Chaos Cake Apple Cider Donut (Print Version)

Moist apple cider cake baked with cinnamon sugar rubble for comforting flavors and a delicious crunch.

# Components:

→ Cake Batter

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
03 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
05 - ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
06 - ½ teaspoon salt
07 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
08 - ¾ cup granulated sugar
09 - ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
10 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
11 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 - ½ cup sour cream, room temperature
13 - 1 cup apple cider, reduced to ½ cup
14 - 1 medium apple, peeled and grated

→ Sugar Rubble Topping

15 - ¾ cup granulated sugar
16 - 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
17 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
18 - Pinch of salt

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line a 9x13-inch sheet pan with parchment paper.
02 - In a small saucepan, simmer apple cider over medium heat until it reduces to ½ cup. Allow it to cool to room temperature.
03 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and salt.
04 - In a large bowl, cream the softened butter with granulated sugar and light brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then incorporate the vanilla extract.
05 - Mix in the sour cream and the reduced apple cider until the ingredients are well combined.
06 - Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and gently fold them together until just combined. Stir in the grated apple.
07 - Spread the batter evenly into the prepared sheet pan. Bake for 28–32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center emerges clean. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack.
08 - For the sugar rubble, combine granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, melted butter, and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Mix until the mixture becomes crumbly and resembles wet sand.
09 - Generously sprinkle the sugar rubble over the cooled cake, pressing lightly to help it adhere. Cut into squares to serve.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Ready in under an hour from start to finish
  • Uses simple pantry staples you likely have on hand
  • Feeds a crowd with minimal effort
  • Captures authentic apple cider donut flavor in an easy sheet cake format
  • Features a unique sugar rubble topping that creates incredible texture
02 -
  • The cake stays moist for days thanks to the apple and sour cream
  • Can be made ahead perfect for entertaining
  • Works beautifully as a breakfast treat or dessert
  • The sugar rubble creates a delightful textural contrast
03 -
  • I learned through multiple testings that the texture of the sugar rubble is crucial. If your butter is too hot when added to the sugar mixture, you'll end up with a paste instead of crumbles. Let the melted butter cool slightly before mixing.
  • Also, creating varying sizes of sugar clumps rather than uniform texture creates the most interesting eating experience.
  • Finally, don't rush the cider reduction. Those extra minutes of simmering concentrate the flavor that makes this cake special.
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