Gluten-Free Apple Cider Donut Cake

4.9 from 13 votes
(Click the stars to vote)
A red circle with the letters GF

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

This tender Gluten-Free Apple Cider Donut Cake is flavored with apple cider and coated in cinnamon sugar. So not only does it taste like an apple cider doughnut, it looks like one too!

An Easy Donut Cake Recipe

During the fall when apples are in season, one of the traditions in my area is to visit the local apple orchard and get a crinkly bag filled with fresh donuts. They are made right there with the orchard’s own apple cider and the smell is divine. After our last trip, I decided to re-create the experience at home. My kiddos would be the taste testers and judge whether I’d hit the mark!

As you probably know, there are two kinds of donuts – yeast or raised donuts. My Air Fryer Gluten-Free Glazed Donuts are an example of yeasted donuts. Since apple cider donuts are a type of cake donut, then it only makes sense to turn them into one giant donut – an apple cider donut cake! And of course, I made my cake gluten-free so that I could have some.

I served warm slices of fresh donut cake to my family and they all said the flavor and texture of this confection reminded them of the orchard. Success! I hope you make this gluten-free bundt cake and get in on some of this goodness.

the side of a bundt cake coated in cinnamon sugar on a plate on top of pieces of red and natural-colored burlap

What is Apple Cider Donut Cake?

A donut cake is exactly what it sounds like: a ring-shaped cake baked in a bundt pan with a tender texture similar to cake donuts. The donut-like batter is baked in a bundt pan, then coated in butter and cinnamon sugar to give it that sweet, crisp exterior. It really tastes like an apple cider doughnut, which makes it a treat you can enjoy for breakfast or dessert!

What Makes this Cake so Good?

  • Tastes like fall. With all the best flavors of fall, you are sure to love this gluten free apple bundt cake. Using fresh apples cider makes it taste just like fresh cider donuts from the orchard.
  • Easy to make: It’s a fuss-free cake, and you don’t even need a mixer.
  • Moist and tender gluten free cake. It is made with apple cider and applesauce to keep it nice and soft and not a bit dry with tons of apple flavor.
  • You can use individual flours or starches or a blend. I have successfully tested this recipe with both a mixture of brown rice flours, potato starch, ad tapioca starch plus xanthan gum, and simply using Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour.
  • Crunchy cinnamon sugar topping. Then the cinnamon sugar gives it a sweet, crisp coating.
a slice of gluten free apple cider doughnut cake on a white plate with a red scroll design

Recipe Ingredients

Other than picking up some apple cider, this cake is made with items that most home bakers keep in their pantry. Here is a quick overview. Be sure to scroll to the recipe card for the full amounts and directions.

For the gluten free apple cake

  • Gluten free flour: Made with a fairly basic blend of brown rice flour, tapioca starch, and potato starch, plus xanthan gum. It has also been tested using Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour, omitting the xanthan gum.
  • Oat flour: You can buy certified gluten free oat flour. Or toss gluten free oats in a blender and pulse until they become a fine powder.
  • Granulated sugar
  • Cinnamon
  • Baking powder
  • Baking soda
  • Salt
  • Apple cider: Definitely use apple cider, not apple juice. And try to use fresh apple cider from a local orchard or one that is in the refrigerated section of the grocery store. This is not meant for one of those processed, clear ciders or a sparkling cider as you will not get that same fresh apple taste.
  • Unsweetened applesauce: Adds more moisture and apple flavor.
  • Vegetable oil: Or another neutral-flavored oil such as canola or safflower.
  • Large eggs: It’s best to let them come to room temperature.
  • Vanilla extract

For the cinnamon sugar topping

  • Melted butter: I recommend unsalted.
  • Sugar
  • Cinnamon
bowls of flour, butter, baking soda, baking powder, salt, applesauce, sugar, plus a beaker of apple cider and three eggs on a countertop

Can I use apple juice instead of apple cider?

Apple juice and apple cider are technically two different things. Both are the juice of pressed fresh apples. But apple cider is brown and almost opaque, with a deep tangy apple flavor. Apple juice is basically apple cider that has been filtered to remove the pulp. This leaves it with a paler color that is nearly transparent, as well as a lighter, more crisp flavor.

