Brown Butter Apple Cider Donut Cake
- Cook Time: 75 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 1/2 cups fresh apple cider (reduced to 1/2 cup)
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup sour cream or full-fat Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- For the topping: 4 tablespoons melted butter, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Step 1: Reduce the Apple Cider In a small saucepan over medium heat, simmer the 1 1/2 cups of apple cider until it has reduced to exactly 1/2 cup. This should take about 15-20 minutes. Set it aside to cool completely.
- Step 2: Brown the Butter Place 1 cup of butter in a light-colored skillet over medium heat. Melt the butter, then continue cooking while stirring constantly. The butter will foam up and then begin to turn golden brown with small brown specks. Once it smells nutty, immediately remove it from the heat and pour into a bowl to cool.
- Step 3: Preparation Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 10-cup Bundt pan or a large loaf pan thoroughly to ensure the cake does not stick.
- Step 4: Whisk Dry Ingredients In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg until well combined.
- Step 5: Cream Butter and Sugars In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled brown butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Beat with a mixer for about 2-3 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Step 6: Add Wet Ingredients Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the sour cream, vanilla extract, and the cooled, reduced apple cider until smooth.
- Step 7: Combine Dry and Wet Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed just until the flour disappears. Do not overmix, or the cake will be tough.
- Step 8: Baking Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting it onto a wire rack.
- Step 9: Add the Donut Coating While the cake is still warm, brush the entire surface with the melted butter. In a small bowl, mix the sugar and cinnamon, then generously sprinkle or press the mixture all over the cake to create the “donut” crust.