each slice or drizzle on some warm caramel sauce.

If there’s still cider left in the jug, save it for apple streusel bread with a sweet cider glaze. You’ll find more ideas for the rest of the season in this collection of Southern apple recipes, from breakfast to weeknight suppers.

If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below!

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Apple Cider Cake Recipe

A Southern Bundt cake made with apple cider, sour cream, cinnamon, and cloves, finished with a dusting of powdered sugar.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 50 minutes
Total: 2 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 12 slices
A slice of cinnamon bundt cake sits on a plate with two cinnamon sticks beside it; the cake is lightly dusted with powdered sugar.

Equipment

bundt pan
bundt pan
large mixing bowl
large mixing bowl
pastry brush
pastry brush
cake tester
cake tester

Ingredients 

  • ½ cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup apple cider
  • ¼ cup sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting the pan
  • shortening for greasing the pan
  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  • In a large mixing bowl, cream the 1/2 cup unsalted butter and 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar with an electric mixer until smooth and fully combined.
    A glass bowl of creamed butter and sugar sits on a marble counter, surrounded by flour, melted butter, eggs, vanilla, yogurt, cinnamon, and a red dish towel.
  • Beat in the 4 large eggs until they are fully incorporated.
    A glass bowl with four cracked eggs and creamed mixture, surrounded by flour, orange juice, sour cream, vanilla, and empty eggshells on a marble counter.
  • Beat in the 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/2 cup apple cider, and 1/4 cup sour cream.
    A glass bowl with whisked wet ingredients, a bowl of flour, cracked eggshells, and small bowls of baking ingredients on a marble countertop.
  • With the mixer on low speed, add the 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon ground cloves, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, and 3 cups all-purpose flour, and mix until the dry ingredients are fully incorporated into the batter.
    Large glass bowl with flour and cinnamon mixture, surrounded by empty bowls, eggshells, a red kitchen towel, and ingredients on a marble countertop.
  • Use a paper towel to rub a thin layer of shortening over the entire inside of a 10-inch Bundt pan, then use a pastry brush to reach any crevices you missed.
  • Sprinkle flour into the pan and gently shake the pan to distribute it evenly. Turn the pan upside down and tap out the excess. Inspect the pan carefully, and if any spots are not covered, brush them with shortening and flour them again.
  • Transfer all of the batter to the prepared pan.
    Bundt pan filled with unbaked cake batter on a marble countertop, surrounded by baking ingredients, a mixing bowl, cracked eggshells, and a red dish towel.
  • Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the cake comes out clean. Start checking at 40 minutes.
    A golden-brown bundt cake in a metal pan next to an orange patterned cloth.
  • Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes. Place a wire rack over the pan and invert the cake onto the rack.
    A baked bundt cake in a scalloped pan sits on a marble surface near a red towel, a wooden tray, a plate with cinnamon sticks, and forks.
  • Let the cake cool on the wire rack for 1 hour.
  • Dust the cake with the 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, then slice and serve.
    A bundt cake dusted with powdered sugar sits on a rustic cake stand, with kitchen utensils blurred in the background.

Notes

  • Fresh apple cider is best, but any apple cider will work.
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories:
Keyword: Apple Cider Bundt Cake, apple cider bundt cake recipe
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About the author

Hi, I’m Lucy! I’m a home cook, writer, food and wine fanatic, and recipe developer. I’ve created and tested hundreds of recipes so that I can bring you the best tried and true favorites.

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A bundt cake with white icing and chopped pecans on top, served on a white plate with a slice cut out.
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