For this recipe, I used apple cider, which is what gives the apple cider doughnut cake the best, most authentic flavor.

You can use apple juice as the liquid. However, if you are truly craving the flavor of a real donut, then apple cider is the way to go. And I don’t mean sparkling cider or hard cider. You’ll want to use the real stuff from a local apple orchard or the refrigerated section of your local grocery store.

How to Make This Gluten Free Donut Cake

This impressive cake is actually quite simple to make. Greasing the pan is really the most critical part, and then there are just a few simple instructions.

Prepare the pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease your bundt pan very well. A thick coating of Crisco shortening is the most effective option for this. While I prefer not to use a lot of shortening, this is one case where it is quite important.

a greased bundt cake pan on top of a striped cloth napkin

Make the batter: Sift or whisk the flours and starches, sugar, cinnamon, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large mixing bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the apple cider, applesauce, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Then pour the wet mixture to the dry and whisk until just combined, being careful not to overmix the batter.

Bake the cake: Pour the batter into the greased bundt pan and bake for 45-50 minutes. A toothpick inserted near the center will come out nearly clean (perhaps with just a few small crumbs).

Cool and coat with cinnamon sugar. Remove the apple cider donut cake from the oven and cool in the bundt pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. As it cools, mix the sugar and cinnamon together for the topping. While still warm, turn the cake out onto a plate. Use a pastry brush to coat the cake with melted butter, then sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature.

a bundt cake being flipped out of the pan onto a plate

How to Keep Your Gluten Free Bundt Cake from Sticking

For a regular bundt cake, the recommendation is always to spray the pan with one of the special non-stick sprays meant for baking that have flour in them. Obviously, if you are gluten-free you can’t do that. So an alternative recommendation is to butter and flour the pan. But I have not found gluten-free flours to work as well for this as standard all-purpose flour.

And unlike making a layer cake like Gluten Free Strawberries and Cream Cake or a sponge cake for Flourless Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake Roll, parchment paper isn’t an option in a bundt pan.

Therefore, I actually find that good old Crisco shortening tends to be the most effective choice for greasing a bundt pan when making a gluten-free bundt cake. Yes, shortening. I don’t love to use a lot of it either, but I swear it’s the thing that works.

Your best bet is to use your fingers or a paper towel and really work the shortening into the crevices. One option is to try coating it in sugar, but I did not try that here so I can’t confirm it will work for this cake.

Then after the donut cake comes out of the oven, let it cool in the pan on the rack for 15 to 20 minutes before turning it out. While you don’t want it to be so hot that it crumbles, you also want to let it cool completely so that the shortening firms up and makes it stick.

If you turn the pan over and find that it doesn’t slide out easily, give it a few more minutes. You can also help it along by using a small offset spatula to loosen up if you have a couple of spots that seem to be sticking just a bit. But don’t go too crazy or you’ll just make the cake crumbly and messy.

bundt cake coated in cinnamon sugar on a white serving plate with an apple, a bottle of apple cider, and cinnamon sticks in the background

More Tips for Success

  • Making oat flour: While you can buy oat flour, you can make your own by placing your oats in a blender and blitzing it into a powder. I do like to sift this prior to adding it to a recipe to get rid of any hard bits that may be left or whole oats that didn’t get broken down.
  • Sift the dry ingredients: You can whisk together the dry ingredients. However, to ensure they are mixed well and lightened up, I actually prefer to sift them through a mesh sieve into a large bowl.
  • Get the perfect coating: You will want to brush the cake with melted butter and sprinkle on the cinnamon sugar while it is warm or at least at room temperature. If the cake is cold, the butter will harden, and not as much cinnamon sugar will stick. You really want it to stick so you get the same effect as rolling a freshly fried donut in cinnamon sugar.
Close up of a slice of gluten free apple bundt cake

Storing Leftover Donut Cake

This cake keeps for a few days at room temperature. To extend the life a couple of extra days, you can put it in the fridge. This may cause it to dry out just a bit. It’s nothing a dollop of whipped cream can’t fix.

Can I Freeze It?

This bundt cake also freezes well. I’d just recommend freezing before you add the topping and letting it thaw slowly. First, start thawing it in the fridge till it is no longer frozen solid. Then bring it to room temperature before putting on the melted butter and cinnamon sugar.

