Here we are finally in the month of October. Fall is moving full steam ahead and I couldn't be more ecstatic. There are so many joys that come with autumn it's hard to keep track. One of the wonderful things I love about this season is the array of yummy drinks that accompany it. There are of course pumpkin spice lattes, mulled wine, hot cocoa and most definitely apple cider. Honestly it's a tough call between PSL and fresh apple cider, on who takes the cake for fall (pun intended). I can never get enough of both drinks during the season.
A few years ago I used pumpkin spice lattes as inspiration for a delicious cake recipe. This cake was as scrumptious as it sounds covered in butterscotch frosting. I have also previously made plenty of apple cakes and concoctions, but never an apple cider based cake. I thought that this year would be the perfect opportunity to let cider shine in cake form. I busted out my favorite sparkling cider and brainstormed a winning cake recipe. Check out my recipe below for Sparkling Cider Cake. This cake is light and airy from the cider effervescence but full of flavor from all the spices of cider and apple butter. The cake is then covered in our Sparkling Cider Sugar Crystals for the best autumn decorations for this cake. It is definitely the complete essence of fall in a baked good. You'll surely want to save this recipe for now and later.
Ingredients
Cake:
3 cups all purpose flour
1 ½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup vegetable oil
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. lemon juice
½ cup apple butter/ unsweetened apple sauce
1 cup sparkling apple cider
Glaze:
¼ cup sparkling apple cider
2- 2 ½ cups confectioners sugar
Directions
Preheat oven to 350F.
Butter and flour bundt pan.
In a large sized bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
Using a stand mixer with paddle attachment cream together butter, oil, sugars until light, fluffy and double in size (approximately 10 minutes. ) Add eggs one at a time to the creamed mixture. Add vanilla and lemon juice. Add apple butter Add half of the flour mixture to the creamed mixture. Add apple cider. Combine last of the flour mixture. Mix well until all ingredients are incorporated.
Pour batter into prepared bundt pan. Bake at 350F for approximately 55-60 minutes (Bake until tester comes out clean). Let cake cool on wire rack until at room temperature.
While cake is baking make the glaze.
For Glaze: Whisk together apple cider and confectioners sugar. Whisk until glaze is smooth, about one minute. Pour glaze onto cooled cake.
Cover cake with Sparkling Cider Sugar Crystals (optional).
Devour and enjoy!