Gluten Free Apple Cider Doughnut Cake from above

Serving Suggestions

Donut cake is obviously perfect for dessert, but it’s great for breakfast or brunch too. Have a slice with a mug of hot apple cider or a pumpkin spice latte. You’ll definitely enjoy it after a day of pumpkin picking or other fun fall activities. It is the perfect way to end a crisp autumn day.

Serve it for Thanksgiving. Enjoy it instead of pie with some of these alternative turkey-day desserts:

Slice of gluten free apple cider donut cake on a plate with a red and white design and the rest of the bundt cake on a serving plate behind it plus a bottle of apple cider

Shop the Recipe

BUNDT PAN: I like to make this cake in the classic bundt cake pan, but you can certainly get one of the fancy ones. You’ll want to make sure it is a 10- to 12-cup bundt pan.

Nordic Ware ProForm Bundt, 12 Cup, Gray

$24.70
$16.97
 in stock
8 new from $16.97
Free shipping
Amazon.com
as of Mar 28, 2024 8:42 am
Sliced Gluten Free Apple Cider Donut Cake
4.9 from 13 votes

Gluten Free Apple Cider Donut Cake

A delicious apple-flavored bundt cake coated in cinnamon sugar, just like apple cider donuts from the farm. Perfect for fall.
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 45 minutes
Total: 1 hour
Servings: 16 slices

Ingredients

For the cake:

For the topping:

  • 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter , melted
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F
  • Coat your bundt pan very well with shortening being sure to get into every crevice.
  • Into a large mixing bowl, sif together the brown rice flour, tapioca starch, potato starch, oat flour, xanthan gum, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  • In another bowl, combine the apple cider, applesauce, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk together until combined.
  • Add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
  • Pour the batter into the greased bundt pan and bake for 45-50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out nearly clean (perhaps with just a few small crumbs).
  • Cool in the pan on a cooling rack for 15 minutes.
  • While it cools, mix the sugar and cinnamon together for the topping.
  • Turn the cake out onto a plate and brush with melted butter, then sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar, coating all sides as best as possible.
  • Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

You can replace the brown rice flour, tapioca starch, and potato starch with 2 cups of a gluten free flour blend. If the flour you use contains xantham gum, you can omit the 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum. This recipe has been tested with Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour.
You can purchase oat flour or make your own by placing oats in a blender and blending to a fine powder, then sifting to remove any remaining large or hard bits.
Adapted from Apple Cider Doughnut Cake from The View From Great Island.
Nutrition Facts
Gluten Free Apple Cider Donut Cake
Amount Per Serving (0.0625 of the cake)
Calories 317 Calories from Fat 117
% Daily Value*
Fat 13g20%
Saturated Fat 9g45%
Cholesterol 34mg11%
Sodium 130mg5%
Potassium 176mg5%
Carbohydrates 46g15%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 24g27%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 90IU2%
Vitamin C 0.4mg0%
Calcium 33mg3%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Categories:

More Gluten Free Apple Desserts

12 Comments
  1. Meredith

    5 stars
    A co-worker made this for me and substituted all the flours (due to allergy) for Bobs Red Mill 1 to 1. She adjusted xanthum gum to the amount of flour she used (directions on back of flour bag). It was outstanding!!

  2. Jamie

    5 stars
    AWESOME RECIPE! Directions are easy to follow and the cake came out great. The cake cooks up well and is moist and flavorful. I can’t even tell it’s gluten free. I used the individua flours but I appreciate that a one to one option was included in the notes. This recipe is a keeper!

  3. Tanica

    This looks amazing! Any ideas on adequate substitutes for the eggs? Making for a friend with an egg sensitivity.

  4. Ines Kallmeyer

    This recipe looks and sounds soooo good – I used to love apple cider donuts too until the gluten problem was discovered. But I also have a problem with oats, even if they are certified gluten free. I can eat the other flours you listed. Do you have any suggestions for oat substitutes – maybe quinoa flakes ground into flour or sorghum flour? Thanks very much for any help you can give.

Leave a Comment

Recipe Rating




I accept the Privacy Policy